International
Late Springbok charge not enough against Wallabies
The Wallabies defeated the Springboks by 25-17 (halftime 10-3) despite a strong finish by the South Africans, with Kwagga Smith scoring two tries in the final 10 minutes of their third round Castle Lager Rugby Championship match played in bright winter sunshine in Adelaide on Saturday morning (SA time).
The Wallabies went into the halftime break with a 10-3 lead following a converted try and a penalty goal, while South Africa replied with a single penalty goal despite their dominance in the set piece, territory and the penalty count in their favour.
A string of basic errors in the first half meant the Springboks could never get into their stride, while the Wallabies made a perfect, fast start to the game which set the tone for their first-half performance; 40 minutes of rugby the Springboks would rather forget.
After conceding a converted try in the opening two minutes and then a penalty goal soon afterwards, the visitors found themselves 10-0 behind with hardly a hand laid on the ball during that period.
From a Springbok mistake with the kick-off, Australia beautifully took the ball through a couple of phases and flanker Fraser McReight rounded off a quick start with a converted try next to the posts. Moments later, when flyhalf Noah Lolesio slotted a close ranged penalty goal following a South African high tackle, the Wallabies were 10-0 up within five minutes.
Hooker Joseph Dweba left the field in the 11th minute with a cut above the eye, and Malcolm Marx came on while the starting hooker received stiches for his head wound. Handre Pollard, who slotted 10 consecutive kicks in his previous two matches, steered his first penalty attempt wide of the upright.
Eben Etzebeth put in yet another massive shift in his 103rd Test.
When the Boks finally got some passes going and ventured into the Wallaby danger zone, they committed several handling errors which relieved the pressure on the Australians.
Pollard pulled another penalty kick when the Wallabies were penalised at scrum time, but he had no problem with his third attempt a few minutes later to finally put the Boks on the scoreboard at 10-3.
With the Boks now getting good go-forward ball, Wallaby right wing Tom Wright was yellow carded for going offside when SA took a quick tap penalty five meters from his goal line, but again the visitors failed to capitalise as they conceded a penalty from an attacking scrum.
The men in Green and Gold were now in control at the set piece and they generated a lot of scoring opportunities, but frustratingly, they were unable to convert those because of numerous errors, but the hosts also defended well, as was the case when wing Makazole Mapimpi was stopped in his tracks with the try line in sight by a desperate Marika Koroibete tackle.
To make matters worse for the Boks, scrumhalf Faf de Klerk was yellow carded for foul play on opposite number Nic White just before the break, and the Wallabies took advantage of that with an extra man on the field early in the second half.
After the break, Koroibete scored the Wallabies’ second try of the match when he showed good footwork to step Pollard and dive over. Lolesio hit the upright with his conversion, but the Wallabies had stretched their lead to 15-3 just seven minutes after the break.
Damian Willemse looks for a gap with support from Eben Etzebeth and Handre Pollard.
Springbok Jacques Nienaber sent on Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Kwagga Smith, Franco Mostert, Frans Steyn, Jaden Hendrikse and Elton Jantjies as replacements in the second half in an effort to lift the tempo.
But it was the Wallabies who kept the scorers busy when McReight ran in for his second try of the game. The flanker was on hand to take a pass from his flyhalf after a clever inside pass to score next to the sticks and with Lolesio adding the extras, the Boks were left with a mountain to climb at 22-3 and only 20 minutes of play remaining.
Jantjies was then unfortunately pinned on the wrong side of a ruck after having made a tackle, and Lolesio hit the mark with his second penalty goal attempt as he took the Wallabies’ advantage to 25-3.
The Boks looked for a strong finish and finally scored their first try, initiated by Kitshoff and fellow front-ranker Koch, who sent replacement No 8 Smith over for a try converted by Jantjies.
The South Africans kept on going and when Wallaby No 8 Rob Valetini was yellow carded for a cynical foul towards the end, Smith took a quick tap penalty to dive over for his second try of the game, which Jaden Hendrikse converted.
However the fightback came too late as the Wallabies left the pitch as 25-17 winners, and South Africa now must go back to the drawing board for next week’s rematch in Sydney.
