Béibhinn Parsons scores hat-trick as Ireland beat South Africa in second Test

The ever-impressive Béibhinn Parsons bagged a hat-trick of tries at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday as Ireland produced a superb final-quarter display to secure a second consecutive victory over South Africa in the WXV Global Series.

Three points adrift on the hour mark, Scott Bemand’s charges proceeded to amass 24 unanswered points (including two tries apiece from Parsons and Aoife Dalton) to ultimately get the better of their previously stubborn opponents. After overcoming them on a scoreline of 40-27 in the same venue seven days earlier, this result also means the Ireland women have earned a historic series win over South Africa.

It was the Springbok Women who initially found their feet in this quick reunion with the Irish as scrumhalf Unam Tose seized upon a loose ball to cross over for an unconverted second-minute try – after a massive rolling maul had got her side to within inches of the Irish whitewash.

Ireland struggled to settle into the action by way of comparison, before team captain Erin King got them up and running in the 14th minute by dotting down at the end of a lengthy attacking spell for a try that was supplemented by a Dannah O’Brien conversion.

The visitors were aiming to use this as a catalyst for a dominant display and with South African winger Alichia Arries in the sinbin for a heavy challenge on O’Brien, the aforementioned Parsons showcased her athleticism before touching down for the 27th time at 15s international level.

Yet the home team held firm until they were restored to their full compliment and following much persistence inside the Irish 22, South African skipper Sizophila Solontsi dived over in the left corner after Ireland had initially thwarted their attempts at securing a maul try.

Despite another wayward Cilliers effort off the tee keeping them four points in front (14-10), Ireland lost scrumhalf Reilly to the sinbin for her heavy tackle on Solontsi as she was in the act of scoring her five-pointer.

This ensured Ireland began the second half with just 14 players, but their defence coped admirably in the absence of Reilly – who was subsequently replaced at halfback by Emily Lane when her time in the sinbin had elapsed.

However, South Africa were hopeful of gaining a positive result from their final test game of 2026 and managed to regain the lead when powerful lock Vainah Ubisi powered past the whitewash under a slew of Irish bodies on 58 minutes.

Cilliers’ first successful conversion of the day moved South Africa into a 17-14 advantage and also increased the pressure on Ireland as a consequence. Yet via some neat approach work from replacement fullback Stacey Flood, Parsons once again found room at the start of the closing-quarter to jink her way over for a second try.

A missed bonus strike from O’Brien kept the game delicately poised, but there was a huge momentum swing when Cilliers was yellow carded just shy of the 70-minute mark for a high challenge of Robyn O’Connor as she sprinted up the left wing.

This immediately offered incentive to Ireland and Dalton spotted a significant gap through the heart of the South African defence to score an outstanding solo try.

O’Brien added the extras to create further daylight between the teams and the final outcome was effectively placed beyond doubt in the 74th minute as Parsons completed her hat-trick with another ruthless finish on the right wing.

There was enough time left on the clock for Ireland to claim their sixth try of the game, with Dalton dotting down in the left-corner after Parsons and Flood had made good inroads close to the South African line.

Scoring sequence – 2 mins: Tose try 5-0; 14: King try, O’Brien con 5-7; 21: Parsons try, O’Brien con 5-14; 37: Solontsi try 10-14; HT: 10-14; 58: Ubisi try, Cilliers con 17-14; 62: Parsons try 17-19; 70: Dalton try, O’Brien con 17-26; 74: Parson try, O’Brien con 17-33; 79: Tuite try 17-38

SOUTH AFRICA: B Dolf; J Cilliers, M Samboya, S Lamprecht, A Arries; M Zulu, U Tose; Y Ngxingolo, L Gwala, X Khuzwayo; V Ubisi, D Lochner; S Solontsi, C Jacobs, A Hele. Replacements: T Mazwi for Ngxingolo, A Groenewald for Gwals, A Ngwevu for Lochner, L Makua for Hele (all 59 mins); N Mokwai for Ubisi (62); A Ekron for Khuzwayo (66); I Levy for Tose (70); M Tshiremba for Arries (75).

IRELAND: N Gallagher; B Parsons, A McGann, A Dalton, R O’Connor; D O’Brien, A Reilly; L Djougang, N Jones, E Cahill; J Clohessy, D Wall; F Tuite-O’Sullivan, E King, B Hogan. Replacements: N O’Dowd for Cahill, E Lane for Reilly, S Flood for Gallagher (all 48 mins); E Higgins for McGann, G Moore for Clohessy (both 62); B Buttimer for Jones, S Barrett for Djougang, J Adams Verling for Hogan (all 80).

Referee: J Ling (Australia).