International
Springboks edged by Ireland in Dublin nail-biter
Ireland showed composure under pressure and took advantage of some unforced errors by the visitors to beat the Springboks 19-16 (half-time 6-6) in a hard-fought Test match at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday evening.
The two sides were level at at the halftime break following two successful penalty goals each way, but Ireland broke clear with two tries in quick succession early in the second half to heap pressure on the Boks, and although they fought back, it wasn’t enough in the end.
It was a great arm wrestle in the first half, with Siya Kolisi’s men enjoying more territory, but Ireland looked dangerous whenever they entered the South African danger zone.
The Boks couldn’t convert their territorial advantage and pressure into more points as a result of a some frustratingly unforced errors. Ireland, on the other hand, couldn’t get their fast-paced game going in the opening stanza as a result of the visitors’ defensive pressure.
It was Ireland who got early points on the board via the boot of their captain and flyhalf Johnny Sexton, who slotted an easy penalty goal when the Boks were punished at the breakdown.
Five minutes later the scores were even again when Damian Willemse replied with a closed range penalty goal after the Irish had played wing Kurt-Lee Arendse in the air.
Cheslin Kolbe, playing in first Test at fullback, was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle on Irish left wing Mack Hansen, giving Ireland numerical advantage for 10 minutes.
Sexton presented Willemse with his second attempt at goal when he was blown up for tackling Damian de Allende around the neck. However, Willemse sent his kick wide before Kolbe returned to action without SA conceding any points while he was in the sin bin.
The hosts nearly scored the first try of the match when Dan Sheehan kicked the ball through after he charged down a Willemse clearance kick. The Irish hooker managed to beat Jesse Kriel to the ball, however, he knocked the ball forward before dotting down.
But Ireland then won another penalty for a no-arms tackle and Sexton made it 6-3 with his second goal kick.
Kolbe was called forward for the easy penalty goal attempt right on the halftime whistle when the hosts were trapped offside, with the Bok fullback making no mistake with his kick to tie the scores at halftime.
Kurt-Lee Arendse goes up for a high ball.
Ireland started the second half with much more vigour and they scored the first try of the game when flanker Josh van der Flier went over in the corner following a powerful lineout maul. That gave the Irish an 11-6 advantage and some much needed injection in their efforts.
Two minutes later, another error at the breakdown gave Ireland a free attack, which they gratefully finished in the corner where Hansen scored, opening up a 10-point lead for the hosts at 16-6 with a lot of rugby still to be played.
However the momentum was now all with Ireland, who also managed to get a few crucial scrum penalties in their favour as they kept the pressure on the South Africans.
The Springboks finally scored their first try when replacement lock Franco Mostert was on hand to take the final pass and dot down, while Kolbe hit the upright with his conversion attempt as the men in green and gold reduced the deficit to 16-11 with just over 10 minutes remaining.
A third Sexton penalty goal opened up an eight-point gap for Ireland with seven minutes left on the clock, leaving the tourists to score twice for a win.
But Arendse then scored for SA as he took an Eben Etzebeth pass to dot down out wide as they narrowed the gap to 19-16 with full-time looming, and Ireland managed to run the clock for another famous and well-deserved win, stretching their win-record at the Aviva Stadium to 31 from 33 games.
Scorers:
Springboks 16 (6) – Tries: Franco Mostert, Kurt-Lee Arendse. Penalty goals: Damian Willemse, Cheslin Kolbe.
Ireland 19 (6) – Tries: Josh van der Flier, Mack Hansen. Penalty goals: Johnny Sexton (3).
Content & Images from – South Africa Rugby
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) is delighted to announce the return of the ‘A’ Interprovincial Men’s Championship which will kick off next month.
The times and dates of the opening three rounds of the Championship before Christmas have been confirmed, with a similar points-scoring system as used in the URC. A Championship winner will be declared after the final round of matches in May and the IRFU will be commissioning a legacy trophy to mark the 150th anniversary celebrations.
Welcoming the news, IRFU Performance Director David Humphreys commented:
“We’re delighted to kick-start the Men’s ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship which will provide a host of players with a further means of developing in a meaningful competition. With the success of the Emerging Ireland Tours, coupled with the return of an ‘A’ international against England next year, it is vital that we continue to provide players at provincial and Club levels with opportunities to impress outside of the traditional URC and EPCR fixture windows.
“Discussions have been ongoing for some time to provide players with meaningful games and all four provinces are unanimously supportive of this competition. It is also great to see provinces taking matches around their local Clubs.
“It is anticipated that as the competition progresses over the coming seasons these fixtures won’t clash with Energia All-Ireland League fixtures for the most part, thus potentially also offering players from the Club game with an opportunity to impress.
“This competition will form another important part of the representative pathway from Energia AIL to URC levels for Academy players upwards over the coming seasons.”
The dates for the post-Christmas fixtures will be confirmed in due course. Ticket details will be confirmed via the respective provinces.
