Ireland 13-24 South Africa result - Quilter Nations Series recap as Springboks triumph after Andy Farrell's side given FIVE cards in bonkers game

Test Match

Aviva Stadium / 22.11.2025

Ireland

Finished

South Africa

Tries

Conversions

Penalties

Drops

Live

Live Updates

All
Highlights

SUPERLATIVE SOUTH AFRICA TRIUMPH OVER IRELAND IN THE WILDEST GAME OF 2025

South Africa beat Ireland 24-13 in Dublin for the first time in 13 years in one of the most incident-packed games in modern rugby history, featuring a red card, five yellows, six confirmed tries and two more disallowed scores.

The Springbok forwards dominated Ireland who conceded 18 penalties overall and six in the scrum, while the hosts also struggled to get consistent results from the lineout, operating at a success rate of 73%.

Yet for all their dominance on the stats sheet, South Africa were unable to pull away from the number four team in the world and endured a nervous final five minutes as Ireland pressed for an equaliser.

Damian Willemse kickstarted the chaos when he crossed inside five minutes after Ireland had disintegrated at a maul and never recovered their defensive shape. Though after Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was lucky not to see yellow for a tackle on Tommy O’Brien and Sam Prendergast hit the post with a penalty, Ireland thought they were level when Tadhg Beirne crashed over.

Instead, a brainless and reckless clearout from James Ryan wiped off the score and the yellow card was eventually upgraded to red, allowing Cian Prendergast to star in his absence. Boan Venter saw his own try cancelled out for a prior forward pass before Ireland’s troubles really began.

O’Brien rode his luck to avoid a yellow card but with South Africa piling on the pressure, Sam Prendergast, Andrew Porter and Jack Crowley were sent to the sin bin while conceding a penalty try and a Cobus Reinach score.

Dan Sheehan pulled five points back for Ireland out of nowhere before half-time but after a pair of Prendergast penalties sandwiched a Feinberg-Mngomezulu try, the Springboks turned the screw again, with McCarthy seeing yellow before Ireland improbably turned the ball over.

They finally came alive in the final 10 minutes but hesitations by Sam Prendergast - who had a difficult and indecisive day in the spotlight - prevented Ireland scoring and getting the chance to push for a win in the final seconds.

MARX SALUTES IRISH EFFORT

The Springbok hooker (and many people's pick for World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year) knew he'd been in a battle in Dublin when he spoke to TNT Sports after winning Player of the Match today:

"Always a tough outing against the Irish. What a quality side they are. We knew it was going to be tough and a grind to the end. Very happy with the way the guys fought and the courage they showed the last couple of weeks, especially this week, to come and eventually get a win at the Aviva.

"I think we got some good success [in the scrum], but also at times like in the second half when we were down here, we weren't as successful as we'd like to be. But you obviously take it. They're a quality side, and playing against a quality side like them is a tough match-up.

"I think the character they showed was immense. Having 12 men on the field and still keeping us out for a good number of minutes just shows the character and how strong a bond they have as a team. Massive congratulations to them on a great end-of-year tour."

'Sacha the superstar!' - Feinberg-Mngomezulu sprinkles Springbok magic with slick try

Video credit: TNT Sports

SCORES ON THE DOORS

We're less than 10 minutes away from kickoff on the continent in the final two games of tonight, and don't forget we have three more games coming up after the final whistle all live on TNT Sports and discovery+...

Saturday:

FT - Wales 26-52 New Zealand

FT - Ireland 13-24 South Africa

20:10 - France v Australia - Live on TNT Sports 1

20:10 - Italy v Chile - Live on TNT Sports 2

Sunday:

13:40 - Scotland v Tonga - Live on TNT Sports 1 & TNT Sports Ultimate

16:10 - England v Argentina - Live on TNT Sports 1 & TNT Sports Ultimate

(All UK time)

France v Australia LIVE - Quilter Nations Series action as Gael Fickou starts for hosts who look to consign struggling Australia to record defeat

Italy v Chile LIVE- Quilter Nations Series action as Italy look to bounce back from defeat to South Africa as they take on Chile for the first time

Highlights: New Zealand outmuscle spirited Wales side in thrilling Cardiff clash

Video credit: TNT Sports

FULL-TIME: IRELAND 13-24 SOUTH AFRICA

You will do well to see a crazier match than that this season, or this decade. Eventually Ireland knock on meaning the Aviva doesn't get that final roar, but what a game that was.

