High life proves step too far for Ireland
South Africa ……………….. 27pts
Tries: Arendse 3, Kolbe 65, Penalty 78
Conversions: Pollard 4, 67
Penalties: Pollard 18, 29 pts
Ireland…………………………..20pts
Tries: Osborne 35, Murray 75, Baird 79
Conversions: Crowley 75
Penalties: Crowley 13
South Africa drew first blood in this tumultuous clash of the heavyweights down in Pretoria but the Irish will be rueing three extremely marginal TMO calls that cost them very dear in the second half as the action heated up.
That’s not to say the Springboks didn’t just about deserve the win but on another night Ireland would have taken this.
When you are jetting into Pretoria and altitude to play the world champions after a never ending domestic season you need everything to go your way and Ireland endured a frustrating night with officialdom.
First James Lowe, after a brilliant dash down the left flank for what appeared a blameless try saw it chalked off when it was deemed that Ronan Kelleher had played the ball off the ground at the preceding ruck, which had been particularly dynamic and hectic.
All the relevant action had taken place right in front of Luke Pearce, who was entirely untroubled and if the TMO was technically right there should have been 20 such penalties called in the match. The referee should surely be setting the standards on these plays, not the TMO. Anyway no try was the call.
Moments later Lowe leaped athletically to tap the ball back as it went out of touch from a Handre Pollard touchfinder. The predatory Cheslin Kolbe gratefully collected, chipped ahead, hit the turbos and scored with Pearce immediately signalling a try. However, when the TMO called up the footage at least one angle appeared to show Lowe’s right hand still on the ball while also having a foot in touch as he tried to throw the ball back into play.
With a de facto on-field decision of try it wasn’t quite enough evidence for Pearce to be minded to overturn his original call but with each viewing it looked a little more doubtful.
And finally with the clock running down the outstanding Caelan Doris drove over the line under the posts and again it was very close as a Boks forward, on the ground, got a leg between the Ireland No.8 and the try line. The TMO deemed it worth another look after Pearce said no try and there did appear to be a fleeting moment of contact with the try line, an image that at least needed freezing and looking at but wasn’t. Pearce’s on field decision had been no try and again Ireland had to suck it up.
It was all pretty frustrating, but at the same time until they came to life in the last 25 minutes – you are meant to struggle at altitude in the last quarter, not find your legs – Ireland had really struggled to impose their attacking game on South Africa and simply didn’t ask enough questions of a Boks team that were not enjoying a stellar day, and if not exactly there for the taking were looking a tad vulnerable. Ireland need to hit the green button from the off in Durban on Saturday.
For the neutral, let’s hope it’s another cracker.
Take that: Jesse Kriel hands off Robbie Henshaw
PICTURES: Getty Images
At Loftus yesterday the intensity and physicality was there from the off and if occasionally the game smouldered rather than truly caught fire it was never less than compelling and occasionally exhilarating action. There was no sense of anti climax after the hype.
It was South Africa’s first home Test since they won the World Cup in France but with that match against Wales at Twickenham last month under their belts they looked sharp and together from the off whereas Ireland were finding their way.
The Boks took advantage in the third minute with a startling try by Kurt Lee Arendse on the left wing after a strong run on the opposite flank by Pieter-Steph du Toit had got them moving forward menacingly. Back it came across the field, quick hands left to right and a very flat pass indeed from skipper Siya Kilosi to his wing. On another day it might have been called forward but Pearce was happy and Arendse finished off the move with a withering step to dismiss debutant Jamie Osborne who to be fair had no chance.
Pollard, who endured a patchy night off the tee, added the extras but Ireland came back with a strong spell of pressure of their own which the Boks seemed to have withstood when Ox Nche gave away a careless penalty for not rolling away. Jack Crowley did the necessary with a 40m penalty.
It was warming up and with Kolisi, criticised by his Racing 92 president for being unfit recently, a rejuvenated figure back in the Boks fold, South Africa starting ramping things up. Pollard added two penalties after Joe McCarthy was pinged for not rolling away and Anderw Porter was penalised as he furiously counter-rucked.
It was looking a little ominous and a simple missed penalty from Crowley did little to settle Ireland nerves but defensively the Irish were putting in a strong shift and with half time approaching they finally found that moment of magic.
The had already been applying pressure in a multi phase attack when Crowley opened South Africa with a fizzing pass wide to the left. Dan Sheehan collected and then added impetus to the attack with a clever around the back pass to Lowe.
The Kiwi wing was hemmed in right on the left wing but as he took the tackle he somehow managed to pass the ball infield before being thrown into touch and Osborne, who was enjoying a fine first start at full-back, dived in for a precious try. The TMO had a good look but from all angles everything, miraculously, was above board.
All of which teed up the dramas of the second half.
The disputed Kolbe try, converted by Pollard, seemed to give them breathing space but a superb effort from Conor Murray after a Ronan Kelleher break kept the score within five points until the Boks pack powered over for penalty try from a scrum five. Even then it wasn’t over with a try of great athleticism from Ryan Baird hinting at what might have been. Bring on Durban.
