South Africa 19
Ireland 13
Rory Keane reports from Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
IN THE END, it proved a Test too far.
After two thrilling contests in Cape Town and Johannesburg, when just six points separated the sides on both occasions, it was fitting that this deciding Test should come right down to the final play.
Keith Earls is halted by the Boks defence. Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO
Trailing 19-13 with the final hooter ringing around the stadium, Ireland battered the Springboks line but a wonderful tackle from Faf de Klerk on Keith Earls lifted the siege and secured a thrilling series for home side.
It was a game where Ireland’s youthful backline mixed the sublime and the ridiculous. Luke Marshall, Stuart Olding and O’Halloran all showed great attacking touches with ball in hand but were also guilty of some schoolboy errors.
Marshall in particular enjoyed quite the eventful first-half. The Ulster centre was guilty of a few handling errors and wayward kicks but he also showed startling acceleration for his opening try while his sparking break should have led to more with Keith Earls free on his outside. Throw in a few crucial defensive efforts and the 25-year-old was having quite at a game here in Port Elizabeth.
The scrum was a big worry throughout the opening 40 minutes Glen Jackson penalising Ireland three times at the set-piece, which cost them six points on the scoreboard.
Willie le Roux will count himself a lucky Bok after his aerial challenge on Tiernan O’Halloran requiring the Connacht man requiring medical treatment after he had landed awkwardly on his back. After CJ Stander’s red card for a similar challenge in the first-half, Le Roux’s subsequent yellow is sure to generate plenty of debate in rugby circles over the coming days.
The match began in dramatic fashion with O’Halloran given an immediate introduction to Test rugby as Jantjies landed the kick-off straight on top of him, the Connacht full-back passing his first aerial challenge with flying colours.
Marshall got ahead of Murray’s box kick leading handing Jantjies his first penalty kick of the evening. The Lions fly-half firing over from the right touchline to put the Boks 3-0 to the good. A big shove from the Boks pack yielded Jantjies’ second successive penalty, but his long-range effort drifted wide and right.
Then came a seismic moment in the contest as Le Roux collided with O’Halloran in mid-air chasing yet another Springbok aerial bomb. Glen Jackson showed the Sharks full-back a yellow card as O’Halloran left the field for a Head Injury Assessment. Matt Healy entered the fray to earn his first cap as Keith Earls shifted to fill the vacant full-back slot.
Luke Marshall scored a first-half try for Ireland. Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO
Ireland went for the jugular immediately as Olding stepped Louw from quick lineout ball. Henderson and Stander were hugely prominent in the build-up before Marshal burst through some weak Bok tackling to score. Jackson fired over the conversion to make it 7-3.
Stander continued to lead the change and, after Devin Toner had carried hard in toe the Boks defence, Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira was penalised for coming in at the side. Jackson, who had scored 35 points in this series coming into today’s game, missed the relatively easy effort.
Almost immediately, however, Jackson was afforded another shot at the post as the home side strayed offside once more. The Ulster No 10 made no mistake this time as Ireland edged out to a 10-3 lead.
Jackson could count himself lucky when his attempted pass to Marshall was intercepted by Mapoe; the Lions centre subsequently knocking the ball on. From the ensuing scrum, the Boks put in another big shove with Jack McGrath pinged for collapsing. Jantjies tagged on the resulting penalty to cut Ireland’s lead to four points.
With 10 minutes remaining, Damian de Allende steamrolled over Jackson in midfield but Marshall crucial ball-and-all tackle on Jantjies with Ireland looking stretched out wide.