South Africa can complete the most successful calendar year in their 139-year rugby history with victory over Ireland at the Aviva Stadium tonight (kick-off 17:40 GMT / 19:40 SA time).
A win would give the world champions 14 victories from 15 Tests in 2025, surpassing the previous best of 13 wins achieved by the 1998 side under Nick Mallett. It would also extend their current winning run to 11 matches and deliver a first Springbok victory at the Aviva Stadium under head coach Rassie Erasmus.
Ireland, ranked second in the world, have won three of the five encounters between the sides since 2022, including a dramatic 25-24 success in Durban in July 2024 courtesy of two late Ciarán Frawley drop-goals. South Africa’s only victory in that sequence came in the first Test of the same series (27-20).
Team news Erasmus has made 11 changes from the side that defeated Italy 63-21 last weekend, recalling the core of the team that beat France 29-20 in Paris a fortnight ago.
Eben Etzebeth wins his 132nd cap to equal Victor Matfield’s Springbok record for a lock, while captain Siya Kolisi becomes the first South African to play 50 Tests as skipper. Pieter-Steph du Toit, the reigning World Rugby Player of the Year, starts at blindside flanker.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has made four changes from the side that thrashed Australia 46-19 last Saturday, with Andrew Porter, Josh van der Flier, Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose all returning to the starting XV. Twenty-three-year-old fly-half Sam Prendergast retains the No 10 jersey ahead of Jack Crowley.
Springboks 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 1 Boan Venter, 2 Malcolm Marx, 3 Thomas du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Ruan Nortje, 6 Siya Kolisi (capt), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 Jasper Wiese Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Andre Esterhuizen, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Manie Libbok
Ireland 15 Mack Hansen, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 James Lowe, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 1 Andrew Porter, 2 Dan Sheehan, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 4 James Ryan, 5 Tadhg Beirne, 6 Ryan Baird, 7 Josh van der Flier, 8 Caelan Doris (capt) Replacements: 16 Rónan Kelleher, 17 Paddy McCarthy, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Cian Prendergast, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Craig Casey, 22 Jack Crowley, 23 Tom Farrell
Match officials Referee: Matthew Carley (England) Assistants: Karl Dickson (England) & Craig Evans (Wales) TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)