Parsons scores three as Ireland beat South Africa 38-17 to seal series

Beibhinn Parsons scored three tries as Ireland defeated South Africa 38-17 at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town to complete a Test series victory and finish their WXV Global Series campaign. According to BBC Sport's match report, Ireland became the first Irish side to win consecutive Tests on South African soil, following their 40-27 victory at the same ground a week earlier.

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Ireland's six tries came from Parsons, captain Erin King and Aoife Dalton, who crossed twice. Dannah O'Brien added four conversions. Parsons scored once before the interval and twice afterwards, taking her Ireland record to 29 tries in 40 appearances. Already her country's leading try-scorer, the winger helped turn a second-half deficit into a 21-point winning margin.

South Africa had made the stronger start, with Unam Tose scoring from a line-out drive in the second minute. King and Parsons then crossed for Ireland, with a yellow card for South Africa's Alichia Arries coming between those scores. The hosts responded through Sizophila Solontsi, whose try followed another driving maul after a period of pressure.

Ireland led 14-10 at half-time but had lost scrum-half Aoibheann Reilly to the sin-bin for an illegal clearout before Solontsi's try. Reilly had come into the starting team in place of Emily Lane. South Africa continued to challenge Ireland through their forwards after the break, and Vainah Ubisi's try put the home side ahead as they pursued their first victory over the Irish.

Parsons supplied Ireland's response with her second try. South Africa then lost Jakkie Cilliers to a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on O'Brien with 10 minutes remaining. Dalton scored shortly after Cilliers left the field, and the conversion moved Ireland two scores clear. Parsons completed her hat-trick before Dalton added her second try in the corner during the closing minutes.

The result gave Scott Bemand's team a second successive six-try performance against South Africa, whose three tries came through Tose, Solontsi and Ubisi, with Cilliers providing a conversion. BBC Sport reported that Ireland had opened their WXV campaign with a defeat by the United States before recording wins over Japan and South Africa. They also beat Japan in a separate Test in Cork.