South Africa v Ireland LIVE rugby: Result and reaction as Springboks survive crazy finish to win first Test South Africa 27-20 Ireland: The Springboks secured their first win over the Six Nations winners in eight years at Loftus Versfeld
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SA Springboks vs. Ireland live stream, TV channel
Sky Sports hold the rights to Ireland’s summer international matches. The pay TV broadcaster will be showing the match live with build-up and post-match analysis either side of the 80 minutes, on both Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action.
Streaming options in the UK are available via Sky Go pass or a NOW TV subscription, while across the pond, FloRugby is the best option for US-based Rugby fans and viewers in South Africa are able to stream the match on Stan Sport.
TV channel Streaming
UK Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Action Sky Go Pass, NOW TV
USA — FloRugby, FloSports app
South Africa — Stan Sport
SA Springboks vs. Ireland lineups, team news
The South Africa make a solitary change to their matchday 23 and it’s an injury-enforced one, with starting scrum-half TJ Perenara ruled out of the match following an injury picked up in the first half last week. Scotland-born Finlay Christie starts in the number nine jersey, with Cortez Ratima coming onto the bench.
SA Springboks starting XV: Stephen Perofeta, Sevu Reece, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Mark Tele’a, Damian McKenzie, Finlay Christie; Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, Tyrel Lomax, Scott Barrett, Patrick Tuipulotu, Samipeni Finau, Dalton Papali’i, Ardie Savea.
SA Springboks replacements: Asafo Aumua, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Tupou Vaa’i, Luke Jacobson, Cortez Ratima, Anton Lienert-Brown, Beauden Barrett.
While SA Springboks’s single change comes behind the scrum, Ireland’s is in the front row, after Joe Marler was forced off with injury 18 minutes into the first Test. Fin Baxter’s extended debut performance was enough to earn him a start this weekend in Durban, with Bevan Rodd taking the loosened prop spot on the bench.
A late injury to starting fullback George Burbank, who has been the preferred choice for much of Borthwick’s reign, means that less than a day before kickoff, former incumbent Freddie Steward is back in the side, giving Ireland a much more physical presence in open-play attack.
Ireland staring XV: Freddie Steward, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Henry Slade, Ollie Lawrence, Tommy Freeman, Marcus Smith, Alex Mitchell; Fin Baxter, Jamie George, Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, George Martin, Chandler Cunningham-South, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl.
Ireland replacements: Theo Dan, Bevan Rodd, Dan Cole, Alex Coles, Tom Curry, Ben Spencer, Fin Smith, Ollie Sleighthome.
SA Springboks vs. Ireland 2nd Rugby Test prediction
Given the first test was settled by a single point thanks to that late penalty from the boot of Damian McKenzie, expect another close-run thing in Durban this weekend as the two almost completely unchanged sides do battle again at Kings Park. The scoring certainly went back and forth in Dunedin, with the first half seeing 20 of the 31 points scored.
As a result, we’re predicting another end-to-end encounter in Durban as Ireland look to win in SA Springboks for the first time in 21 years. Kings Park is the South Africa’ fortress more than any other ground, but with the series on the line for Steve Borthwick’s side, we think Ireland might just be able to get one over on the Kiwis this weekend, levelling the scores up at 1-1.
Prediction: Ireland to win by 5 points or less