Springbok Women lose to Ireland 38-17 as Ireland win series 2-0
Ireland beat the Springbok Women 38-17 at Athlone Stadium on 31 October 2026 to win the series 2-0. Béibhinn Parsons scored a hat-trick; Tose, Solontsi and Ubisi scored for South Africa.
Ireland beat the Springbok Women 38-17 at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, 31 October 2026, after leading 14-10 at half-time (SA Rugby). It gives Ireland a 2-0 series win, after they also won the first Test 40-27 at the same ground last weekend (RTÉ).
Winger Béibhinn Parsons scored a hat-trick, and the Springbok Women faded in the final quarter (News24; BBC Sport).
What was the final score?
| Springbok Women | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|
| Half-time | 10 | 14 |
| Full-time | 17 | 38 |
| Tries | 3 | 6 |
| Conversions | 1 | 4 |
Scores from SA Rugby and BBC Sport.
Who scored for the Springbok Women?
| Minute | Scorer | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 2' | Unam Tose (try) | 5-0 |
| 37' | Sizophila Solontsi (try) | 10-14 |
| 58' | Vainah Ubisi (try), Jakkie Cilliers (conversion) | 17-14 |
Ubisi's try put South Africa ahead, but Parsons scored her second soon after and Ireland pulled away late, with captain Erin King and Aoife Dalton also among their try scorers (BBC Sport). Three players were sin-binned during the match: Alichia Arries and Jakkie Cilliers for South Africa and Aoibheann Reilly for Ireland (BBC Sport).
What did the captains say?
Springbok Women captain Sizophila Solontsi said: "That one hurts. Disappointed. We had some really great moments" (BBC Sport). She added that this was the team's last game of the season (BBC Sport).
Ireland captain Erin King said her side became the first Irish team to win a Test series in South Africa (BBC Sport).
What's next for the Springbok Women?
This was the Springbok Women's final Test of 2026, as set out in our match preview and confirmed by the captain after the match (BBC Sport). Follow SA Women's Rugby on X for their official match report and next fixtures.
FAQ
What was the score in Springbok Women v Ireland on 31 October 2026?
Ireland won 38-17 at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town, after leading 14-10 at half-time.
Who scored the Springbok Women's tries?
Unam Tose, Sizophila Solontsi and Vainah Ubisi scored the tries, and Jakkie Cilliers kicked one conversion.
Who won the series?
Ireland won the two-Test series 2-0, after also winning the first Test 40-27 on 24 October.
