Ireland vs South Africa Prediction: Springboks with a point to prove

Ireland complete their Autumn international fixtures with a big clash against world champions South Africa on Saturday (17:40 GMT, TNT Sports 1).

Read on for my Ireland vs South Africa predictions, as well as the all-important teams and the Betfred match odds.

The Springboks head to the Aviva Stadium having won their three previous Northern Hemisphere Autumn internationals, beating Japan at Wembley before seeing off both France and Italy.

Ireland come into Saturday’s showdown having racked up back-to-back wins over Japan and Australia, following a 26-13 defeat to New Zealand at the start of the month.

Ireland vs South Africa Odds

Ireland, who have scored 40+ points in their last two matches, are 2/1 to claim the victory on Saturday evening.

South Africa are 2/5 to complete an Autumn clean sweep with success in Dublin, while the draw can be backed at 22/1.

Team News

Ireland have made four changes to their starting XV for Saturday’s Dublin showdown, with Garry Ringrose and Josh van der Flier amongst those recalled.

Ringrose and Van der Flier missed last weekend’s win over Australia due to hamstring problems, but both have been passed fit.

Lions star Bundee Aki makes his first start for Ireland since March, while coach Andy Farrell welcomes back Andrew Porter at loose-head prop.

Stuart McCloskey and Robbie Henshaw are ruled out with groin and hamstring problems, respectively, so centre Tom Farrell is named on the bench.

Meanwhile, South Africa have made no fewer than 11 changes to the side that saw off Italy last week, but just two from the team that defeated France the week before.

Three key additions see fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, centre Damian de Allende and second row Eben Etzebeth all handed starting roles.

The two changes from the win over France are Canan Moodie and Ruan Nortje replacing Lood de Jager and Kurt-Lee Arendse.

Handicap - South Africa -6 @ 10/11

A lot of the headlines in the build-up to Saturday’s game have been surrounding quotes from South Africa assistant Mzwandile Stick, who claims his team haven’t been ‘treated fairly’.

The Springboks have been hit hard by bans and injuries, which looks like giving them extra incentive to seal four international wins this Autumn.

Ireland have won four of the last five meetings between the two teams, but they are not the same side they were when they last went head-to-head 16 months ago.

Farrell has been heavily questioned recently about team selection, and he admits that this fixture is a robust examination of his side, who have lost two of their last seven internationals.

The tourists’ physical strength was highlighted in their first three Autumn internationals, running in 125 points across those contests.

Anytime Tryscorer - Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu @ 13/5

South Africa have already run in 17 tries in three games this Autumn and fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is a player in form.

The 23-year-old made his Springboks debut last year and has now established himself as a key player in head coach Rassie Erasmus’ plans.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who plays his domestic rugby for Stormers, has three international tries to his name, and all of them have come in the last three months.

The fly-half scored a record 37 points in a win over Argentina in September and was amongst the South African tryscorers in this month’s win in Paris.

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