| Time |
Score |
|
| |
|
Hello and welcome to our coverage of Ireland v South Africa, live from Croke Park in Dublin. This meeting of World and Tri-Nations champions with the current SIx Nations Grand Slam winners is one of the most eagerly anticipated contests of the Autumn Internationals.
But in recent weeks, both sides have struggled with form. Ireland needed a last second try from captain Brian O'Driscoll in their opening tour match against Australia, while South Africa have had a fairly dismal tour, losing to club sides Leicester and Saracens in their mid-week games, and coming unstuck against the French in Paris.
Form hasn't been the the only issue dogging both sides. In recent weeks the swelling debate over the amount of kicking and the lack of risk taking in the game has seen Ireland and South Africa singled out for specific criticism, so both sides will be looking to reignite the spark that saw the Springboks play a sensational series against the Lions, where many of the Irish side were wearing the red shirt.
Personnel wise, there is a notable change on either side. For the Irish, Munster fly-half Ronan O'Gara has been surprisingly benched in favour of up and coming Leinster pivot Jonny Sexton, who only made his test debut against Fiji last week. On the Springbok side, John Smit, the World Cup-winning captain has been moved to his original position of hooker for the first time in a year, with BJ Botha packing down at tighthead and Tendai Mtawarira at loosehead.
Join us for all the action live from Dublin from 14.30 GMT
14.20 Late team news from South Africa and it's a massive blow, Bakkies Botha has been ruled out and Andries Bekker will come in in the second row.
14.27 The South Africans are already on the field as the Irish emerge from the tunnel. It's a cold, misty day in Dublin, but at least it's dry at the moment. The teams line up for the anthems.
14.32 Lots of interesting facial hair in the South Africa lineup, presumably as part of the 'Movember' charity moustache growing trend that seems to have captured the imagination of the rugby playing world, Bryan Habana in particular has made a fantastic effort.
14.34 No cringeworthy singers this week as the South African national anthem is handled with consummate class by the Irish Army band.
14.36 Croker rings out to the Soldier's Song followed by Ireland's Call, both of which are raucously delivered by the crowd, where hats, scarves and gloves are definitely in the majority - the temperature is 4 degrees Celsius and dropping at the moment.
|
| 1 |
|
Nigel Owens gives the signal and accompanied by a roar of the crowd, Steyn kicks long to O'Connell, who just manages to secure it. O'Leary clears but it came off a Springbok hand before it went out. Flannery's throw to O'Callaghan and Ireland run out of their own 22, it looks to be on but Flannery knocks on out wide and South Africa turn it and look to counter up to the 22.
|
| 2 |
|
Bekker is hauled down inside the 22 and it's slowed down, Steyn drops back in the pocket and goes for the drop goal but it's just wide to the left.
|
| 3 |
|
Sexton's drop-out is knocked on by Matfield and Ireland can secure and clear. Both teams are looking to run it at the moment and South Africa run back the kick and come up to halfway. The first test of Kearney by du Preez is secured, just and it's cleared to touch. There's some afters between Broussow and Kearney and Nigel Owens has told both sides to calm down.
|
| 4 |
|
South Africa missing Botha in the lineout and O'Callaghan manages to disrupt it and South Africa clear to Bowe who calls the mark. It's tapped and the Irish run it out, the ball making it out to Earls on the wing, who has enough space to make it to halfway.
|
| 5 |
|
The ball is cleared deep to Kitchner who evades a few tackles before being tackled and the ball is cleared by du Preez who kicks off a bit on ping-pong, which is ended when Kearney's kick goes out at halfway. Ireland are penalised at the lineout for pulling the man down and Steyn brings play up to the 22.
|
| 6 |
|
Great work by O'Connell as he gets a hand in front of Matfield and Ireland steal the ball. O'Leary clears but it's quite short. The next lineout it again disrupted and nearly stolen but the Springboks just hold on.
|
| 7 |
|
Some soft hands from the Springbok backs tries to squeeze Habana through but it's smothered. Kearney levels Matfield and Earls scoops up the turnover, they work it upfield to just inside the halfway line, but Burger is penalised for hands on the floor and it's a penalty in front of the posts.