Scorers:
Australia 25 (10) – Tries: Fraser McReight (2), Marika Koroibete. Conversions: Noah Lolesio (2). Penalty goals: Lolesio (2).
Springboks 17 (3) – Tries: Kwagga Smith (2). Conversions: Elton Jantjies, Jaden Hendrikse. Penalty goal: Handre Pollard.
Content & Images from – South Africa Rugby
Munster Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to confirm contract extensions for Conor Murray and Jack Daly with Brian Gleeson to be promoted from the Academy to the senior squad next season.
Murray and Daly have signed one-year extensions with Gleeson moving up to the senior squad on a two-year deal.
Gleeson is one of five Academy players moving up to the senior squad next year with Tony Butler, Ethan Coughlan, Mark Donnelly and Edwin Edogbo also signing two-year deals.
Conor Murray is one of the most decorated scrum-halfs in world rugby with 116 Ireland caps and three British & Irish Lions tours to his name.
A former St Munchin’s College student, the Garryowen man won his fifth 6 Nations title with Ireland last month and earned his second league title with Munster last season.
The 34-year-old has made 185 Munster appearances and scored 34 tries for the province to date and was named on World Rugby’s Team of the Decade in 2019.
25-year-old flanker Jack Daly came up through the ranks at Castleisland RFC and made his Munster debut against Zebre in 2020.
Daly joined the Academy in 2018, moved up to the senior squad in 2021 and plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen. A former Ireland U20 international, he made his Champions Cup debut against Toulouse in the quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium in 2022.
Try-scoring number 8 Brian Gleeson leads the charge for the Ireland Under-20s against France ©INPHO/Evan Treacy
20-year-old Gleeson moves up to the senior squad after just one year in the Academy that has seen him score one try in nine senior appearances.
Currently out of action with an ankle injury, he had already made three Champions Cup appearances before turning 20.
The powerful back-row forward was a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland U20s last year. plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen and came up through the ranks at Thurles RFC and Rockwell College.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against Scotland at Aviva Stadium (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Ireland – currently sitting top of the Six Nations table heading into Super Saturday – can clinch back-to-back Championship titles with victory over Scotland in Dublin.
Farrell has named an unchanged starting XV for the Round 5 clash, as Hugo Keenan, Calvin Nash and James Lowe continue in the Ireland back three. Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki are once again selected in midfield, with Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park the starting half-backs.
Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong pack down in the front row, with Joe McCarthy partnering Tadhg Beirne – who is set to win his 50th Test cap for Ireland – in the engine room.
Captain Peter O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have opted for a 5-3 split on the bench, with Rónan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan providing the reinforcements up front, and Conor Murray, Harry Byrne and the fit-again Garry Ringrose the backline options.
Saturday’s match is live on Virgin Media One and ITV, with live radio coverage available on RTE Radio 1.
Ireland Team & Replacements (v Scotland, Guinness Men’s Six Nations, Saturday, March 16, 4.45pm)
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(39)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(5)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(71)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(55)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(30)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(13)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(34)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(63)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(25)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(75)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(9)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(49)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(104)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(61)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(40)
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(30)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(128)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(39)
19. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(19)
20. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(45)
21. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(115)
22. Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster)(3)
23. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(57).
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Peter O’Mahony captains Ireland for the Round 4 visit to London, with Hugo Keenan returning to the starting XV after recovering from injury.
Keenan joins Calvin Nash and James Lowe in the Ireland back three, with Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw continuing their midfield partnership.
Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park are retained as the half-back pairing.
In the pack, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong are in the front row, with Joe McCarthy and Tadhg Beirne named in the engine room. Captain O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have selected a 6-2 split on the bench, as Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan provide the reinforcements in the pack.
Backs Conor Murray and Ciaran Frawley complete Ireland’s Match Day 23 to face England.
Saturday’s match is live on RTÉ2 and ITV.
Ireland:
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(38)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(4)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(70)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(54)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(29)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(12)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(33)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(62)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(24)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(74)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(8)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(48)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(103)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(60)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(39)
Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(29)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(127)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(38)
19. Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster)(80)
20. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(18)
21. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(44)
22. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(114)
23. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(3)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
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