The holders tackle World Rugby's number one ranked team tonight in a true clash of the titans
It’s the game everyone has been waiting for at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. So make sure you’ve got your South Africa v Ireland live stream details locked in tonight wherever you are. This article contains details of how to watch for FREE on ITV1 and ITVX in the UK, and RTÉ Player in Ireland.
Stade de France is hosting this heavyweight Pool B showdown, with kick-off coming at 8:00pm (BST) on a mild evening in Paris. If you’re tuning in from outside your country, you can use a VPN to watch Springboks v Ireland FOR FREE from abroad via ExpressVPN.
Ireland and South Africa both have two wins from their opening matches, with Ireland just ahead in the Pool B standings having secured one more bonus point. New Zealand’s Ben O’Keeffe referees the match, which marks the first time the top ranked teams in the world rankings have gone head to head in a Rugby World Cup.
The Springboks side features 14 of the players who beat Scotland on the opening weekend – only the injured Malcolm Marx misses out, replaced by Mbongeni Mbonambi at hooker – while coach Jacques Nienaber has named seven forwards on the bench. South Africa will be wearing their white third kit for the benefit of viewers with colour vision deficiency (CVD).
For Ireland, Jamison Gibson-Park replacing Conor Murray at scrum-half is the only change to the side that comfortably beat Tonga last weekend.
Make sure you do not miss out on an South Africa v Ireland live stream when the match gets underway in Paris by following the information below. We have details of all the Rugby World Cup fixtures and how to watch them right here, and if you scroll down to the end of the article you can find the team line-ups and the kick-off time where you are.
South Africa’s Faf de Klerk breaks against Ireland in 2022
Watch South Africa v Ireland: live stream for FREE in the UK
ITV have the exclusive rights to show the Rugby World Cup to UK audiences – including the Springboks v Ireland. Kick-off is at 8:00pm (BST) tonight, with coverage starting on ITV1 at 7:15pm.
All matches can be streamed FREE on ITVX. They also have an amazing app that works on almost all your smart devices. Just search for the app on any device, phone or console you have.
If you’re outside of the UK, but want your usual coverage, it’s best to check out ExpressVPN (which comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee) and follow the instructions below. As well as a VPN, you’ll need a valid TV licence to watch ITVX when abroad.
Watch Springboks v Ireland: live stream from outside your country
If you want to watch the Rugby World Cup action from your country’s broadcaster, but are abroad, you can do so by using a VPN – Virtual Private Network.
Our fine colleagues at TechRadar have tested hundreds of VPNs and recommend ExpressVPN, which is easy to use, has strong security features and lets you to watch on several devices at once, including smart TVs and phones, iPads, tablets, PCs and Macs.
Plus, ExpressVPN comes with the added benefit of a 30-day money back guarantee and three months free with a yearly plan.
We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:
- Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service)
- Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad
We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
South Africa v Ireland: live stream for FREE from South Africa
It’s the biggest test so far for the defending Rugby World Cup champions, and – as with every game of the tournament – SuperSport has rights to the match. Kick-off is at 9:00pm, with build-up starting at 7:45pm.
There are various SuperSport packages available, whether you want to watch via DStv or stream.
A sub-licensing deal has also ensured that all Springboks matches (including South Africa v Ireland) will be available free-to-air on SABC, with selected games available on the SABC Plus streaming service. However, restrictions within the deal mean that millions of viewers on the Openview platform will not be able to view the matches carried by SABC.
Watch Springboks v Ireland: live stream for FREE from Ireland
This is massive for Ireland. If they’re going to turn their world number one ranking into a first Rugby World Cup win, they’ll need to win games when it truly matters.
In Ireland, the 48 matches of the Rugby World Cup are available to watch FOR FREE, with coverage shared between RTÉ and Virgin Media Television.
RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player have the privilege of showing Ireland’s biggest game in the pool stages. It kicks off at 8:00pm in Ireland, with the build-up getting underway at 7:00pm.
If you’re going to be away from home, you can use ExpressVPN to watch South Africa v Ireland FOR FREE from abroad.
Watch South Africa v Ireland: live stream from the USA
In the USA, South Africa v Ireland kicks off at 3:00pm (ET), 12:00pm (PT) today.
The match will be streamed on Peacock Premium, which is available for $5.99 a month. You can find subscription information here:
Watch Springboks v Ireland: live stream from New Zealand
Barring a big shock, the All Blacks will be facing one of these two nations in the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup. So rugby fans in New Zealand will be keeping close eyes on South Africa v Ireland on Sky Sport NZ.
A Rugby World Cup 2023 Pass is available for $89.99, giving you access to all 48 matches live and on demand.
Kick-off for South Africa v Ireland is at 7:00am New Zealand time on Sunday 24 September.
Watch Springboks v Ireland: live stream from Australia
Australian rugby fans will be tuning in to Stan Sport, as the streaming platform will show all 48 Rugby World Cup matches, ad-free, live and on demand.
Kick-off in Australia for South Africa v Ireland is at 5:00am on Sunday 24 September.
It costs $15 a month to add Stan Sport to your general Stan plan. There is also a 30-day free trial available so you can give Stan a run out first – though this does not apply to Stan Sport.
Watch South Africa v Ireland: live stream for FREE from Europe
World Rugby’s RugbyPass TV streaming service is providing English language Rugby World Cup live streams FOR FREE in Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Malta, Slovakia and Ukraine.
TF1 have the broadcast rights in France – however, they have also agreed a sub-licensing deal for 28 of the 48 matches with commercial broadcaster M6 and public-service broadcaster France Télévisions as well. Kick off is at 9:00pm French time.
In Italy, Rai and Sky Italia are sharing the rights to show the World Cup. South Africa v Ireland kicks off at 9:00pm in Italy.
Springboks v Ireland: live stream for FREE from Asia
World Rugby’s RugbyPass TV streaming service is providing Rugby World Cup live streams FOR FREE in China, Mongolia, Myanmar, South Korea, Turkmenistan and Vietnam.
beIN Sports is the place to go to watch a South Africa v Ireland live stream in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Philippines, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. All 48 matches of the tournament will be available on the beIN Sports Connect app, and on dedicated pop-up channel beIN Sports Rugby.
In some countries (including Hong Kong, Singapore and Philippines), Rugby World Cup matches are not included as part of your usual BeIN Sports subscription. To watch the tournament, you’ll need to pay for an additional RWC Pass, which will give you access to all the matches. (Prices vary by country.)
Springboks v Ireland: team line-ups
South Africa: Damian Willemse, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe, Manie Libbok, Faf de Klerk; Steven Kitshoff, Mbongeni Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi (captain), Pieter-Steph Du Toit, Jasper Wiese
Replacements: Deon Fourie, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Jean Kleyn, RG Snyman, Marco van Staden, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach
Ireland: Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (captain), Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, James Ryan, Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris
Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Dave Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Robbie Henshaw
South Africa v Ireland: kick-off times
UK: 8:00pm
South Africa: 9:00pm
Ireland: 8:00pm
USA: 9:00am ET, 12:00pm PT
Australia: 5:00am (AEST), Sunday 24 September
New Zealand: 7:00am, Sunday 24 September.
France: 9:00pm
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