|
| 8 |
|
The mist is really descending on Croke Park now but it's not hindering Sexton who drills the penalty straight between the posts.
|
| 9 |
3 - 0 |
Heaslip secures the kickoff and O'Leary's kick is blocked but he catches it and goes to ground. O'Driscoll clears to Steyn who sends a long one to Heaslip who is challenged by Kirchner, but it's cleared.
|
| 10 |
|
Smit looks uncomfortable at hooker again and he's penalised for taking too much time at the lineout. The free kick is put back another 10 metres for Springbok chat there too, and Sexton sends up an up and under which is fielded and cleared back up to halfway.
|
| 11 |
|
Ireland are going nowhere at halfway. and it's knocked on.
|
| 12 |
|
Solid scrum from South Africa and the chase is chased by Habana, Bowe fumbles it but Habana's knocked on and it's a scrum.
|
| 13 |
|
Nigel Owens penalises Ireland for a very crooked feed at the scrum and South Africa have a great platform just outside the Irish 22.
|
| 14 |
|
South Africa seem to be on top at the scrum and Ireland's front row are really struggling, being forced backwards and popping up, conceding a penalty which du Preez takes quick and runs into trouble.
|
| 15 |
3 - 5 |
The ball is passed out to Stey who offloads to Fourie who commits his man and offloads to Burger who spots a gap and darts through to score out on the left hand side of the pitch
|
| 16 |
3 - 7 |
Burger kicked the ball into the crowd after the try and drew the ire of the crowd who remember Burger's eye-gouging of Luke Fitzgerald on the Lions tour. Needlessly inflammatory from the Springbok, the crowd don't like it one bit. Steyn makes the kick.
|
| 17 |
|
South Africa clear the restart and it's a lineout to Ireland, it's sloppy but secured and they move up to halfway, it's a big mess at the breakdown and Broussow has come up with it, but it's knocked on by Burger.
|
| 18 |
|
South Africa pressure Ireland at the scrum but Heaslip secures, spots some space and runs into it, O'Driscoll picks up a ball that Heaslip looks to have knocked on as he's tackles and is only hauled down five metres out.
|
| 19 |
|
Ireland rumble forward but South Africa are doing a good job of slowing it down. O'Callaghan is hauled down just short of the line but it's not coming out from there. Scrum to Ireland.
|
| 20 |
|
Much better from Ireland at the scrum and Heaslip takes it up but is just stopped short , Ireland keep it tight but the don't seem to be making any ground and it's slow ball.
|
| 21 |
|
Wallace takes it from the base and a powerful handoff sees him inject some momentum. He's brought down inches shy and South Africa have the penalty for Wallace no releasing.
|
| 22 |
|
Steyn doesn't find touch with the penalty and Kearney counters. He's tackled but O'Leary spots a gap and chips over the top, Fourie gets there but he's bundled into touch outside the 22.
|
| 23 |
3 - 10 |
Solid lineout and it's shipped to Sexton who wastefully sends up a high kick and South Africa secure and clear their lines. South Africa counter after some ping-pong and they're quickly up to the 10m line. They have numbers out wide and move up to the 22, where Steyn drops back in the pocket and drills a drop goal.
|
| 24 |
|
Ireland have a scrum on halfway and they're under pressure again, but Heaslip does well to secure it and Ireland will look to reset and move on.
|
| 25 |
|
Ireland ship it to the backs but the South Africa defence are organised and aren't breaking. O'Driscoll injects some energy by breaking through the tackle and offloading to Sexton and the ball's up to the 22.
|
| 26 |
|
A chip over is fielded by Habana but he's tackled as he receives it in the 22. He takes tap and runs only to nearly be charged down by Healy and it's a short clearance to the 22 line
|
| 27 |
|
Scrappy lineout from Ireland but D'Arcy takes the ball well and offloads to Sexton who spots the diagonal run of Kearney, who scythes into the 22 before smartly offloading to Earls. He's taking the ball standing though and is tackled, but Broussow is penalised and it's a tough shot at goal for Sexton.
|
| 28 |
|
Tough or not, the young fly half drills a long, straight kick from the left hand touchline that perfectly bisects the posts.
