South Africa breaks drought in Dublin: Ireland falls due to indiscipline (24-13)

Ireland suffered a tough defeat against South Africa, the current world champion, in a match marked by indiscipline and that ended with a score of 24-13 in favor of the Springboks. This result ended a 13-year wait for the South Africans to win again in Dublin. Andy Farrell’s team was affected by the red card to James Ryan at 20 minutes of the first half, in a chaotic first half. In addition, Sam Prendergast, Jack Crowley and Andrew Porter were sent to the sin bin. The repeated infringements by Ireland occurred after an apparent lack of sanction for Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Springboks’ fly-half, for a high tackle on Tommy O’Brien. With the home side playing with 13 men, Dan Sheehan scored a try in response to those scored by Damian Willemse and Cobus Reinach. A penalty try left the visitors with a 19-7 lead at halftime. Despite being numerically disadvantaged, Ireland outperformed their opponents in the second half, thanks to two penalties from Prendergast, although Feinberg-Mngomezulu also scored. Paddy McCarthy was the fourth Irishman to receive a yellow card. South Africa took revenge for the defeats suffered at the Aviva Stadium in 2014, 2017 and 2022. Two years away from the next World Cup, Farrell, Ireland’s coach, stated that facing the number one rugby nation would be a “litmus test” for the current state of his team.

The home team, with a promising start, were overtaken in the first four minutes, when Willemse scored a try in the left corner. Feinberg-Mngomezulu missed the conversion and was saved from being sanctioned after causing a fight with a hard tackle on O’Brien. Ireland suffered more frustration in the first half. After Prendergast missed a penalty, James Lowe caught the rebound, which culminated in Tadhg Beirne scoring a try. Referee Matthew Carley disallowed the try after the review and sent Ryan to the sin bin for an illegal action, which provoked boos due to the apparent inconsistency. Boan Venter’s try from South Africa was disallowed for a forward pass by Jasper Wiese before Ryan’s penalty became a red card. O’Brien escaped a card for a high tackle on Canan Moodie, but suffered a nosebleed and was replaced by Crowley to undergo a concussion assessment. Reinach scored the second try after intense pressure, with Ireland reduced to 13 men after Prendergast was cautioned.

Sheehan scored two minutes later in an excellent response from Ireland, before Crowley, who added the conversion, joined Prendergast on the bench for taking the ball out of Reinach’s hands at a ruck. Cian Prendergast replaced Ryan to prevent the locals from playing with 12 players. However, they suffered that fate when Porter was sent off for collapsing the scrum, before referee Carley awarded a penalty try to South Africa at the end of a frenetic first half. Feinberg-Mngomezulu beat Jamison Gibson-Park in the 47th minute, delighting the numerous South African fans, among penalties from Sam Prendergast. McCarthy, who came on as a substitute, received a yellow card while the home side withstood intense pressure. Crowley prevented Ireland from falling even further behind with two outstanding defenses before South Africa celebrated becoming the third country to beat Ireland in Dublin in the Farrell era, after a late yellow card for Grant Williams.