Springboks tackle Ireland bogey, red-hot England meet Pumas as NZ take on Wales

If South Africa received a first-half red card against Ireland in Dublin this Saturday, could they win?

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The Springboks have been incredibly resilient to soak up first-half reds and still beat France 32-17 in Paris and Italy 32-14 in Turin over the last two weekends.

The chance of a red card for the Boks in a third straight Test can't be underestimated while Test rugby is in a card-rich environment.

The Irish have also been a bogey team for the Springboks. The Irish beat them 13-8 at the 2023 World Cup in Paris, where Irish fans serenaded their team with 'Zombie' by the Cranberries. South Africa fans recast the title lyric to 'Rassie' in tribute to coach Erasmus but Ireland won 25-24 in Durban last year to square their gripping series.

None of the current Springboks have won in Dublin; South Africa's last win there was in 2012. The last visit in 2022 was lost 19-16.

"When we received the calendar at the beginning of the year, this fixture was definitely one that stood out, so we're excited," Boks record caps holder Eben Etzebeth said.