South Africa have now won seven Tests in a row [Getty Images]Matt Gault - BBC Sport NI senior journalist at Aviva StadiumSat, November 22, 2025 at 7:58 PM UTC·2 min readQuilter Nations Series
Ireland (7) 13
Try: Sheehan Con: Crowley Pens: Prendergast 2
South Africa (19) 24
Tries: Willemse, Reinach, penalty try, Feinberg-Mngomezulu Con: Feinberg- Mngomezulu
Ill-disciplined Ireland were shown five cards as South Africa produced a typically power-packed performance to win a chaotic, bruising autumn Test - their first victory in Dublin since 2012.
Having bounced back from an opening November loss to the All Blacks, Ireland had hoped to claim a statement win over the world champions to end 2025 on a high.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBut coach Andy Farrell was forced to rip up his gameplan on a hectic and deeply frustrating evening which yielded a red card for James Ryan and yellows for Sam Prendergast, Jack Crowley, Andrew Porter and Paddy McCarthy.
Damian Willemse gave the tourists a dream start with a fourth-minute try, before Ryan's yellow for a high hit on Malcolm Marx in the build-up to Tadhg Beirne's disallowed try.
After the card was upgraded to a 20-minute red, Cobus Reinach extended the Springboks' lead with Prendergast also sin-binned, before Dan Sheehan crossed for Ireland.
In a devastating end to the half for the Irish, though, Crowley and Porter were also shown yellows, while South Africa were awarded a penalty try to take an imposing 19-7 lead at the break.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIreland could only muster six points in the second period through two Prendergast penalties, with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu's superb individual try ensuring a first win on Irish soil for the Springboks in four attempts.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Ireland: M Hansen; T O'Brien, G Ringrose, B Aki, J Lowe; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, D Sheehan, T Furlong, J Ryan, T Beirne, R Baird, J van der Flier, C Doris (capt).
Replacements: R Kelleher, P McCarthy, F Bealham, C Prendergast, J Conan, C Casey, J Crowley, T Farrell.
South Africa: D Willemse; C Moodie, J Kriel, D de Allende, C Kolbe; S Feinberg-Mngomezulu, C Reinach; B Venter, M Marx, T du Toit, E Etzebeth, R Nortje, S Kolisi (capt), PS du Toit, J Wiese.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementReplacements: J Grobbelaar, G Steenekamp, W Louw, RG Snyman, K Smith, A Esterhuizen, G Williams, M Libbok
Match officials
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (RFU) & Christophe Ridley (RFU)
Television match official: Andrew Jackson (RFU)
Foul play review officer: Dan Jones (RFU)
