Continental Postal Services of Hebland

Springbok Women Fall to Ireland in WXV Global Series Finale

Sports
Springbok Women Fall to Ireland in WXV Global Series Finale

The Springbok Women closed their 2026 season with a 38-17 defeat to Ireland in the final round of the inaugural WXV Global Series, though co-head coaches Laurian Johannes-Haupt and Franzel September counted growth, new depth and crucial wins among the year’s gains, after the Test at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, 31 October 2026.

South Africa struck first through scrum-half Unam Tose in the second minute and captain Sizophila Solontsi crossed before the break, with Ireland captain Erin King and wing Béibhinn Parsons scoring in between. 

Second-row Vainah Ubisi’s try shortly before the hour returned the lead to the hosts at 17-14, but Parsons struck straight back and Ireland ran in three unanswered tries in the last 10 minutes, two from Aoife Dalton and one completing Parsons’ hat-trick. Ireland had won the first Test 40-27 a week earlier.

“They really showed their class in the last 10 minutes, and their ability to score when they were in our 22-metre area was top drawer and something we need to get to as well,” said Johannes-Haupt.

Sizophila Solontsi to Lead Springbok Women Against Ireland

Sizophila Solontsi captains the Springbok Women against Ireland at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town…

Captain Babalwa Latsha leads a settled Springbok Women squad, joined by Anacadia Minnaar (Pictured) and Insaaf Levy, into two WXV Global Series Tests against fifth-ranked Ireland on their first visit to South Africa, closing a bumper 2026 season before home fans at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, 24 October 2026 and Saturday, 31 October 2026. All Photos: Gallo Images / SA Rugby

Anacadia Minnaar and Insaaf Levy Join Bok Women for Ireland Tests

Anacadia Minnaar and Insaaf Levy join an unchanged Springbok Women group for two WXV Global…

The Springbok Women close their WXV Global Series tour of Europe with a clean sheet, holding Spain scoreless in fierce midday heat that forced two water breaks, with three tries and a settled scrum laying the platform for a seventh successive win over the Spanish, at the La Cartuja sports complex in Seville, Spain on Sunday, 4 October 2026. All Photos: SA Rugby / Gallo Images

Springbok Women End European Tour With Clean Sheet in Seville

The Springbok Women ended their WXV Global Series tour of Europe with a 20-0 win…

The Springbok Women make three changes to their starting side and freshen the bench for the final match of the 2026 WXV Global Series tour to Europe, carrying the momentum of a first win on Italian soil into a meeting with a Spanish side that keeps improving, at the Estadio Olímpico de la Cartuja in Seville, Spain on Sunday, 4 October 2026. Photo: SA Rugby / Gallo Images

Springbok Women Name Side for WXV Global Series Tour Finale in Seville

The Springbok Women make three changes to their starting side and freshen the bench for…

The Springbok Women celebrate their first ever win on Italian soil, a 41-29 victory over Italy in their second match of the WXV Global Series, built on a ruthless set piece, six tries and the goal-kicking of Jakkie Cilliers, and sealed in the closing minutes after the hosts had led with a quarter of an hour to play, at the Stadio Omero Tognon in Pordenone, Italy on Saturday, 26 September 2026. Photo: SA Rugby / Gallo Images

Springbok Women Claim First Ever Win on Italian Soil in Pordenone

Anushka Groenewald scored her first two Test tries as the Springbok Women won 41-29 in…

The Springbok Women will reflect on a difficult opening night of their WXV Global Series tour, with co-coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt and captain Babalwa Latsha both pointing to discipline and execution as the areas that cost the side most, and both looking ahead to Italy as the chance to respond, after the defeat to Wales at the Cardiff Arms Park in Cardiff, Wales on Friday, 18 September 2026. File Photo: SA Rugby / Gallo Images

Springbok Women Turn to Italy After WXV Global Series Opening Defeat in Cardiff

Two yellow cards inside the opening 40 minutes, one later upgraded to red, left the…

“We had our moments in the match and leading 17-14 with the last 20 minutes to play was where we wanted to be. But a yellow card and some sloppy defence out wide did not help our cause today and that was pretty disappointing.

