South Africa Women vs Ireland Women: Second Cape Town Test Preview, Teams and Kickoff

South Africa Women and Ireland Women meet for the second of two Cape Town Tests on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at Athlone Sports Stadium. Kickoff is 3:00 p.m. South Africa Standard Time (SAST, UTC+02:00), or 1:00 p.m. UTC. Ireland won the first match 40-27 on October 24, so the visitors lead the two-Test series 1-0. The October 31 match is still upcoming as of Friday, October 30; its final score is not yet available.

Illustrative scenario: Imagine Riley, a rugby fan outside South Africa and Ireland, checking the fixture before setting a reminder. The local time and UTC listing let Riley identify the kickoff without guessing a time-zone conversion, while the team sheets show what has changed since the opener.

Fixture details and the first Test

The match is part of the 2026 WXV Global Series and will be played at Athlone Sports Stadium in Cape Town. World Rugby lists Jess Ling as referee and confirms the 3:00 p.m. local kickoff. South Africa and Ireland first met in Cape Town the previous weekend, when Ireland won 40-27 after leading 21-17 at halftime. The Springbok Women scored five tries, but Ireland’s six-try total gave them the edge. Check World Rugby’s match center for the fixture, officials, and live match information.

For Riley, that score changes the question from “Who has the early series lead?” to “Can South Africa respond, or will Ireland complete a two-match sweep?” A South African win would level the Test series at one match apiece; an Irish win would secure both meetings. It is the second match of the series, not a knockout final.

Confirmed starting teams

South Africa Women

South Africa’s starting XV is: 15 Byrhandré Dolf; 14 Jakkie Cilliers; 13 Maceala Samboya; 12 Shiniqwa Lamprecht; 11 Alichia Arries; 10 Mary Zulu; 9 Unam Tose; 8 Aseza Hele; 7 Catha Jacobs; 6 Sizophila Solontsi (captain); 5 Danelle Lochner; 4 Vainah Ubisi; 3 Xoliswa Khuzwayo; 2 Lindelwa Gwala; 1 Yonela Ngxingolo.

The main selection story is in the pack. Sanelisiwe Charlie is unavailable after a serious knee injury at training, so Ngxingolo moves into the starting front row. Gwala starts at hooker, with Anushka Groenewald among the replacements, while Lochner joins Ubisi at lock. South Africa’s coaches have also adjusted the backline, with Mary Zulu at fly-half and Dolf at fullback. The Springbok Women team announcement lists all 23 selected players.

Ireland Women

Ireland’s starting XV is: 15 Niamh Gallagher; 14 Béibhinn Parsons; 13 Anna McGann; 12 Aoife Dalton; 11 Robyn O’Connor; 10 Dannah O’Brien; 9 Aoibheann Reilly; 8 Brittany Hogan; 7 Erin King (captain); 6 Fiona Tuite-O’Sullivan; 5 Dorothy Wall; 4 Jane Clohessy; 3 Eilís Cahill; 2 Neve Jones; 1 Linda Djougang.

Head coach Scott Bemand makes two changes to the starting side: Gallagher comes in at fullback and Reilly at scrum-half. The pack is unchanged from the first Test, keeping the same front row and second-row pairing. Emily Lane moves to the bench, where Sophie Barrett is also in line for her second Test cap. Riley can compare the Ireland match-day squad announcement with the first-match lineup to see the changes clearly.

What to watch in the rematch

South Africa will want a cleaner platform and better control of territory. In its report on the opener, SA Rugby pointed to unforced errors, defensive lapses, and Ireland spending much of the match in South African territory. Those problems can hand an opponent extra possession and make it harder to turn attacking chances into points. The selection changes give the hosts a different starting front row and a new halfback combination to assess, but they do not guarantee a different result.

Ireland’s unchanged pack offers continuity after a six-try win, while the two backline changes give Gallagher and Reilly a chance to influence the game from the start. A useful live focus is whether Ireland can repeat its pressure and direct running, and whether South Africa can keep possession long enough to use its attacking strengths. These are matchups to watch, not a prediction of the score.

In the illustrative scenario, Riley uses those points as a viewing checklist: note how the opening exchanges go at the scrum and breakdown, whether South Africa reduces errors in its own half, and how the new Ireland halfback pairing manages territory. The checklist gives context to the match without treating last week’s result as a guarantee.

Kickoff and result status

World Rugby lists kickoff for Saturday, October 31, at 3:00 p.m. SAST (UTC+02:00) in Cape Town, which is 1:00 p.m. UTC. The match center should be used for live score updates and the confirmed final result after play ends. This preview was prepared before kickoff, so it does not report a winner or invent a post-match score. For background on the two-Test trip, see Irish Rugby’s schedule announcement and the official report on the first Test.