|
| 29 |
6 - 10 |
Kirchner is really trying to put pressure on Kearney by chasing down the long kicks, he's unsettled the Leinsterman here but he's penalised for being offside inside the Irish 22.
|
| 30 |
|
Sexton's kick brings play up to the halfway line.
|
| 31 |
|
Flannery throws to O'Connell but it's too high and Hayes at the back can only flap at it and knock on. South African scrum.
|
| 32 |
|
Solid scrum that rumbles forward, du Preez takes and switches to Steyn whose smart kick over is fielded well by Kearney who spots a gap and darts through, he offloads to O'Leary in contact who takes it on and then to Sexton who brings it up to the 22.
|
| 33 |
|
O'Driscoll slips as he goes into contact and the Springbok forwards are there to turn him and the ball is cleared up to Kearney, who can't get much ground on the touch clearance and it's a Springbok lineout.
|
| 34 |
|
Better from South Africa at the lineout and they rumble up to the 22, they take it up the short side and Kirchner looks to free Habana on the touchline, but Bowe gets in the way and the ball bounces off Habana into touch.
|
| 35 |
|
Good defence from Ireland, O'Connell secures the ball and the maul rumbles up to the 22 line. The kick to touch leads to another lineout, which is secured by Ireland and South Africa are penalised for going in off their feet.
|
| 36 |
|
Great kick from Sexton who brings play up to the 22 from the Irish 10m line. Solid lineout but South Africa are ferocious at the breakdown and O'Driscoll attempts a very dodgy drop goal.
|
| 37 |
|
Pietersen is on his own at the 22 as Fourie passes to him, he clears it deep, taking the Irish by surprise, they return it and the Irish are penalised at the breakdown on halfway.
|
| 38 |
|
Steyn can't get the ball to fly so far in the thick cold air and the kick is short.
|
| 39 |
|
South Africa knock on the restart but Kearney takes the advantage and runs the ball up to halfway. He's tackled and the ball is recycled and kicked. South Africa counter but Ireland are ferocious at the breakdown and O'Connell hacks it on, but he's adjudged to have been offside at the ruck and it's a chance for Steyn to have a shot at goal from 55 metres.
|
| 40 |
|
He was short from 50 metres a minute ago and he's even shorter this time. He's caught both very well, but the young fly half perhaps needs to realise that the ball isn't going to travel as far in the pea-soup like air of a Dublin Winter as it does on the High Veldt in summer.
|
| |
|
It's a prickly and physical encounter so far, but Nigel Owens has kept a lid on it. It's a fairly even match so far. Ireland look more dangerous in broken play, and the lineout is dominant, but the extra bulk of Smit in the front row has made them the top dog at scrum time. There will be some concern from Ireland at the defence, which looked disorganised and slow to react at times, while the pacey South African backs have been quick to spot a lapse and that was what led to Burger's try.
Ireland have made some sojourns into the South African 22, but they've lacked imagination inside the five metre line and have only six points to show for it, they'll need to look to the like of Kearney, O'Driscoll and Sexton for some more creative play in the second half if they are to breach this Springbok defence.
|
| 40 |
|
Sexton gets the second half underway, well taken by Burger and Steyn can clear up to Earls. Heaslip tries to take it down the short side but isn't going anywhere. D'Arcy's chip through is chased by O'Driscoll but Steyn superbly evades him and clears.
|
| 41 |
|
South Africa scrum on their 10m line after Earls knocks it on. Solid scrum from South Africa who clear, but Kearney takes a superb catch and breaks upfield. D'Arcy has O'Driscoll on his shoulder who looks to take it diagonally, but it's a bad pass and O'Drisscol can only knock it on.
|
| 42 |
|
South Africa's scrum is solid again and they roll it upfield until the Irish scrum is penalised and it's going to be another shot at goal for Steyn.
|
| 43 |
|
Steyn can't quite get to grips with the heavy air of Ireland, he looks baffled as yet another kick falls short of the park.
|
| 44 |
|
Broussow shows quick hands to unleash Kirchner in space, the fullback sends a lovely kick through to Kearney, who himself makes a magnificent kick up to the South African 10m line.
