Springbok Women Fall to Ireland in Cape Town Despite Strong World Cup Build-Up

• The Springbok Women lost 38-17 to Ireland at Athlone Stadium in their final WXV Global Series match of 2026
• Co-head coaches Laurian Johannes-Haupt and Franzel September acknowledged that disappointing late-game errors cost the side
• Captain Solontsi urged her squad not to switch off during the break, calling the defeat a wake-up call

The Springbok Women closed out their 2026 season with a defeat, but their coaches say the year held far more promise than that final scoreline suggests.

Ireland ran out 38-17 winners at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, finishing the match with three tries in the final quarter to seal a comfortable margin. The result followed their 40-27 victory over South Africa the previous weekend, giving Ireland back-to-back Test wins in the WXV Global Series.

Co-head coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt was generous in her praise for the opposition.

"They really showed their class in the last 10 minutes, and their ability to score when they were in our 22-metre area was top drawer and something we need to get to as well," she said, according to SA Rugby.

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Johannes-Haupt noted that her side had been in a strong position before the match slipped away.

"We had our moments in the match and leading 17-14 with the last 20 minutes to play was where we wanted to be. But a yellow card and some sloppy defence out wide did not help our cause today and that was pretty disappointing."

Injuries opened doors for younger players

Johannes-Haupt also pointed to the opportunities created for younger players during the season. Injuries forced changes to the squad, allowing emerging players to gain valuable international experience earlier than expected. She said this was important for South Africa's preparations for the next Rugby World Cup.

September, meanwhile, was encouraged by the team's response to their previous defeat but admitted they still had work to do in closing out matches.

“We certainly had a hard look at ourselves and we managed to streamline mistakes from last week, but then let it slip in the final phases of the match,” he said.

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The coach also highlighted Ireland's composure, noting how effectively the fifth-ranked team converted opportunities under pressure. He said a conversation with the Irish coach after the match revealed that closing out games had been a deliberate focus since the previous World Cup.

“We can also learn from that,” September said, adding that South Africa's progress was heading in the right direction.

Solontsi Calls on Squad to Keep Working

Stand-in captain Liske Solontsi, who filled in after Babalwa Latsha was ruled out through injury, scored one of the Springbok Women's three tries and spoke candidly to her teammates after the final whistle.

"We saw today we can compete against the best, but the work is far from done," she said.

Solontsi urged the squad not to treat the off-season as a reason to step away from the game.

"This is not a time to forget about the good things we have done, rather an opportunity to go from here and improve ourselves. When we come back next year, we must be better and more skilled."

Source: Briefly News