Six cards, two disallowed tries, and an eventual 11-point game won by the Springboks, there will be plenty of reaction coming up next on TNT Sports and discovery+ alongside France v Australia and Italy v Chile tonight before England and Scotland complete their years tomorrow.

Malcom Marx is awarded the Player of the Match and you can really see what this means to the Springboks - they hadn't won here since 2012.

80'

SOUTH AFRICA WIN

We're still playing but the clock ticks into the red, we restart with a scrum under the Springbok posts.

79'

THIS TIME HE'S GONE

Grant Williams was cynical at the ruck, gets pinged and Ireland have 87 seconds to score if they are to win.

78'

YELLOW CARD OVERTURNED!

What a mess. Snyman had been sent off, but it transpires Ireland had gone into touch in the maul before the penalty so instead we're back to an earlier penalty.

75'

HUGE CHANGE!
How important will that be?!? Ireland's attack never got going and they knocked on, but South African backchat to the referee earns the hosts a penalty instead! They kick to the corner.

73'

LAST CHANCE

Snyman has the lineout thrown clutched from his grasp and Ireland need to score in the next few minutes if they're to win. And they get a big break when Kwagga Smith regathers a box kick from an offside position!

71'

WHAT A PAIR OF PLAY BY CROWLEY!!

James Lowe is away on the left wing and tries to kick past Kolbe, who blocks it and looks like he could be in the opposite direction until Crowley somehow finds the gas to not only gather the ball, but outrun a pair of Springboks!

Then to cap it off, he makes a Superman play to deny Canan Moodie, if Ireland can turn this around then that will be a massive reason.

69'

INTERCEPTION!

Lowe picks off an Ireland pass and Gibson-Park takes play into the opposition half! The crowd are beginning to believe Ireland can at least cut the deficit to one score.

66'

TURNOVER IRELAND!!!

Kwagga Smith's knock-on is cheered like a try and after all that pressure, South Africa come away empty-handed!

It's a Springbok lineout but Ireland are out from under the shadow of their own posts for the first time in about 15 minutes of real time.

65'

WATCH: SHEEHAN STUNS SPRINGBOKS

You're not missing much, Ireland just conceded their 18th penalty of the match and South Africa have kicked to the corner as Tom Farrell replaces Hansen.

Here's a throwback to the hosts' moment of the match so far.

'Dan the man!' - Sheehan crashes over the line to give 13-man Ireland hope against South Africa

Video credit: TNT Sports

64'

MCCARTHY SEES YELLOW

Hopefully Porter enjoyed his break, because he's recalled as McCarthy is yellow-carded with Van der Flier also trotting off. Like Prendergast's yellow, it's for cumulative penalties.

61'

IRISH BOMB SQUAD ARRIVES

Porter has had a chastening afternoon, and he's replaced in the latest batch of changes. Van der Flier was meant to go off too, but an injury to Ryan Baird means Jack Conan comes on for him instead.

60'

SPRINGBOKS ON THE EDGE

Feinberg-Mngomezulu drops a grubber for Pieter-Steph du Toit who's popped up on the wing!

The flanker keeps the ball in play against Mack Hansen and though the Springboks eventually infringe, they had the penalty advantage.

Erasmus makes more changes with Manie Libbok and Andre Esterhuizen replacing Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Kolisi.

59'

MASSIVE PENALTY... UNDONE

Cian Prendergast comes up BIG under his own posts! He locks onto the ball and win a penalty but it's a temporary reprieve and Ronan Kelleher is on for Sheehan, and misses his throw.

58'

PENALTY!! IRELAND 13-24 SOUTH AFRICA (S PRENDERGAST)

They started the second half down to 12, yet Ireland have outscored their opponents so far! Prendergast's kick is good enough, though Ireland again knock on at the restart - these errors will have Farrell tearing his hair out.

56'

PENALTY TO IRELAND

Gibson-Park makes a meal of being taken out by Steenekamp, but can you blame him? He wins a penalty bang in front of the posts, about 25m out.

53'

WATCH: Ireland OBLITERATED at the scrum

As the Irish finally stop a maul, to huge celebrations in the Aviva Stadium, here's how the Springboks got their third score.

'Ireland OBLITERATED' - Springboks demolish Irish scrum to force penalty try

Video credit: TNT Sports

1234