South Africa continues its November series of internationals on Saturday as the Boks take on Ireland in Dublin.
This is the fourth of five matches that South Africa will play in the Northern Hemisphere this tour. The Boks made a significant statement two weeks ago by beating France in Paris after an easy win over Japan at Twickenham. Last week’s match against Italy was more of a grind, with an understrength Boks side emerging 32-14 winners.
Next week, South Africa faces Wales to complete their international calendar for 2025.
Ireland VS South Africa Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Ireland VS South Africa Date: Saturday, November 22
Ireland VS South Africa Odds:
History
Rassie Erasmus has done just about everything possible as the Boks’ head coach. One box he has yet to tick could happen this weekend, as Rassie has never won a Test in Ireland.
The Irish have held firm at home against the Boks as of late. You have to go back to 2012 for the last time South Africa won in Dublin, while the Irish pipped South Africa the last time the two sides met anywhere.
That match was at Kings Park in Durban, with Ireland edging to a 25-24 win.
Ireland is a hard team to figure out at this point in the World Cup cycle. Defeats by New Zealand and France aren’t necessarily terrible, but the way those games were played made Ireland look a little ordinary.
If the Boks get the Ireland that romped to a 46-19 win over Australia last weekend, then that will be a different story.
Ireland
There are four changes to the Ireland side as head coach Andy Farrell recalls Garry Ringrose, Josh van der Flier, Bundee Aki, and Andrew Porter to face the Boks.
Van der Flier and Ringrose have both recovered from hamstring problems, while for Aki, it will be his first start in Irish colors since defeat by France in the Six Nations.
Mack Hansen is a player to watch for as he tore the Wallabies apart last week, scoring an impressive hat-trick from his less commonly played position of fullback.
South Africa
Can South Africa keep 15 players on the pitch this week? Do they even need to with two wins in a row after losing a lock to a red card in the first half of a match?
Lood de Jager remains banned for the red card he picked up against France. De Jager’s offense was deemed serious enough that he is ineligible to play in any of the remaining November internationals.
Franco Mostert is available after a disciplinary panel rescinded his 11th-minute red card against Italy. It says a lot that Mostert doesn’t even make the 23, with Ruan Nortje and Eben Etzebeth starting at lock.
After a much-changed lineup against Italy, there are only two changes to the starting XV from the win over France. Nortje is one, with Canan Moodie for the injured Kurt-Lee Arendse on the wing, the other.
Best Bets
This will be physical, and it should be close. South Africa cannot afford the ill discipline that has cost them this tour to come back into focus.
Ireland has issues at fly-half that still don’t seem to be resolved. They also had a head coach who spent much of the year working with the British & Irish Lions rather than developing this team.
Ireland will be much better 12 months down the line, but I like the Boks to win by a couple of scores here.
