It was a series that had pretty much everything: no more than a score between the teams in each game; citings in the first and third Tests for aerial offences; and in the second a late comeback by South Africa that kept them alive. They closed the deal in Port Elizabeth but in extraordinarily tense circumstances as Ireland chased the seven points that would have given them an historic series win.
For Allister Coetzee there are eight weeks to regroup before playing Argentina in the Rugby Championship. So the Springboks coach may not be overly concerned about the disciplinary hearing facing his full-back, Willie le Roux, after a mid-air collision that ultimately forced his opposite number, Tiernan O’Halloran, to leave the field.
Coincidentally it occurred at almost the exact same stage of the game as Ireland’s CJ Stander had clobbered Patrick Lambie, when trying to block his kick, in the first Test in Cape Town. Stander saw red that day; Le Roux picked up a yellow. Neither coach nor captain in the Ireland camp would comment on the Le Roux incident. The former Test referee Jonathan Kaplan reckons the Springboks full-back should have been sent off. “I didn’t agree with the Stander decision in the first Test but I had a conversation with a member of the judicial committee and the reason he was suspended was because his line inevitably took him into contact with Lambie,” Kaplan said on Sunday.
“The laws are outcome-based, which I don’t like, but all players run on to the field with the same knowledge. With Le Roux the important point is: ‘Was it a realistic challenge for possession, and did he take into account the safety of the catcher?’ I don’t think the challenge was realistic. I don’t think there was intent [to injure], or malice, but he should have been sent off.”
O’Halloran’s departure gave a first cap to his Connacht team-mate Matt Healy – the fourth debutant of the tour – and for Joe Schmidt the overwhelming positive was that an injury-ravaged Ireland squad could be so competitive at the end of a World Cup season. “Players like that did really well,” the coach said. “Coming through and not having the same experience, but bringing what they’ve given to their provinces through to senior level, stepping up and playing well. It’s fantastic. We’re missing a few big names and people would have been sceptical when we left Dublin but fair play to the young guys for stepping up and putting their hands up.”
The mystery was why Schmidt waited so long to round up a posse when his side were chasing the game in the second half. Tadhg Furlong came on for Mike Ross in the third quarter – the Ireland scrum had turned into a penalty slot-machine for the Boks – but the other replacements only appeared when the game was building to a dramatic conclusion.
JP Pietersen’s brilliant try had given the home side a 13-10 half-time lead, overhauling Ireland’s advantage through a Luke Marshall touchdown, and they had got to 19-10 with 11 minutes left thanks to kicks from Ruan Combrinck and Elton Jantjies. Paddy Jackson reeled them in to six points and the introduction of Sean Cronin injected pace into Ireland’s game that badly rattled the Springboks.
They were saved, after the hooter had sounded, by the diminutive scrum-half Faf de Klerk. Having undone a certain try for Ireland earlier with a remarkable overhead interception, this time he came in from wide to tackle Keith Earls, man and ball. “The guys showed a lot of character, especially in the last few minutes,” the Springboks captain, Adriaan Strauss, said. “It was a win or lose situation and the guys defended for their lives. I’m very proud of them.”
South Africa Le Rou ; Combrinck, Mapoe, De Allende, Pietersen; Jantjies, De Klerk; Mtawarira (Kitshoff, 57), Strauss (capt) (Mbonami, 79), Malherbe (Redelinghuys, 57), Etzebeth (Mostert, 74), Du Toit, Louw, Kolisi (Kriel, 60), Whitely.
Try Pietersen. Con Jantjies. Pens Jantjies 3, Combrinck.
Sin-bin Le Roux.
Ireland O’Halloran (Healy, h–t); Trimble, Marshall (Earls, 76), Olding, Earls (Madigan, 73); Jackson, Murray (Reddan, 69); McGrath, Best (capt, Cronin, 73), Ross (Furlong, 51), Henderson (Dillane, 69), Toner, Stander (Ruddock, 69), Murphy, Heaslip.
Try Marshall. Con Jackson. Pens Jackson 2.
Referee G Jackson (NZ). Attendance 43,323.
