South Africa v Ireland LIVE: Rugby World Cup 2023 result and final score as Irish outmuscle Springboks

World No 1 side Ireland beat defending world champions South Africa in Paris in perhaps the biggest game of the pool stage

Ireland’s Johnny Sexton says son will be ‘over the moon’ after breaking record in World Cup

Ireland underlined their status as the number one team in the world with a bruising 13-8 Rugby World Cup victory over defending champions South Africa in Paris on Saturday, though the Springboks will rue their inaccuracy off the kicking tee.

Ireland scored their only try in the first half through wing Mack Hansen as he found some rare space out wide and led 7-3 at the break but had to withstand a barrage of Springbok pressure in the second half amid a raucous atmosphere.

South Africa’s only try came from winger Cheslin Kolbe but they missed the conversion and three penalty chances to highlight their goal-kicking woes and perhaps hasten the return of experienced fly-half Handre Pollard to the team.

Ireland will be odds-on to win the pool as they claimed a 16th test win in a row, while South Africa suffer defeat in a World Cup game for the first time in nine matches and will likely have to beat Tonga in their final group game on 1 October.

Follow all of the reaction from Stade de France. Plus get the latest Rugby World Cup odds here and tips on Ireland vs South Africa here.

Rugby World Cup 2023: South Africa vs Ireland

• South Africa face Ireland live on ITV1
• Penalty! South Africa 3-0 Ireland (Libbok)
• Try! South Africa 3-7 Ireland (Hansen)
• Half-time: South Africa 3-7 Ireland
• Try! South Africa 8-7 Ireland (Kolbe)
• Penalty! South Africa 8-10 Ireland (Sexton)
• Penalty! South Africa 8-13 Ireland (Crowley)
• Full-time: South Africa 8-13 Ireland

[23 September 2023 21:43 · Lawrence Ostlere]

South Africa 8-10 Ireland

75 min: A wild, manic, chaotic couple of minutes! An Irish forward grabs a loose ball and boots it long, and what follows is a chase back into the South African 22 and a scrappy period of play with no structure, and turnovers aplenty. It all ends with a poor drop-goal effort by Ireland’s Crowley, who had just replaced Sexton. But the ball touched a South African hand on the way through, meaning Ireland have a scrum on the Springboks’ 5m line...

[23 September 2023 21:39 · Lawrence Ostlere]

South Africa 8-10 Ireland

72 min: South Africa push too early in the scrum and they are penalised with a free-kick to Ireland. Lowe boots downfield.

[23 September 2023 21:37 · Lawrence Ostlere]

South Africa 8-10 Ireland

70 min: South Africa create a maul and referee O’Keefe awards a penalty for side entry against Tadhg Beirne. South Africa go to the corner for a lineout – but it’s not thrown straight! What a mistake. Ireland will have a scrum on their own 5m line.

[23 September 2023 21:33 · Lawrence Ostlere]

South Africa 8-10 Ireland

67 min: South Africa come on again – but it’s a brilliant steal at the breakdown and Ireland get some relief inside their own 22.

[23 September 2023 21:30 · Lawrence Ostlere]

South Africa 8-10 Ireland

65 min: Another penalty, another kick for South Africa. This one is on the halfway line and so it’s left to the big left boot of De Klerk... who slaps it wildly off target. That was dreadful.

[23 September 2023 21:29 · Luke Baker]

South Africa 8-10 Ireland

From our reporter Luke Baker in Paris:

The pre-match headlines were dominated by South Africa’s decision to go for a 7-1 split of forwards to backs on the bench and we’re about to see if that unique strategy pays off. They’ve avoided the early backline injury that could have scuppered their plans and they’ll now have seven fresh big men up front compared to Ireland’s five as we reach the business end of this gruelling Test match. The early signs are positive, with a couple of scrum victories for the new-look pack, but they need to successfully kick their points when on offer, which Manie Libbok and Faf de Klerk are currently failing to do. Can Ireland hold on and take advantage?

[23 September 2023 21:28 · Lawrence Ostlere]

South Africa 8-10 Ireland

63 min: Wow, formidable by South Africa’s forwards who put on huge pressure and win a penalty after marching straight through the Irish scrum. But Libbok misses another kick – again, he really should have made it. It was perhaps 40 yards out, but not on much of an angle.

[23 September 2023 21:25 · Lawrence Ostlere]

South Africa 8-10 Ireland

61 min: Irish forwards pat each other on the back once more after winning another breakdown penalty. A huge roar goes up around the Stade de France. Scrum for Ireland, who are looking to turn the screw on this replaced South African pack.

[23 September 2023 21:22 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Penalty! South Africa 8-10 Ireland (Sexton)

59 min: Sexton makes no mistake and Ireland retake the lead. What a match, and it’s just as close as we hoped it would be.

[23 September 2023 21:21 · Lawrence Ostlere]

South Africa 8-7 Ireland

58 min: A big moment for Ireland – their pack wins a penalty after South Africa are deemed to have collapsed the scrum. They celebrate fiercely. The answer to the question below is no, right now. Sexton will kick at goal from a very central position.