WeeklySA_AdminIntense rivalry: The two top teams in the world lock horns in a two test series
By Sports Reporter
Sport. It’s everywhere at the moment. Euro 2024 and Wimbledon are in full swing while the Paris Olympics are just a few weeks away.
But rugby is not about to be left out of the summer sporting bonanza, with the UK nations gearing up for mouthwatering inter-hemisphere series.
England are in New Zealand to face the All Blacks, Wales are playing Australia while Scotland visit Chile and Uruguay after their North American trip. But perhaps the most eagerly anticipated matches are taking place in the home of the back-to-back world champions, as South Africa host Ireland. As the top two teams in the world who share a pretty intense rivalry, any match between the Springboks and Ireland is box office – and this summer we have two.
Here is all you need to know about South Africa v Ireland. It is a two-Test series. Following a gruelling season that included a World Cup, a two-Test tour was organised. The opening Test takes place in Pretoria with the second Test in Durban:
South Africa v Ireland, Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria, Saturday, July 6 – 16:00 BST South Africa v Ireland, Kings Park, Durban, Saturday, July 13 – 16:00 BST
Squads – big names missing
Both teams are missing key players for this battle of the hemispheres.
Ireland will be without a number of crucial players, with the backline taking a big hit. Full-back Hugo Keenan is preparing for the Olympics with the Ireland sevens team while Jamison Gibson-Park and Mack Hansen – who scored a try against South Africa in last year’s World Cup – are injured. The pack will also be missing some seasoned campaigners. British and Irish Lions number eight Jack Conan is unavailable because of personal reasons, while Ulster captain Iain Henderson is injured. Sam Prendergast, Jamie Osborne and Cormac Izuchukwu are the uncapped players in Andy Farrell’s travelling party.
South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus is not without his injury issues too. Wings Edwill van der Merwe and Makazole Mapimpi and utility back Canan Moodie will miss the first Test.
Prop Steven Kitshoff – who recently ended a short stint at Ulster – locks Jean Kleyn and Lood de Jager, and Damian Willemse are also missing.
A bit of history
Ireland won 13-8 when the sides met in a titanic Pool B match at last year’s World Cup
Ireland have had the edge recently. Last year, the Irish produced a battling display to beat South Africa 13-8 in their World Cup Pool B encounter at Stade de France in Paris.
South Africa, of course, went on to win the tournament while Ireland were knocked out in the quarter-finals by New Zealand.
That was Ireland’s third successive win over the Boks, having also won 38-3 and 19-16 in Dublin in 2017 and 2022. Significantly, though, Ireland have never claimed a series win in South Africa. Two years ago, they claimed their first series win in New Zealand in memorable fashion, beating the All Blacks 2-1. In fact, Ireland have just one win from 10 matches against the Boks in South Africa. That came in 2016 when Joe Schmidt’s side triumphed 26-20 in Cape Town. South Africa, however, regrouped to win in Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth and take the series.
South Africa squad:
Forwards: Phepsi Buthelezi, Ben-Jason Dixon, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Johan Grobbelaar, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi (capt), Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Salmaan Moerat, Franco Mostert, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Evan Roos, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Jasper Wiese.
Backs: Lukhanyo Am, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian de Allende, Faf de Klerk, Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Wilie le Roux, Manie Libbok, Makazole Mapimpi, Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Morne van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe, Grant Williams.