|
| 45 |
|
The throw's not straight from Smit and it's an Irish scrum on the 10m line. South Africa are putting a lot of pressure on Hayes and Ireland are pushed off their own ball and Broussow picks it up and du Preez clears.
|
| 46 |
|
D'Arcy fields the kick and he has numbers out wide, but he tries to take it on himself as he spots a gap. The ball is passed out to O'Driscoll who's high tackled by Steyn and it's a penalty to Ireland just outside the Springbok 10 metre line.
|
| 47 |
9 - 10 |
Sexton shows his counterpart how to kick in these conditions sending a fantastic kick over from the left hand side.
|
| 48 |
|
Scrappy from the restart but Ireland clear and Bowe chases, he's nearly there and gets a hand to it, but Burger secures it and South Africa will counter. Sexton clears to Steyn who fields it outside the 22, but he slices the kick out on the full and it's a big gain of territory for Ireland.
|
| 49 |
|
Ireland secure the lineout but they aren't getting anywhere with it. South Africa are smothering them at the tackle area and slowing it down.
|
| 50 |
12 - 10 |
The touch judge has drawn Nigel Owens' attention to Bekker dropping the knee at the breakdown and he tells Smit that it's his team's final warning. If he'd seen that himself that would probably have been a yellow, perhaps even a red - it was dangerous and blatant.
|
| 51 |
|
Silence falls as Sexton lines up another kick, this time from out wide on the right, yet again he drills it straight and true to give Ireland the lead for the first time.
|
| 52 |
|
Solid lineout from South Africa and they rumble it up to the 10m line, but that's great work at the breakdown from Ireland, they get the turnover and O'Leary's kick upfield is brilliant, Steyn has to clear from just inside his 22 and Ireland have the throw at the 10m line.
|
| 53 |
|
Solid lineout from Ireland and O'Driscoll hits the line at pace, Sexton chips it over but Kirchner calls the mark.
|
| 54 |
|
Kirchner slips as he kicks and barely makes any ground, but Ireland are penalised for delaying the lineout and it's a South African free kick.
|
| 55 |
|
Ireland looking to keep South Africa in their own half now, kicking it deep at every opportunity. Heaslip is smothered in the backfield but it's a penalty to Ireland inside their own half, South Africa weren't retreating 10m from the kick .
|
| 56 |
|
Smooth lineout from Flannery and O'Connell. D'Arcy bursts into the midfield and Ireland are turning it on now, powering up to the 5m line.
|
| 57 |
|
Ireland keeping it tight and trying to inch forward at the left hand touchline, but South Africa are smothering them and slowly pushing them back. O'Leary passes to earls on the short side but it's never going anywhere and he's bundled into touch.
|
| 58 |
|
Ireland steal the ball at the lineout and they'll have another shot at the line. Ireland have numbers out wide but Sexton sends up a high kick for Bowe to compete for, it's not a great kick though and Kirchner easily catches it and dabs it down.
|
| 59 |
|
Roussow takes the ball into contact on the South African 10m line, but he's isolated and penalised for holding on. Sexton will have another crack at goal.
|
| 60 |
|
He's human after all, Sexton shakes his head as he slices it and it balloons to the right of the posts.
|
| 61 |
|
South Africa secure the restart and Pienaar, clears upfield. Earls takes the ball on in contact but he's holding on and it's a penalty at the 10m line.
|
| 62 |
|
Pienaar brings the play up inside the Irish half, the ball is overthrown though and Sexton kicks it up on the bounce. South Africa kick it to Sexton who palms it down to O'Leary
|
| 63 |
|
O'Leary spots the space out wide and passes to Heaslip who unleashes the flyer Earls, he evades the onrushing defence and chips into the 22, but du Preez just gets there in time to dab it down.
|
| 64 |
|
South Africa have a scrum on the 10m line which they secure but Pienaar's kick is charged down. Matfield gets to it but he's penalised for holding on and Sexton will have another long penalty shot.
|
| 65 |
|
Silence falls again and the young fly half steps up to take it from just outside the 10m line, just to the left. It's not as straight as some of his others, but it's good, and Ireland have a cushion. Albeit a small one.