IRFU 150 Interprovincial ‘A’ Championship Fixtures:
Saturday, 16th November:
Connacht Eagles v Leinster ‘A’ (Creggs RFC, 1pm)
Friday, 22nd November:
Ulster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (Ballymacaran Park, 3pm), Leinster ‘A’ v Munster ‘A’ (Lakelands, 5pm)
Friday, 29th November:
Munster ‘A’ v Ulster ‘A’ (New Ormond Park, 3pm)
Friday, 20th December:
Ulster ‘A’ v Munster ‘A’ (tbc, 3pm)
Saturday, 21st December:
Leinster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (Ollie Campbell Park, 2pm)
Weekend of 28/29 December:
Connacht Eagles v Ulster ‘A’ (tbc), Munster ‘A’ v Leinster ‘A’ (tbc)
Weekend of 9/10 May:
Connacht Eagles v Munster ‘A’ (tbc), Leinster ‘A’ v Ulster ‘A’ (tbc)
Weekend of 16/17 May:
Munster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (tbc), Ulster ‘A’ v Leinster ‘A’ (tbc)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
The Emerging Ireland team to face the Cheetahs in the final game of the three-match series in Bloemfontein on Wednesday evening (kick off 6pm Irish time, 7pm local time) has been named.
Leinster’s James Culhane will lead the team and he forms a new back-row alongside Harry Sheridan and Sean Edogbo, who makes his first start of the tour having come on as a replacement in the 29-24 win over Western Force on Sunday afternoon. Former Ireland Under-20 captain Evan O’Connell locks down with Darragh Murray, who featured in the opening 36-24 victory over the Pumas, with Alex Usanov named in the front row alongside hooker Stephen Smyth and Jack Aungier.
Darragh Murray of Emerging Ireland scores his sides second try – Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Darren Stewart
In the backline, Sam Prendergast starts his third game of the tour at out-half and he will be partnered by Cormac Foley, who featured as a second half replacements against the Australian Super Rugby side last time out. Connacht’s Hugh Gavin forms a midfield partnership with Hugh Cooney, with Ulster’s Zac Ward named in an exciting back tree alongside the returning Ben O’Connor at full-back and Andrew Osborne who moves to the right wing.
Munster loosehead prop George Hadden, who was called up to the squad last weekend, is set to make his first appearance after being named on the bench alongside Conor O’Tighearnaigh and Alex Soroka who started Sunday’s win. Hadden’s provincial team-mate Danny Sheahan provides cover once more at hooker, while Scott Wilson and Charlie Tector are also named on the bench for the Toyota Stadium clash alongside out-half Jack Murphy.
Looking ahead to the game, Emerging Ireland Head Coach Simon Easterby said: “When we set out at the beginning of our pre-camp in Dublin, we knew about the challenge of facing three sides in a week and we knew that every player in the group would have the opportunity to play his part. To a man each player has given his all so far and we are aiming to finish off the series with another positive performance on Wednesday.
The Cheetahs are a fiercely proud and strong side and it should be a lively game with a vocal home support behind them. It has been a fruitful past few weeks to date and we have learned a lot. While our performances haven’t been perfect, the players have embraced the challenge and played some brilliant rugby at times. The action has come thick and fast and we know that we have to be clinical in our execution. We will need to go up another level on Wednesday to get the performance we want and hopefully finish the tour on a high.”
Wednesday’s game will be broadcast once more on IrishRugby+ – click here.
Emerging Ireland (v The Cheetahs, Wednesday, October 9, 7pm local time, 6pm Irish time)
15: Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster)
14: Andrew Osborne (Naas RFC/Leinster)
13: Hugh Cooney (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
12: Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
11: Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster/Ireland Sevens)
10: Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
9: Cormac Foley (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
1: Alex Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
2: Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
3: Jack Aungier (Clontarf FC/Connacht)
4: Evan O’Connell (Young Munster RFC/Munster)
5: Darragh Murray (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
6: Harry Sheridan (Dublin University FC/Ulster)
7: Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster)
8: James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster) (captain)
Replacements:
16: Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster)
17: George Hadden (Garryowen FC/Munster)
18: Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
19: Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster)
20: Alex Soroka (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
21: Matthew Devine (Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
22: Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Ulster)
23: Charlie Tector (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Following Emerging Ireland’s 29-24 victory over Western Force in Bloemfontein on Sunday three players, Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Sean O’Brien (Munster) and Jude Postlethwaite (Ulster) will return to their provinces.
The trio will leave South Africa on Monday afternoon and will be available for selection for their respective URC fixtures this weekend.
The squad will visit Heidedal Township this afternoon and will conclude the three-match series on Wednesday evening against The Cheetahs (kick off 7pm local, 6pm Irish time). That match will be live on irishrugby+
Watch the full match back here on irishrugby+
Check out the highlights from the win against Western Force below.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
IRFU Announces Return Of ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship
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