The Ireland women's rugby team have been ticking off new venues throughout 2026; Their eight games this year have been played across seven different stadiums, four of those hosting them for the first time.

This afternoon, they will have another new experience against South Africa (2pm, live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1). The Athlone Stadium might sound like somewhere Scott Bemand's side could play a home game, but the 34,000 capacity ground lies in the Cape Flats, on the outskirts of Cape Town.

Ireland's Test with the Springbok women will be the just the second ever meeting of these sides, and the first on South African soil.

With 20 years separating this game from the last meeting of the side at the 2006 World Cup, there is little in the way of history between them.

And while the Springbok women aren't a powerhouse of the game like their men's side, a week in South Africa has already given the Ireland squad a sense of how passionate the nation are for the game.

"It's an amazing country, very different to Ireland, with a very rich historical background," second row Dorothy Wall says.

"When you come to a country, you have to pay respect to what's happened here, the culture of the people, different things like that."

Travelling Cape Town as a group, the Ireland squad have been catching the attention of locals, and Wall (below) says they have been getting an appropriate level of support.

"Everyone we talk to is like, 'Oh, yeah, we'll watch that game,' or 'We'll go to that game', but they always finish off with, 'We won't be supporting you!'.

"They're obviously a very proud nation, you definitely won't be swaying them over a flat white in the morning.

"Touring is always probably one of the best parts of doing what we do realistically. I think whenever you hear from retired players, they speak about the tours they were on, who they did it with, what they accomplished in that time."

The squad have been enjoying touring life - watching the Stormers host Bristol in the Champions Cup last weekend and going on safari a few days ago, but when it comes to the rugby, Wall insists they are laser-focused on finishing their international window with back-to-back wins.

"We've trained hard, we've come here with a clear ambition to win Tests, and that's always at the forefront of our minds.

"When we're on, we're on, and when we're off, we're off, which I think is a really healthy balance."

Fifth in the world rankings, Ireland are five spots ahead of the Springboks, who have had a mixed set of results in 2026.

In July, the African champions traded wins with the USA, who beat Ireland in Tallaght last month, and followed that up with a pair of wins against Fiji in August, and a heavy defeat to New Zealand.

Their first WXV Global Series game saw them hammered against Wales in Cardiff, but they have since recovered with impressive wins against Italy and Spain.

With such a variance in their performances, Wall says Ireland will just have to prepare to face the best version of South Africa this week.

"Their setpiece, especially their scrum, is incredibly dominant", she added.

"They have size, as comes with every South African team. I believe our set piece in Ireland is better.

"Our kicking game, especially with Dannah [O'Brien], is very influential on how we play, and I think we're a very fit team. Those attributes will definitely be used to beat the South Africans in the next two games, hopefully.

"When they're at their best, they're obviously physically dominant. They love a setpiece, but equally, we can also be like that, with the added extras of a kicking and running game."

Equally, Ireland's form was mixed in their three recent home games, with two wins against Japan following on from a disappointing defeat to the USA.

"I think we're looking for wins, but more gratifying wins in a way that we aren't leaking tries in defence and we're taking opportunities when they come.

"The maul was definitely a big focus for us, and just taking opportunities and finishing those opportunities. So hopefully we'll see good results in the next two games.

"Limiting that penalty count, especially around the halfway line, which will give them entries into our 22, will be massive.

"I think we're always prepared for a physical battle. If you can't get yourself up aggressively, with intent and physicality, you probably shouldn't be a rugby player, because that's one of the main parts of the job. So I would never question our ability to get up for something physically."

Wall is one of two changes to the side that defeated Japan 43-19 three weeks ago (above), starting in the second row as Fiona Tuite-O'Sullivan moves to the back row, and Jemima Adams Verling drops to the bench, while Stacey Flood replaces Niamh Gallagher at full-back.

Crucially, Ireland will be without the influence of back-to-back Women's Six Nations Player of the Year Aoife Wafer this week, who has had surgery on knee and ankle injuries, but Brittany Hogan has proven to be a worthy replacement as the team's chief ballcarrier in the pack.

Bemand has gone for power up front to match the Springbok setpiece, with Linda Djougang and Eilís Cahill starting at prop, which should give his side the platform to unleash the pace of Beibhinn Parsons and Robyn O'Connor, as well as Anna McGann, who has been a revelation in the centre during this international window.

Listen to the RTÉ Rugby podcast on Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts, and email us at sportpodcasts@rte.ie