‘South Africans just hate the Irish’ – Ireland star opens up Springboks rivalry

Stuart McCloskey believes there is more “beef” between South Africa and Ireland as the star centre discussed the fierce rivalry with the Springboks.

It is certainly not a traditional conflict, but it is something which has developed over the past few years with both countries rising to the top of the sport.

While the Boks are back-to-back world champions, the Irish were unbeaten against them between 2017 and 2024, winning all three duels.

That included a 2023 Rugby World Cup pool match with Andy Farrell’s coming out on top 13-8 in Paris.

First Springboks win in eight years

South Africa did finally overcome Ireland 27-20 at Loftus Versfeld in July 2024, but the visitors responded a week later to claim a 25-24 victory and level the series.

However, Rassie Erasmus’ outfit produced a statement showing in November 2025, defeating their opponents 24-13 in Dublin, a result that delighted their supporters.

Appearing on the For The Love of Rugby podcast, host Ben Youngs asked: “England have traditionally been a great rivalry, New Zealand was for a long period but now it feels like South Africa are the main rivals. Do you buy into that?”

McCloskey initially responded that it’s a “weird one” before suggesting that the creation of the United Rugby Championship, as well as the World Cup clash, contributed to the growing tensions.

“With them being in the URC now, you see a lot more of the South Africans, there probably is a lot more beef and grittiness there,” he said.

“I don’t know what it’s come out of, I think the South Africans just hate the Irish. I don’t know if we hate them as much but I think it’s pretty cordial, it would be good craic between the fans.

“We were obviously the top two teams in the world there coming up to that World Cup and South Africa went on and did it.

“We came up short but we beat them in the group and that probably stoked it a bit more.”

Simon Zebo: ‘Rassie Erasmus hates the Irish, he really, really doesn’t like us’

‘Not good craic’

It was during the 2023 global tournament that the Cranberries’ song ‘Zombie’ was taken on by Irish rugby supporters, but it was then nicked by the South Africans.

“And also they stole the song. Zombie, they do Rassie – that’s not play on. One thing is having a rivalry, you don’t nick the song!” Youngs joked.

McCloskey quipped that “it’s not good craic either”, before adding: “Come on lads, think of your own craic. In general it’s not great craic you would say.”

Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for world-class coverage you can trust.

However, the Ireland star, who has enjoyed an incredible season for both province and country, was more impressed by their efforts in 2024.

“But to be fair, we were playing maybe the first Test out there two summers ago and whoever was doing the comms for the kicks, I think Jack [Crowley] missed a kick in the fifth minute, and it was one of the things where it goes, ‘wheyyy’,” McCloskey said.

“It had all these comical noises every time an Irish lad did something wrong. It was very good craic.”

READ MORE: Siya Kolisi’s honest Sharks admission as Springboks captain issues ‘tough’ farewell message