Ireland falls to South Africa in a “chaotic” match
Ireland coach Andy Farrell described his team’s 23-14 defeat to South Africa as “chaotic”, stating that he had never experienced a test match like that. Ireland suffered from the refereeing decisions and received five cards in a match full of ups and downs. At one point, they were left with 12 players on the field, while the Springboks ended a 13-year wait without winning in Dublin.Although Ireland started well, it was the Boks who struck first through Damian Willemse. However, Irish discipline faltered, with James Ryan receiving a yellow card, later converted to a 20-minute red, while Sam Prendergast, Jack Crowley, and Andrew Porter were cautioned in the first half.
Dan Sheehan scored for Ireland in the first 40 minutes, but a try from Cobus Reinach and a penalty try saw the Boks go into halftime with a 19-7 lead. The second half was similar. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu scored a great try after the break, Prendergast converted two penalties for the hosts, while Paddy McCarthy and Grant Williams also saw the yellow card. “I would say chaotic. I have never seen a game like that. We will analyze why things happened and make sure we learn the lessons.” Andy Farrell Farrell also commented that his team made some “stupid mistakes”, but that they must use this match as a lesson.
The Springboks coach, Rassie Erasmus, was delighted with the victory, as they triumphed on Dublin soil for the first time since 2012. Erasmus commented: “We know they are still after us. We are grateful to have managed to beat them here. It’s been a long season for us. We are proud to overcome a victory against a team like them at home.” In addition to the victory, the Boks celebrated Malcolm Marx being named World Rugby Player of the Year. Marx declared: “This is achieved thanks to the team environment. Things like this happen because of the group we have. This is not just for me, it’s an award for the team and for South Africa.”“Chaotic is the word that sums it up, definitely. I am proud of the fight, the courage and the character we sometimes show”.
Caelan Doris
