The Rugby World Cup 2023 is set to kick off on September 8th, and one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament is sure to be Ireland vs South Africa. The two teams are currently ranked 1st and 2nd in the world, respectively, and they are both expected to be major contenders for the title.
The match will take place on Saturday, September 23rd, at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France. Kickoff is scheduled for 21:00 local time, which is 3:00 PM ET.
How to Watch on TV
The match will be broadcast live on television in a number of different countries. In the USA, the match will be broadcast on NBC. In the UK, the match will be broadcast on ITV and S4C. In Australia, the match will be broadcast on Stan Sport. In South Africa, the match will be broadcast on SUPERSPORT and SABC Sport. In Ireland, the match will be broadcast on RTE and VIRGIN.
For more information on television listings in other countries, please visit the Rugby World Cup website: https://rwcglobally.com/tv-rights/
How to Watch Online
The match will also be streamed live online in a number of different countries. In the USA, the match can be streamed live on FuboTV, SlingTV, Peacock, DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV. In the UK, the match can be streamed live on ITVX. In Japan, the match can be streamed live on DAZAN. Selected matches will also be streamed live on RUGBYPASS TV.
For more information on online streaming listings in other countries, please visit the Rugby World Cup website: https://rwcglobally.com/
Additional Information
The Stade de France is the largest stadium in France, with a capacity of 80,000 spectators. The stadium is located in the northern suburbs of Paris, and it is easily accessible by public transportation.
The referee for the match will be Ben O’Keeffe from New Zealand. O’Keeffe is one of the most experienced referees in the world, and he has officiated at a number of major international matches, including the 2019 Rugby World Cup final.
Ireland vs South Africa match preview
The Rugby World Cup 2023 commenced on September 8 with a fixture that could easily have served as the final. Now, three Saturdays later, the sporting extravaganza continues with a match that could very well be a final showdown. The defending champions and the second-ranked team in the world are set to face the team ranked above them in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings powered by Capgemini. Remarkably, this colossal clash is taking place in the pool stage of the tournament.
Eleven players who featured in Ireland’s thrilling 19-16 victory over South Africa in Dublin in November 2022 will take the field at Stade de France. Among them is Peter O’Mahony, who is about to achieve a significant milestone of a century of test caps, having earned 98 caps for Ireland and one for the British and Irish Lions. Additionally, Bundee Aki is set to win his 50th cap.
On the other side, Springboks’ head coach Jacques Nienaber has made 13 changes to the lineup, along with one positional switch, from the team that triumphed over Romania 76-0. Hooker Mbongeni Mbonambi is the only player retaining the same jersey, while Damian Willemse shifts to full-back with Manie Libbok taking on the fly-half role.
A mere 0.15 points separate these two undefeated teams as they prepare for this titanic clash in Pool B at Stade de France. With the race for the quarter-finals intensifying and Scotland eagerly awaiting an opportunity, neither side can afford to stumble in Saint-Denis. This match represents the pinnacle of rugby competition.
The fixture between South Africa and Ireland will unfold at Stade de France, accommodating 82,023 spectators, with kick-off scheduled for 21:00 local time (GMT+2). Remarkably, this marks the first meeting between these two sides at a Rugby World Cup, despite their enduring rivalry that dates back to 1906 when an Irish team hosted South African tourists in Belfast. South Africa dominated the rivalry initially, winning 15 of the first 16 matches over a span of 98 years until 2004. However, results have shifted in Ireland’s favor in recent years, with seven wins in the last ten encounters, including the most recent two in Dublin in November 2017 and 2022.
A memorable match worth recalling is the Springboks’ last victory over Ireland, which occurred at the end of June 2016 when they clinched a three-test series two-one with a hard-fought 19-13 win in Port Elizabeth. They bravely withstood wave after wave of Irish attacks, including a dramatic 21-phase assault in the final moments, followed by another threatening Irish possession before the final whistle.
With two of the world’s top teams facing off in a Rugby World Cup match for the first time, there are countless talking points. Notably, South Africa will don a ‘third’ kit to prevent a clash with Ireland as part of World Rugby’s initiative to make the match more accessible to those with color vision deficiency (CVD). This move aims to enhance the viewing experience for an estimated one in 12 males and one in 200 females with CVD, making rugby more inclusive.
Among the plethora of captivating one-on-one matchups on the field, Eben Etzebeth vs. Tadhg Beirne in the second row promises to be a fierce battle. Other exciting duels to watch out for include Willemse vs. Keenan, Kriel and de Allende vs. Ringrose and Aki, de Klerk vs. Gibson-Park, Kitshoff vs. Furlong, and many more.
In an interesting statistical tidbit, South Africa’s Bryan Habana equaled the late, great Jonah Lomu’s record of 15 tries in the men’s tournament when he scored a hat-trick in a commanding 64-0 win over the USA at RWC 2015. For the record, Black Ferns’ Portia Woodman-Wickliffe holds the record with 20 tries in the women’s tournament.
TEAMS
SOUTH AFRICA Damian Willemse; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe; Manie Libbok, Faf de Klerk; Steven Kitshoff, Mbongeni Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe; Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert; Siya Kolisi (captain), Pieter-Steph Du Toit, Jasper Wiese
Replacements: Deon Fourie, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Jean Kleyn, RG Snyman, Marco van Staden, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach
IRELAND Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (captain), Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong; Tadhg Beirne, James Ryan; Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris
Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Dave Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Robbie Henshaw
The Ireland vs South Africa match is sure to be a thrilling contest between two of the best teams in the world. If you are unable to attend the match in person, you can still watch it live on television or online.
