They will get the chance to have another crack on Saturday with a showdown in Dublin against Andy Farrell’s well-drilled side in what will be a fascinating clash that has become something of a grudge match in recent years.
South Africa’s last win in Ireland came in 2012, though to be fair they have only visited once since Rassie Erasmus took charge, a 19-16 loss in 2022.
“Whether we played (Ireland) in South Africa or came here, it’s always been 50-50,” Springbok wing Cheslin Kolbe told reporters.
“We just need to make sure that we implement what we want to implement on the weekend and what the coaches have set out for us, but at the same time adapt to the scenarios on the field.
“South Africa-Ireland is always a massive game and it’s going to be as physical as you can get.”
Kolbe says there is personal pride and ambition on the line for the players.
“For me personally as a player, I’ve never won here,” he said. “We came close, I think, in 2022 but just didn’t capitalise on a few opportunities and shots at goal that definitely cost us back then.
“But it’ll obviously be massive for the team, for our growth and the way we want to move forward. You want to win every Test match and our focus is just to train as well as we can throughout this week and to be as confident as we can be going into the weekend.
“In these games that are so close, you’ve got to make sure you capitalise on every single opportunity and they’ve been doing that really well over the past few years.
“It’s a team that’s well-coached and has good structure to their game, so if you’re not up for it on the day, they can definitely hurt you.”
Both South Africa and Ireland use the high ball as a tactic on attack and that could be a key battleground at the weekend. Who comes out with aerial supremacy could win the game.
“Rugby overall has changed a lot. Kicking has become a big weapon for all teams and it helps us in the way we want to play,” Kolbe said.
“They are capitalising quite a lot getting in the air and those lost balls that create the scraps. They’ve been more desperate than other teams to win those opportunities.
“I obviously love running with the ball but taking balls in the air is a skill that I’ve learned since I made my debut in 2018 and something I continue to work at. The kicking game has been a big emphasis for all teams in world rugby.”
South Africa have received first-half red cards in their last two matches, wins over France and Italy, and Kolbe says they will be ready again for whatever is thrown at them.
“There are definitely a lot of scenarios we train during the week because you never know what can happen on the weekend,” he said. “We need to be able to adapt and be able to control what we can control between the four lines.”