“Overall, we showed good growth and learnings during the year, but we let ourselves down in the final minutes here.”

Springbok Women Co-Head Coach, Laurian Johannes-Haupt

Johannes-Haupt said injuries also created opportunities: “We are ultimately building towards the next World Cup and part of that strategy involves the blooding of new players, but injuries does force your hand at times. Overall though, I am pleased with the year and the development of players.”

September said the team had addressed the previous week’s work-ons: “We certainly had a hard look at ourselves and we managed to streamline mistakes from last week, but then let it slip in the final phases of the match.

“That was disappointing of course, but that also gave us a reality check on what is needed to trade blows with the number five team in the world. They were clinical when they entered our red zone and made every entry count.”

Springbok Women Co-Head Coach, Franzel September

Solontsi said the team’s leadership eased her path after she took over the captaincy following the injury to Babalwa Latsha. “They added value to me and that helped a lot,” she said.

“We saw today we can compete against the best, but the work is far from done. I told the girls afterwards that this break in our season does not mean that we can forget about rugby for a couple of months.

Springbok Women players in action against Ireland in the final round of the inaugural WXV Global Series at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, 31 October 2026. South Africa led 17-14 with 20 minutes to play through tries from scrum-half Unam Tose, captain Sizophila Solontsi and second-row Vainah Ubisi, before Ireland finished with three unanswered tries, including a hat-trick for Beibhinn Parsons and two for Aoife Dalton, to win 38-17 and close the Springbok Women's 2026 season.

“We must use this time to mould our skills and add to our overall skill set. This is not a time to forget about the good things we have done, rather an opportunity to go from here and improve ourselves. When we come back next year, we must be better and more skilled.”

On the final weekend of the series, which spanned 38 fixtures as teams build towards Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029, England beat the USA 55-12 at Sports Illustrated Stadium, with player of the match Claudia Moloney-MacDonald scoring four tries. New Zealand completed a clean sweep over France with a 36-7 win in Christchurch, where wing Shyrah Tuliau Tua’a scored twice.

Jade Wilson claimed the 2026 South African Ocean Racing Championship women's title with victory in the Pete Marlin Surfski Race, finishing ahead of Nix Birkett and Chloe Bunnett on a demanding, wind-affected course from Yellow Sands to Orient Beach in East London on Saturday, 31 October 2026. All Photos: Craig Giese / Gameplan Media

Jade Wilson Wins Pete Marlin and SA Ocean Racing Title

Jade Wilson won the Pete Marlin Surfski Race in East London to claim the 2026…

Woman in PR and Sponsorship finalist Tswelopele Mohapi, who rose from youth football tournament volunteer to account executive at Playmakers while opening doors for other young women in sports communication, joined the class of 2026 at the 21st gsport Awards at the Wanderers Club in Illovo, Johannesburg, on Saturday, 8 August 2026. All Photos: Supplied

Tswelopele Mohapi Is Writing Her Own Story in Sports PR

Tswelopele Mohapi went to the gsport Awards as a plus-one and returned a year later…

Carina Bruwer, record-holding South African marathon swimmer, completed a 17-kilometre ocean crossing from Durban to Umhlanga presented and fully underwritten by GoReefers, raising R48,000 for the South African Association for Marine Biological Research, off the KwaZulu-Natal coast on Monday, 26 October 2026. All Photos: Supplied

Carina Bruwer: A Decade of Swimming for South African Causes

Carina Bruwer’s 17km Durban to Umhlanga swim raised R48,000 for SAAMBR, with GoReefers covering every…

Screengrab (incomplete) of the interviewee photo wall in “The Long Game”, Bloomberg, 19 October 2026. The original piece features trailblazers and current stars whose reflections trace how audiences, investment and athlete ownership have transformed women's sport in the United States, in a feature published on 19 October 2026. Image: (C) Bloomberg 2026

