Ireland Women beat South Africa 38–17 in Cape Town to complete a 2–0 series win, with a Parsons hat-trick
Ireland Women beat South Africa Women 38–17 at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday 31 October 2026, SA Rugby itself confirmed in its own match report, read directly in this run — the visitors led 14–10 at half-time in the WXV Global Series clash. BBC Sport's full report of the same match, read via live-browser recovery in this run, records a hat-trick for winger Béibhinn Parsons, two tries for Aoife Dalton and one for captain Erin King, with Dannah O'Brien kicking four conversions; South Africa's tries came from Unam Tose, Sizophila Solontsi and Vainah Ubisi. Ireland also won the first Test at the same stadium, 40–27 on 24 October, so this completes a 2–0 series win. The result was first queued earlier today from the Sportradar result record alone (queue #588); it is published now that the federation's own report has been read directly.
Key points
- Final: South Africa Women 17–38 Ireland Women at Athlone Stadium, Cape Town, on Saturday 31 October 2026 (half-time: South Africa 10–14 Ireland) — from SA Rugby's own match report, read directly in this run.
- Try scorers, per BBC Sport's full report: Ireland — Parsons (3), Dalton (2), King, with O'Brien kicking four conversions; South Africa — Tose, Solontsi, Ubisi, with Cilliers converting one. BBC Sport notes Ireland fell behind with 20 minutes left before closing out the win.
- Ireland won the first Test 40–27 at the same stadium on 24 October, so the WXV Global Series two-Test series finishes 2–0 to Ireland.
- This brief completes queue #588: the result was held earlier today because it rested on the Sportradar record alone; SA Rugby's own report has now been read directly.
What happened
The two-Test WXV Global Series visit was Ireland's first series against the Springbok Women in South Africa in two decades, per the first-Test reporting. The first Test at Athlone on 24 October finished 40–27 to Ireland after a 21–17 half-time lead, in front of a crowd of 3,709 per the first-Test reports read via search in this run.
South Africa had led early in the second Test — Unam Tose's second-minute try put the hosts 5–0 up, per the reporting noted in queue #588 — but Ireland's 24 second-half points to South Africa's 7, per the Sportradar period splits, closed the series out.
Match facts — all verified
- ✓ VerifiedIreland Women beat the Springbok Women 38–17 at Athlone Stadium, Cape Town, on Saturday 31 October 2026, leading 14–10 at half-time, in the WXV Global Series.SA Rugby — Ireland again too strong for the Bok Women in Cape Town (31 Oct 2026) · BBC Sport — Parsons hat-trick as Irish beat South Africa again (31 Oct 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedBéibhinn Parsons scored a hat-trick of tries for Ireland — once in the first half and twice after half-time. Ireland's other tries came from captain Erin King and Aoife Dalton (two), with Dannah O'Brien kicking four conversions. South Africa's tries were scored by Unam Tose, Sizophila Solontsi and Vainah Ubisi, with Jakkie Cilliers kicking one conversion.BBC Sport — Parsons hat-trick as Irish beat South Africa again (31 Oct 2026) · SA Rugby — Ireland again too strong for the Bok Women in Cape Town (31 Oct 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedThe win completes a 2–0 series victory for Ireland: they won the first Test at the same Athlone Stadium 40–27 (half-time 21–17) on Saturday 24 October 2026.SA Rugby — Composed Ireland too strong for brave Bok Women in Cape Town (24 Oct 2026) · SA Rugby — Ireland again too strong for the Bok Women in Cape Town (31 Oct 2026)