David Wallace scores against South Africa in 2006 © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

News: O'Driscoll sure O'Gara will be back

News: Wallace expecting fired-up Springboks

News: Sexton ousts O'Gara at fly-half

Matches: Ireland 15 - 10 South Africa

Tournaments/Tours: South Africa tour

Teams: Ireland | South Africa

Ireland welcome South Africa to Croke Park for the first time on Saturday looking for a rare hat-trick against the Springboks. Ireland defeated their visitors 32-15 at Lansdowne Road in their last meeting in 2006 and 17-12 at the same ground two years earlier.

Ireland's only previous win arrived in Dublin in 1965, while the teams shared the spoils in an 8-8 draw in 1970. The Springboks' domination of the fixture began with a 15-12 win in their first meeting, in Belfast in 1906. Their biggest victory was way back in 1912, 38-0, while there were big victories over a touring Irish side in two Tests in 1998.

The Boks go in to the game after a demoralising tour so far. Their Tests have produced a loss to France and win over Italy and their midweek side was on the end of defeats against both Saracens and Leicester. The Irish, meanwhile, backed up their exciting 20-20 draw with South Africa by playing attractive rugby on their way to a 41-6 win over Fiji at the RDS.

Ireland v South Africa Match Stats:

Played 18; Ireland won 3; South Africa won 14; One drawn match

First Test: Ireland 12-15 South Africa, Balmoral Showgrounds, Belfast, November 24, 1906

Latest Test: Ireland 32-15 South Africa, Lansdowne Road, November 11, 2006

Drawn Test Match: Ireland 8-8 South Africa, Lansdowne Road, January 10, 1970

Ireland' largest winning margin: 17 points, Ireland 32-15 South Africa, Lansdowne Road, November 11, 2006

South Africa's largest winning margin: 38 points, Ireland 0-38 South Africa, Lansdowne Road, November 30, 1912

Ireland' winning sequence: Two Tests, November 13, 2004 to present day

Click Here for Ireland's full Test record courtesy of Statsguru

Click Here for South Africa's full Test record courtesy of Statsguru

Click Here for a full record of all Ireland v South Africa matches courtesy of Statsguru