South Africa vs Ireland Preview
Ireland will play South Africa in their second summer test in Durban on July 13th at 4:00 pm. The Irish are playing for pride after suffering a narrow defeat to the Springboks in Pretoria. We’re likely to see both teams change their lineups in what will be an interesting contest.
South Africa ended their recent hoodoo against the Irish to avenge their World Cup loss. They also continued their Test dominance at home and consolidated their No. 1 status. For their part, Ireland could have won this game if some decisions went their way.
It will be fascinating to see how Andy Farrell responds to his team’s tough loss. Meanwhile, the Springboks must avoid complacency against this Irish team. It’s going to be a brilliant match between two top sides.
South Africa vs Ireland Key Stats and Head-to-Head
Ireland and South Africa currently lead World Rugby’s rankings. This is a battle between the Six Nations Champions and the World Cup winners. The Irish have been the Northern Hemisphere’s most consistent nation over the past five years. But South Africa is on a mission to oust the All-Blacks as a rugby union superpower.
The first test was a hard-fought game with the Springboks bringing their typical physical approach. However, they also attempted to play a more expansive style against the Irish. Ultimately, South Africa won 27-20 and deserved their victory.
Siya Kolisi returned to the Springboks’ starting line-up and instantly made his presence felt. He passed to Kurt-Lee Arendse for the game’s opening try. Jack Crowley put Ireland’s first points on the board before Handre Pollard’s boot gave South Africa a 10-point lead.
Pollard began effectively, but he missed three straight kicks. He appeared to be in some discomfort at one point. Meanwhile, the Irish out-half situation remains a topic of contention. Jack Crowley also had some crucial misses, but he is Ireland’s first-choice for now.
Jamie Osborne scored Ireland’s opening try as they reduced the deficit to 13-8 before half-time. It was a special moment for the young man on his test debut. Much is made of South Africa’s ‘Bomb Squad’ in the build-up to this match. Erasmus introduced his six replacement forwards in the 50th minute, but they didn’t have a massive impact.
It appeared Ireland had closed the gap after James Lowe crossed the line. However, the officials ruled it out because Ronan Kelleher played a grounded ball. Lowe then made an awful mistake as he handed Cheslin Kolbe a try. It was a terrible moment for the Leinster star.
Conor Murray replaced the effective Craig Casey after the latter suffered a worrying head injury. Murray and Ryan Baird scored late tries to keep Ireland in touch, but ultimately they left themselves with too much to do.
Caelan Doris was Ireland’s main bright spot in this game. The back-rower was outstanding, with several massive turnovers. His intelligence was also on full display against the Springboks as he proved his leadership qualities.
South Africa left Andy Farrell ruing the cost of this clash with multiple injury doubts. There are fears that Dan Sheehan tore his ACL while Casey suffered a concussion. The Irish protested RG Snyman’s hit, to no avail. It will be challenging to replace the quality of these two men.
Following medical assessments, the Ireland management can confirm that Craig Casey and Dan Sheehan will play no further part in the Summer Tour.
Dave Heffernan and Nathan Doak have been called up and have linked up with the squad in Durban.#TeamOfUs
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) July 8, 2024
Ireland’s third-choice scrum-half Conor Murray is a guarantee to start this second test. The Munster star is in the twilight of his career but will replace his provincial teammate. It’s a shame because Casey was superb against South Africa and silenced his doubters. Connacht’s Caolin Blade will be on the bench.
Garry Ringrose replaced Robbie Henshaw during the first test after his Leinster teammate took a hard knock. He was excellent after his introduction, and Farrell may start him this time. Ringrose endured a frustrating season but is desperate to prove he’s back to his best.
Franco Mostert was superb for the Springboks and had the most tackles for his team before he left the field. He overshadowed his partner Eben Etzbeth, who will hope to show more in the second test. However, Pieter-Steph du Toit was instrumental to Rassie Erasmus’ game plan. Ireland must nullify him in this clash because he made them pay.
