Parsons and Dalton dazzle as heroic Ireland blitz Boks

Scott Bemand’s women rounded off another year of growth for the Green Wave by making history in Cape Town as they became the first Ireland rugby team to win a series in South Africa.

Hat-trick hero Beibhinn Parsons and Aoife Dalton scored two tries each in the last quarter as Ireland came from behind at the hour mark to take a pulsating second Test on the comprehensive scoreline of 38-17.

The tourists had triumphed 40-27 at the same venue the previous Saturday, when the diminutive Dalton’s ferocious finish through heavy traffic which gave Ireland an early lead had set the tone against notoriously physical opponents.

South Africa remain an emerging force in the women’s game compared to the very established Springbok men and went into this clash ranked ninth to Ireland’s fifth but away wins in this rugby-mad country really have to be fought for.

Had Ireland lost here, they could have dropped to seventh in the rankings – potentially overtaken by USA and Australia – with a revenge victory for the Springbok women elevating them to eighth place.

So there was plenty to play for as these sides faced off for a second time in seven days and this proved another fiercely-contested, entertaining, high-scoring game which Ireland came out the right side of as they recorded a fourth consecutive victory.

Since losing a 19-point lead in that jarring 40-36 defeat to USA in the WXV Global Series opener, Ireland have doubled up against Japan at home and South Africa away to finish with a record of seven victories from 10 matches in 2026.

The other two defeats were against new world champions England at Twickenham – where they shared the second half spoils – and away to France, where Ireland dominated the opening period without scoreboard reward.

New skipper Erin King led her team to three emphatic home wins in the Six Nations against Italy, Wales and Scotland, culminating in Ireland running up 47 unanswered points in the first half of that historic standalone clash at Aviva Stadium.

The second Test got off to an ominous start for Ireland as South Africa’s powerful pack rumbled over for a try inside two minutes from a fast-moving maul which began outside the 22, but the tourists responded positively.

In what was a hard-hitting, often frenetic encounter, Ireland displayed purpose, resilience and character as they rolled with the punches and kept going after the game with a mix of physical courage and enterprising play.

Relentless waves of pressure from Ireland ended with King getting over for the equalising try and Dannah O’Brien’s conversion edged them in front with 13 minutes gone before South Africa winger Alichia Arries was sinbinned for hitting the outhalf high chasing the restart.

With O’Brien and Dalton distributing well and plenty of threat in the wider channels, Ireland stretched South Africa by getting to the edges at every opportunity, playing with real urgency and ambition underpinned by no shortage of physicality.

A probing dart by Dalton on the right was followed by some superb continuity from Ireland culminating in a fantastic try by the lethal Parsons which O’Brien converted to make it 14-5 early in the second quarter.

As an indication of Ireland’s dominance, South Africa made 80 tackles in the first 25 minutes to just 15 by the tourists, but the formidable Boks began getting more of a foothold towards the half hour mark.

Aoibheann Reilly, recalled at scrumhalf for Emily Lane, was sinbinned for a neck roll as South Africa finally got to ground in Ireland’s in-goal area just before half-time, with the missed conversion leaving four points between the teams at the break.

Heroic Ireland survived unscathed during their period of numerical disadvantage and, when Reilly’s sinbin was up, she was replaced by Lane with Niamh O’Dowd and Stacey Flood coming on for Eilis Cahill and Niamh Gallagher respectively.

But South Africa retook the lead late in the third quarter, Vainah Ubisi getting the touchdown after forward pressure, with winger Jakkie Cilliers adding the extras to make it 17-14 to the hosts.

But Ireland struck back quickly, Parsons skipping free from a tacle after Flood’s draw-and-give to score her second try of the afternoon, though O’Brien was off target with the conversion on her 40th consecutive Test appearance.

Cilliers became the second South African winger to be sinbinned – for a high tackle on Robyn O’Connor – on 69 minutes and Dalton punished them immediately, slicing through midfield from just over halfway for a great try which O’Brien converted.

That put Ireland two scores clear, but they were far from finished, with Parsons scorching down the touchline and round behind the posts to complete her hat-trick before Dalton had the last word with a late try by the left corner flag.

So often others reap the scoreboard rewards for the industrious Dalton’s relentless efforts but that double took her tally to four tries in the last four Tests, with winger Parsons plundering a magnificent seven.

Both have put their hands up for the Lions team next summer subject to a good 2027 Six Nations, which Ireland can look forward to with some optimism, including the Aviva visit from an England team beaten twice by Canada this autumn.

Ireland trailed twice in the first Test against South Africa but ended up winning well in front of a crowd of over 3700 on an afternoon when Linda Djougang scored two tries with one apiece by Dalton, skipper King, Jane Clohessy and Parsons.

Especially considering Bemand was without the injured quartet of taliswoman Aoife Wafer, Ireland Player of the Year Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, former skipper Sam Monaghan and fellow lock Ruth Campbell, this was an impressive series win.

Ulsterwoman Neve Jones won her 50th cap in the opening Test in Cape Town while nine players have made their first appearance for Ireland during 2026 as Bemand builds squad depth early in a new World Cup cycle.