When Dorothy Wall steps on to a rugby pitch, she stands out.

Wall and her distinctive pink scrum cap will be in action on Saturday in Cape Town when Ireland take on South Africa [14:30 BST] in the first of two Tests in the WXV Global Series.

But why did she pick up the eye-catching headwear?

She admits she is often asked the question, even if the answer is somewhat simple – she doesn’t want cauliflower ears.

“When we played Australia in 2024, I got a really bad cauliflower ear,” said the Ireland second row.

“Probably the worst pain I’ve ever felt, it was the worst thing ever. Way worse than my Achilles and I also don’t want cauliflowers for my future.

“So that’s when I had to get a scrum cap and I was like, ‘oh if I’m doing it, I may as well just go pink’. That was it really.”

Ireland have vastly improved under head coach Scott Bemand, but their WXV campaign has had a mixed start.

They were beaten by the USA in their opener but bounced back with a win over Japan in Galway.

Ireland then defeated Japan for a second game in a Test outside the WXV.

South Africa have also had a mixed start as wins over Spain and Italy were followed by a heavy defeat by Wales.

Ireland are playing in South Africa for the first time and are aiming to mark the occasion with a historic win.

For Wall and Ireland, it is not just about winning but in the manner that they do it.

“We’re very much process-driven, so results on any given day, it kind of comes back to the process of what we’re trying to do.

“I think we’re looking for wins, but more gratifying wins, in a way, that we aren’t leaking tries in defence, or taking opportunities when they come.

“Maul definitely was a big focus for us, and just taking opportunities and finishing those opportunities.”

Wall notes the physicality of the South Africans, and says their scrum is “incredibly dominant”.

Despite that, she believes “our set piece and our line-out are better”.

“Our kicking game, especially with Dannah [O’Brien], is very influential on how we play, and I think we’re a very fit team,” she said.

“Those attributes will definitely be used to hopefully beat the South Africans in the next two games.”

After coming through the set-up in Ireland and playing for Munster domestically, Wall made the move to England in 2024 to sign for Exeter Chiefs.

She had been in the Sevens programme before moving into 15s for her Ireland debut in the 2020 Six Nations.

Wall had just graduated from University College Dublin when she made the move to Exeter, and said that “change can be a really positive thing”.

“I’d been professionally contracted either with Sevens or fifteens since I was 18.

“It was one of those things that came up as a life decision as well, seeing a different part of the world, even if it’s not that far away.

“It was just an opportunity that I wanted to take to play with other internationals.

“We have a lot of New Zealanders, Canadians, Red Roses, and with every international you come across, you learn something different from them.”

Wall also noted that it has added “diversity” in her rugby experience, and playing for Ireland is another level of intensity.

“As much as I love Exeter, I equally, if not more, love playing for Ireland.

“Both have kind of married well over the last two years.”

One of the perks of living in Exeter is the proximity to the Cornish coastline, but it’s fair to say that surfing is not one of her past times.

“You know what, I am incredibly bad at anything that isn’t rugby, including surfing or skating or anything like that.

“My mum came over last summer after the Six Nations and we did St. Ives and all around the coast there.

“It was when we had the heat wave so it felt like we were in France. It was really nice to actually see the area, which we enjoyed a lot.”