South Africa vs Ireland Predictions
Predicted Score: South Africa 30 – 15 Ireland
Our rugby prediction is for South Africa to win this game more comfortably than the first test. They’re not playing a full-strength Irish side now. Injuries have reduced Andy Farrell to playing his third-choice scrum-half in Conor Murray. Craig Casey and Dan Sheehan will miss this game. Meanwhile, there are concerns over Robbie Henshaw, Andrew Porter, and several other Irish players.
Rassie Erasmus will enjoy more continuity and have the luxury of a fully fit roster. They should blow the Irish away in the first half. However, there’s a chance they’ll allow Ireland a chance to close the gap after the break. Ireland had the better chances after replacements took to the field in the first test.
REACTION: What an unhappy Andy Farrell had to say about the TMO calls that went against Ireland, from Liam Heagney 🎙️ in Pretoria. #RSAvIRE #IrishRugby #Springboks #rugby pic.twitter.com/UpvmPngleV
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 7, 2024
Complacency could also be a crucial factor. South Africa had a lot of motivation ahead of the first game. They hadn’t beaten Ireland since 2018 and resented their World Cup defeat. They took revenge in Pretoria and left their mark on the Irish players. Now the Irish are licking their wounds. They may be more up for this game than the first test.
South Africa are rightful favourite but Ireland remains dangerous. Live betting will be helpful for this game if the Irish take an unexpected halftime lead. Players like Garry Ringrose and Conor Murray will want to prove they’ve still got plenty in the tank.
South Africa vs Ireland Betting Tips
The Springboks are 1/4 favourites to win this game at Novibet. Betting on South Africa to win outright isn’t very profitable. Luckily, rugby union offers many opportunities for prop bets across different markets.
Why not place a stake on the winning margin? Our rugby prediction is that South Africa will win this game by 1-15 points. This market is available at 7/4. A successful €10 wager would make €17.50. If you want to be braver, it’s 25/1 for them to win by exactly 15 points. This time, the same stake would make €250.
An Ireland win by 1-7 points is available at 9/2. This is their most likely winning margin because they are missing several first-choice players. It would be an amazing achievement if Andy Farrell masterminded a victory. The Irish are carrying a massive chip on their shoulder and have a strong recent record against the Springboks.
It’s wiser to bet on South Africa to win the first half than the entire game at 5/6. Meanwhile, it’s 4/5 for them to score first and win this game. The Springboks took the lead in the opening test and will try to emulate this again.
Check out the over-under odds for the number of total points. Another option is the number of yellow cards. The Springboks always flirt with the dark side so it wouldn’t be a shock to see a couple of sin-binned players. Odd/even points totals are another popular market with the former more likely at 17/20.
There are several massive international rugby tests this weekend. Australia hosts Wales while New Zealand play England in huge games. France was the only northern hemisphere side to win their opening test and hope to do the double over Argentina. Consider creating an accumulator with all the favourites. Use Novibet’s welcome bonus to maximise your profits without risk.
MUST WATCH WOW! 🤩
An INCREDIBLE moment as South Africa perform a passionate rendition of their national anthem 😅🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/I5rUs3DRec
— Sky Sports Rugby Union (@SkySportsRugby) July 6, 2024
South Africa Team News and Predicted Lineup
Kwagga Smith didn’t have a great first test, so this might be a chance for Evan Roos to stake his claim. Otherwise, Rassie Erasmus won’t make many changes. He will play his strongest available team because he wants to beat the Irish again. There are some concerns about Kurt-Lee Arendse’s fitness.
- Predicted Lineup: Willie le Roux, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende. Kurt-Lee Arendse, Handre Pollard, Faf de Klerk, Ox Nche, Bongi Nbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzbeth, Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Evan Roos.
Ireland Team News and Predicted Lineup
Andy Farrell has a Catch-22 situation. He’ll make several enforced changes, including Murray for Casey at scrum-half. Ronan Kelleher will probably start after Dan Sheehan’s apparent ACL tear. Farrell won’t want to lose both ties and knows it’s risky to rotate too much. Most of the fit starters from the South Africa vs Ireland first test will continue. Bundee Aki may drop out because he didn’t play with energy.
- Predicted Lineup: Jamie Osborne, Calvin Nash, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe, Jack Crowley, Conor Murray, Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong, James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne, Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, and Caelan Doris.