|
| 66 |
15 - 10 |
Heaslip looks to have done well to secure the ball in contact but it's adjudged to be holding on and Pienaar will have a penalty out wide on the right from the 10m line.
|
| 67 |
|
New fly half, new problem. Pienaar's kick has the legs, but it struck the post.
|
| 68 |
|
Ireland are defending manfully, driving South Africa back over the 10m line as they try to keep the Springboks at bay.
|
| 69 |
|
Burger takes it into contact but the support isn't there and O'Callaghan secures a turnover.
|
| 70 |
|
Bowe takes a beautiful switch from Sexton and he breaks upfield. Pietersen looks to have leveled Bowe with a high tackle, but Owens has missed it. He then doesn't intervene when the retreating South Africans get in the way and cause a knock on and turnover. But he does finally blow up when de Villiers counters and his pass to Kirchner is forward.
|
| 71 |
|
Good Irish scrum and Heaslip takes it on, but it's a mess on the floor and South Africa get the turnover. It's not coming out though and it's a scrum to South Africa.
|
| 72 |
|
Sexton is doing a great job of penning back the South Africans, he's kicking out of hand very well and blasting it over the heads of the back three.
|
| 73 |
|
Ireland secure the lineout at the South African 10m line but du Plessis looks to have won a turnover. But O'Connell is on his feet and the prop is penalised for holding on and Sexton will have another crack at goal.
|
| 74 |
|
This is another long one for the Leinsterman, but the wind has died down. Put he just flashes it across the face of the posts as it flashes over from the left
|
| 75 |
|
O'Callaghan takes a short throw and Ireland look to keep it tight, but O'Leary runs straight into trouble and Broussow wins the penalty.
|
| 76 |
|
Pienaar brings play up to the Irish 10m line. Four minutes left now and South Africa have a rare platform. They secure the ball and look to ship it wide. They're slowly moving closer to the 22 but Ireland are making the tackles where it counts.
|
| 77 |
|
Pietersen spots a gap and is just hauled down at the 22 on the left hand touchline. The ball is recycled and South Africa have numbers on the right. It's a sloppy pass from Habana to de Villiers though and he's put into touch by Kearney and Earls.
|
| 78 |
|
Good lineout from Ireland and it's cleared, but South Africa have numbers out wide and de Villiers has space and runs up to the 22. Mtawarira is pulled down just short of the try line on the right hand touchline as the mist becomes so thick you can hardly see the players.
|
| 79 |
|
Lateral from South Africa but it's still their ball inside the 22.
|
| 80 |
|
Habana takes a static pass and is soon smothered, it looks the turnover might be on but Owens says it's not coming out and it's a scrum inside the 22 for South Africa. "Last play" says Nigel Owens.
|
| 80+1 |
|
South Africa win the scrum and Fourie bursts up to the 5m line but there's no where to go. The ball goes out to midfield where Pienaar receives, but Brian O'Driscoll lines up a huge hit, smashing the fly half into the ground and winning a penalty thanks to some smothering Irish defence. A huge cheer from the crowd as they know they've won it, but O'Driscoll looks to have hurt his head with that hit, he can't stand back up and he doesn't look to know what's going on, but the Irish have a famous victory against the World Champions.
|
| |
|
Well it wasn't exactly a vintage game, and by the end the mist was such that you could barely see the players, but Ireland won't care. Thanks to the boot of Jonathan Sexton, they have a famous win over South Africa. They played more rugby than South Africa in the second half and at times the Springboks looked rattled, but their defence held firm, making Ireland's job much harder.
They weren't so firm on the kicking front however, where both Steyn and Pienaar missed enough shots at goal that, had they made them, the Boks would have won. As it is, they have just a solitary victory against Italy to show for their Autumn tour, and will go back home with questions being asked about Peter de Villiers and his team.
Ireland are undefeated over the Autumn are will no doubt be ecstatic to have ended their year on such a high, putting themselves in the right mindset for the Six Nations.
Thanks for joining us today, stay tuned for the last game of the day, Wales V Australia, live from 17.15GMT
|
