Arries vows Springbok Women will overturn Ireland result in Cape Town rematch

Springbok Women wing Alichia Arries has called for a collective improvement after Ireland defeated South Africa 40-27 in Cape Town at the weekend, with the 24-year-old pledging a stronger showing when the two sides meet again at Athlone Stadium on Saturday in their WXV Global Series rematch.

Scott Bemand’s Ireland controlled the majority of the first meeting, leading for all but nine minutes of the contest. Dannah O’Brien’s kicking game repeatedly put South Africa on the back foot, while individual handling errors compounded the hosts’ difficulties. Arries crossed late on, but her try amounted to little more than a consolation score.

“We were poor at times, our handling let us down and even first-time tackling was not great at crucial times,” Arries said. “Ireland also had a very good kicking game that left us scrambling a bit at times. But that was last weekend. Come Saturday, we promise a better showing.”

The defeat came a month after South Africa were beaten 52-20 by the Black Ferns at the same venue, making Saturday’s fixture an important opportunity to close the year with a win in front of their home supporters. Arries highlighted the atmosphere at Athlone Stadium as a key motivating factor.

“There is something about playing at Athlone. The crowds are just amazing and so, so supportive of the Springbok Women,” she said. “That is one of the reasons why all of us want to go out there this weekend and redeem ourselves by overturning the result against Ireland.”

Saturday will mark Arries’ 12th Test appearance of 2026 and her 14th career cap. Last weekend carried personal significance beyond the result — her daughter watched her play for the first time, and Arries’ try made the occasion more memorable despite the loss. Her daughter will again be in the stands for the rematch.

“The year was productive. The coaches are showing faith in me, and I try to reward them for that,” Arries said. “Every team we play against has something different, and now that we have played Ireland, I believe we can adapt for the second Test. With my daughter and the rest of the family among all those amazing supporters at Athlone Stadium, we hope to finish the year on the best possible note.”