The Springboks finally banished their 13-year Dublin hoodoo on Saturday, grinding out a bruising 24–13 victory over Ireland in a match that swung like a loose scrum in a gale.
It may not have been pretty, but in the Aviva Stadium furnace the world champions found enough steel to claim a fourth straight win on their Outgoing Tour of Europe.
Rassie Erasmus, skipper Siya Kolisi and newly crowned World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year Malcolm Marx were quick to brush off any notion of a perfect performance, instead tipping their scrum caps to Ireland for a defiant second-half surge.
“It was a great win against a team like Ireland, who have dominated against us since we’ve been together as a group,” Erasmus said, reminding everyone that recent history still reads 3–2 in Ireland’s favour.
“We won’t get carried away with the result, but the beer tastes a little better.”
The Boks led 19–7 at the break but a flurry of cards, one red, one yellow, turned the contest into a tactical jigsaw puzzle.
Still, they held on, wrestling momentum back whenever Ireland threatened to turn the tide.
“We are just thankful that we were able to beat them here,” Erasmus added.
“It’s been a long season… but we are certainly proud after such a long season to grind through a win against a team such as them at home for the first time in 13 years.”
The match often resembled a Test-match street fight, something the Boks have become all too accustomed to after navigating red-card dramas against France and Italy.
Highlights: Relive the action from Dublin, where the #Springboks beat Ireland at home for the first time in 13 years – watch here: https://t.co/5HQ4Ue7nFw 🎥#ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/J0R8XQc6oN
— Springboks (@Springboks) November 22, 2025
“We’ve had games with red cards and a concussion when there wasn’t a ping and we’ve had to grind it out,” said Erasmus.
“It was very physical… a 20-minute red card, which I thought was the correct call… It was hectic and difficult to manage with who went off and came back on, but that’s Test match rugby.”
Kolisi praised the clarity under chaos as the Boks adjusted on the fly.
“At halftime, we had to make plans, but we always knew what was happening,” he said.
“We took the penalties and we understood they had numbers short, and the scrum was working for us, which is why we went for that aspect of the game.”
No one felt the weight of that decision more than Marx, who received his World Rugby award from legendary lock Victor Matfield moments after full-time.
“It was a tough game and having that many scrums wasn’t pleasing on the neck,” he said with a wry smile.
“They are a quality side with a quality pack… We had to grind it out and apply as much pressure as we could to get the rewards.”
Ireland’s refusal to roll over earned Erasmus’ respect.
“Ireland were just as physical… I don’t think they came off second best there,” he said.
“If they scored in the last four minutes, then it would have been a restart and the game would have been on. It was definitely not a perfect performance, but there was a monkey on our backs that we had to get off.”
And for those still whispering about revenge?
“It wasn’t about revenge,” Erasmus insisted.
“It was a case of trying to fix things. In the scrums we were dominant, but not in every department, and we opted for that option because they were down to seven men.”
With the curse cracked and momentum intact, the Boks now pack their bags for Cardiff, where Wales await in the final clash of their November campaign.
