To put the figures into perspective, the All-Ireland Gaelic Football final - typically the country's biggest sporting event of the year - drew an average audience of 971,000.
That year the biggest Irish audience tuned in for their side's quarter-final loss to New Zealand, with 776,000 watching.
The consistent number one in Ireland's top TV audience list is The Late Late Toy Show, a special Christmas edition of a popular talk show.
Last year's edition brought in over 1.5 million viewers, and it keeps the biggest sporting events off the top spot year after year.
This could all change, however, depending on what happens in France at the World Cup in the coming weeks.
Persons:
Trevor Stynes, Ken Ferris
Organizations:
South, Rugby, RTE, Ireland's, Springboks, Ireland Gaelic Football, Nations, Ireland, New Zealand, Thomson
Locations:
South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, New Zealand, France, New