File image: Springbok Coach Rassie Erasmus.
The last time the Springboks played against Ireland in Dublin, they were humiliated 38-3 – the biggest defeat ever against the Irish. The match was one of previous coach Allister Coetzee’s last test matches in charge of the Boks. SA’s Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus says, “We got proper hiding, 38-3, as you said correctly so, but in the next two years things got better. We managed to win the world cup. So, five years since then both teams have changed dramatically in terms of how they do things and how they play and Ireland are doing a lot of right things on and off the field.”
The Boks have faced Ireland 16 times on Irish soil, winning nine times with just one draw. The last time the Boks won in Ireland was in 2012, when they registered back-to-back victories.