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
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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