Ireland completed back-to-back WXV Global Series victories over the Springbok Women, running out 38-17 winners at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday. Three tries in the final quarter proved decisive, a week after Ireland had taken the first meeting 40-27.
South Africa had been competitive for much of the match, leading 17-14 with 20 minutes remaining, but a yellow card and defensive lapses out wide allowed Ireland to pull clear. Co-head coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt acknowledged the margin was earned: "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."
His co-coach Franzel September said Ireland's red-zone efficiency — every entry converted — was the clearest indicator of the gap that remains. September spoke with Ireland's coach after the final whistle and learned that clinical finishing in the closing stages had been a specific post-World Cup focus for the Irish. "We can also learn from that," he said. "The next phase of our development will be to beat teams like Ireland. Our trajectory certainly points towards that."
Acting captain Sinoxolo Solontsi, who deputised following an injury to Babalwa Latsha, crossed for one of the team's three tries and urged her squad not to treat the off-season as downtime. "We saw today we can compete against the best, but the work is far from done," she said. "When we come back next year, we must be better and more skilled."
Johannes-Haupt pointed to an injury-disrupted squad as both a complication and an opportunity, with younger players given exposure as part of a deliberate World Cup build. "Overall, I am pleased with the year and the development of players," he said.