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2024 Ireland rugby union tour of South Africa
2024 Summer Internationals
Second Test Match
South Africa vs Ireland
Kings Park Stadium
Durban, South Africa
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Saturday, 13 July 2024
Kick-off is at 17h00
South Africa will lock horns with Ireland in their
second test match at the Kings Park Stadium in Durban, South Africa on 13 July.
Current Form
South Africa emerged as 27-20 winners over Ireland in the first test match which was played at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on 6 July.
Therefore, the Springboks are undefeated in their last six matches across all competitions having registered six consecutive victories.
Ireland, on the other hand, are licking their wounds after succumbing to a defeat to the reigning world champions South Africa in the first test match.
As a result, the Wolfhounds have lost two of their last three matches across all competitions including a victory over Scotland before losing to the Springboks.
Team News
South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus released nine players who are not involved in Saturday, 13 July’s series decider against Ireland.
Six of the nine players, all of whom will rejoin the Springboks on Sunday, have Test caps. They are Trevor Nyakane (prop), Makazole Mapimpi, Edwill van der Merwe (both wings), Andre Esterhuizen, Lukhanyo Am (both centres) and Aphelele Fassi (fullback).
The other three players are Jan-Hendrik Wessels (prop), Phepsi Buthelezi (loose forward), and Morne van den Berg (scrumhalf).
Meanwhile, Ireland have confirmed that neither Craig Casey (concussion) nor Dan Sheehan (left knee) will play any further part in the South African series which concludes next Saturday in Durban.
Connacht hooker Dave Heffernan and Ulster scrum-half Nathan Doak have been called up and the duo have linked up with the squad in Durban.
Quotes
“We certainly don’t think the win last week was a case of getting the monkey off our back,” Springbok lock Franco Mostert said ahead of their second test match against Ireland.
“They are feeling exactly the way we did in the Rugby World Cup, and we saw during the British & Irish Lions tour (in 2021) what that first defeat did for us. So, they’ll come back stronger, and it’s going to be a good test for us.”
“They did a good job last week at stopping our mauls and they are a team that generally don’t concede a lot of maul tries. So, hopefully, we can come up with a few plans this weekend," he added.
“At the breakdowns they put Faf (de Klerk) and Grant (Williams) under pressure, so as a team we have to do improve in that area as well this weekend.”
Head-to-Head
South Africa and Ireland have met 29 times across all competitions since their maiden meeting in 1906.
The Springboks have the upper hand having won 19 matches compared to the Wolfhounds' nine victories while one game ended in a draw.
Teams for the second test match
South Africa: W le Roux; C Kolbe; J Kriel, D de Allende; KL Arendse; H Pollard; F de Klerk; O Nche, B Mbonambi, F Malherbe; E Etzebeth, F Mostert; S Kolisi (capt), PS du Toit, K Smith.
Replacements: M Marx, G Steenekamp, V Koch, S Moerat, RG Snyman, M van Staden, G Williams, S Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
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