The Springboks recorded a fourth victory on their Castle Lager Outgoing Tour with a 24-13 win over Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday. The victory, their first in Dublin since 2012, confirmed the Springboks’ number one ranking in the rugby world.
The Springboks dominated the home team, with a number of players sent to the sin bin, whilst they also conceded a 20-minute red card as their lack of respect for the laws nearly descended the game into chaos. The Bok scrum, in particular, was totally dominant, and English referee Matthew Carley had no option but to issue a number of yellow cards to Ireland. This was scant reward for the heroes of the match: Wilco Louw, Thomas du Toit, Malcolm Marx, Johan Grobbelaar, Boan Venter and Gerhard Steenekamp, backed by the remaining forward warriors who refused to budge all evening.
Exposed defence
Fullback Damian Willemse scored five minutes in after a delightful intervention by Damian de Allende, with the inside centre’s late run and delayed pass exposing the Irish defence.
Their second try, scored by Cobus Reinach, came from blunt force by the Bok pack. Ireland, at that time already punished for their disrespect to the laws of the game, only had 13 players on the field. After a number of scrum resets, the Bok scrumhalf scored his 19th Test try following a show and go.
Ireland had their moments in fighting back, but had a try disallowed for a dangerous cleanout by James Ryan on Malcolm Marx at a ruck preceding their try. Meanwhile, Boan Venter had his try disallowed due to a forward pass in the build-up to what would have been another feather in the forwards’ cap.
The hosts played some decent rugby at times, as their try in the first half showed. Dan Sheehan crossed the Bok tryline with only 13 players on the field for Ireland, but the visitors rebounded with a series of powerful scrums, forcing Carley to award them a penalty try late in the half.
Extraordinary game
Ireland started the second half with 13 men, but cut the lead to nine points when Sam Prendergast, back on the field following his yellow card, kicked a penalty goal.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu then raced in after another monstrous Bok scrum. Louw put in a massive right shoulder, and the Irish turned their defensive shoulders too soon, paying the price as the attacking instincts of the Bok flyhalf kicked in. He ran hard and straight into space to score. The conversion went wide, but at 24-10 it was looking good for the Boks.
Prendergast kicked another penalty goal in what turned out to be the last points, but what followed was an extraordinary final quarter.
The Springboks scrum forced Carley to dish out another yellow to the Irish front row, but Ireland survived a horrid quarter. They attacked with desperation in the final 10 minutes and had some chances, but the final result was sealed and signed by the preceding 70 minutes of power and precision from a Springbok side.