Bloomberg’s “The Long Game” Maps the Women’s Sport Boom

Some of the most valuable thinking on the business of women’s sport is being produced…

Springbok Women forwards sharpen their lineout at training as co-coaches Laurian Johannes-Haupt and Franzel September finalise a rotated pack, with Lindelwa Gwala at hooker and Danelle Lochner at lock, ahead of the WXV Global Series Test against Ireland at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, 31 October 2026. Photo: SA Rugby / Gallo Images

Springbok Women Tweak Side for Final WXV Test against Ireland

Yonela Ngxingolo starts in the front row and Mary Zulu takes the No 10 jersey…

University of Fort Hare climbed to the top of the Super Rise Stream with a 1-0 win over JVW FC, as Jade Jones and Miche Minnies struck twice each to lift Stellenbosch Ladies FC and Diepkloof Ladies in the Super Era Stream survival fight, on Matchday 12 of the Hollywoodbets Super League at the Wits Stadium in Johannesburg from 23 to 25 October 2026. Photo: SAFA

Fort Hare Stun JVW, Stellies and Diepkloof Boost Survival Hopes

University of Fort Hare toppled JVW FC to lead the Super Rise Stream, while Stellenbosch…

Wales completed the double over Japan with a 29-5 win in Kumagaya City, Amy Williams scoring twice. At the World Rugby Awards 2026, New Zealand’s Kaipo Olsen-Baker was named Women’s 15s Player of the Year and Elinor-Plum King Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year.

The Springbok Women vs. Ireland WXV Global Series at the Athlone Stadium

Sat 24 Oct, 15h00: Springbok Women 27-40 Ireland
Sat 31 Oct, 15h00: Springbok Women 17-38 Ireland

Scorers in the Final Test at the Athlone Stadium on Saturday 31 October 2026

Springbok Women 17 (10) – Tries: Unam Tose, Sizophila Solontsi, Vainah Ubisi
Conversion: Jakkie Cilliers

Ireland 38 (14) – Tries: Erin King, Beibhinn Parsons (3), Aoife Dalton (2)
Conversions: Dannah O’Brien (4)

The Springbok Women Starting XV vs Ireland in Cape Town

15. Byrhandré Dolf
14. Jakkie Cilliers
13. Maceala Samboya
12. Shiniqwa Lamprecht
11. Alichia Arries
10. Mary Zulu
9. Unam Tose
8. Aseza Hele
7. Catha Jacobs
6. Sizophila Solontsi (captain)
5. Danelle Lochner
4. Vainah Ubisi
3. Xoliswa Khuzwayo
2. Lindelwa Gwala
1. Yonela Ngxingolo

Replacements

16. Anushka Groenewald
17. Anuschka Ekron
18. Thandile Mazwi
19. Nomsa Mokwai
20. Aphiwe Ngwevu
21. Lerato Makua
22. Insaaf Levy
23. Maria Tshiremba

Ireland Starting XV vs South Africa

15. Niamh Gallagher
14. Béibhinn Parsons
13. Anna McGann
12. Aoife Dalton
11. Robyn O’Connor
10. Dannah O’Brien
9. Aoibheann Reilly
1. Linda Djougang
2. Neve Jones
3. Eilís Cahill
4. Jane Clohessy
5. Dorothy Wall
6. Fiona Tuite-O’Sullivan
7. Erin King (captain)
8. Brittany Hogan

Replacements

16. Beth Buttimer
17. Niamh O’Dowd
18. Sophie Barrett
19. Grace Moore
20. Jemima Adams Verling
21. Emily Lane
22. Eve Higgins
23. Stacey Flood

Original Copy: SA Rugby Communications and World Rugby, with editing by gsport

Main Photo Caption: Springbok Women scored three tries as the hosts held a 17-14 lead with 20 minutes to play, before Ireland finished with three unanswered tries for a 38-17 win in the final round of the inaugural WXV Global Series at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, 31 October 2026. Photo: SA Rugby / Gallo Images

Crédito: Link de origem

You might also like More from author
Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published.