• Cybercriminals will likely capitalise on locals looking to livestream South Africa versus Ireland in the 2023 Rugby World Cup this Saturday.
• This could include websites riddled with malware and scams that take your credit card information.
• The only official and legal ways to stream the 2023 Rugby World Cup in South Africa are via SABC Plus (16 games) and DStv Stream (all games).

On Saturday reigning Rugby World Cup champions South Africa take on the number one team in the world, Ireland in the 2023 Rugby World Cup. This clash of the Titans is generating a lot of hype and South Africans without access to SuperSport may be looking for alternatives to get their sporting fix.

While one can stream the matches via SABC’s SABC Plus platform, our experience has been mixed to date, and with the massive interest in this clash, folks may be tempted to look elsewhere for places to watch the match. Unfortunately, cybercriminals are not ignorant of this interest and are more than likely going to use that to their advantage.

“As fans prepare to enter the digital stadium of ticket sales and streaming sites, it is crucial that they develop a keen sense of discernment,” says senior vice president of Content Strategy at KnowBe4 Africa, Anna Collard. “Just like a skilled player who can spot a fake pass from a mile away, fans must learn to distinguish between genuine ticket vendors and fraudulent websites.”

To that end, we need to make it clear that the only two official ways to stream the 2023 Rugby World Cup in South Africa are via SuperSport on DStv Stream or through the SABC. While World Rugby did launch RugbyPass TV last month, you cannot watch the World Cup live on that platform in South Africa.

As such, South Africans should exercise caution when searching online for free or even paid offers to stream the showdown between Ireland and South Africa.

“Many of these supposedly free streaming sites are infested with malware, immediately putting users at risk. Some of these fraudulent sites even ask for your credit card details and personal information under the guise of granting access to the stream, only to provide no stream whatsoever,” explains Collard.

When accessing a website to stream the game, be sure to check the URL and make sure your connection to the website is secure. Be careful of offers that seem too good to be true, they usually aren’t true at all.

Speaking with Cape Talk’s John Maytham recently, head of legal at SuperSport MultiChoice, Phil Leavesley said the broadcaster had already identified several criminal organisations offering access to illegal streams via a virtual private network (VPN).

As for accessing a legitimate stream via a VPN while physically located in South Africa, that could also land you in trouble.

Speaking to MyBroadband, MultiChoice said that SuperSport has the exclusive rights to broadcast the 2023 Rugby World Cup in South Africa. Therefore, accessing any other livestream could be illegal under the Copyright Act of 1978 and Cybercrimes Act of 2020.

“In summary, unauthorised access, distribution, or viewing of RWC content in territories where SuperSport holds exclusive rights is not just a breach of contract but also a violation of established local and national laws and treaties,” MultiChoice told MyBroadband.

The broadcaster did go on to say that it won’t resort to civil or criminal action if it discovers somebody using a VPN to watch the 2023 Rugby World Cup and it may have a hard time proving that even if it did. Any VPN provider worth its salt has a no-log policy. This means the provider doesn’t keep a log of the traffic of each user so if law enforcement, or MultiChoice legal, comes knocking they have no data to provide.

For those searching for a way to see Rassie Erasmus’ latest light show, your best bet is DStv Stream or SABC Plus if you want to watch for free.