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International Men's Rugby
2025
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RSA vs IRL
International Men's Rugby
Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium, Durban
South Africa
vs
Ireland
24
FT
25
Action
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Facts Only
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Full-Time: 24 - 25
It's a disappointing result for South Africa, but Ireland were truly hungrier for this win than the Boks were, which showed from the start of the match as they immediately put the home side under pressure. The Boks will have another match before the start of the Rugby Championship next month when they take on Portugal for a historic match in Bloemfontein. For Ireland, this is the high they were hoping to end their international season on, and only their second ever win on South African soil. They will be back in action in November when they take on the All Blacks, Argentina, Fiji, and Australia.
There was plenty of kicking from both sides, with Jamie Osborne steady as a rock under the high ball for Ireland. There were a couple of niggles on the South African side, probably not helped by the early exit from the match of Le Roux, but for the most part they managed the high ball. The biggest issue for the Boks was how well Ireland managed to get themselves onto the front foot in broken play off the kicks, spreading the ball around well and getting into the right areas of the pitch to put pressure on the South African defence.
South Africa were somewhat undone by a couple of injuries early on. Willie le Roux left the field just a couple of minutes into the match for an HIA and was not allowed to return to the pitch after failing it. Etzebeth went off moments later with blood pouring out of his forehead, although he was able to return after being patched up. And the moment Etzebeth returned to the pitch his lock partner Mostert limped his way off the pitch, all in the first half. The impact of the bomb squad might have been somewhat lessened by the fact that half of them had to make their way onto the pitch early in the first half already.
The yellow card to captain Caelan Doris certainly didn't help Ireland's case, with pollard kicking three penalties in those 10 minutes to give South Africa the lead for the first time all game. But another penalty from Crowley put Ireland back into the lead before Pollard added another two penalties. It looked like the momentum was going to stay with the home side, but the introduction of Frawley was the deciding factor for Ireland with two stunning drop-goals in the last 10.
The Boks came back out of the tunnel firing after the break, really turning it around in the first 20 minutes of the second half. They were ruthless on attack, pinning Ireland down in their own half and completely reversing the possession stats from the first half with how much better they held onto the ball to put Ireland under pressure on defence. It certainly showed, with Ireland coughing up penalty after penalty that allowed South Africa to narrow that substantial lead on the scoreboard and eventually take the lead themselves through the boot of Handre Pollard who was in much better form than last week.
Ireland were absolutely huge in the first half, scoring the only try of the match through Murray early on to surge to a 10-point lead before South Africa were able to get onto the board. The visitors were stifling on defence, forcing errors from their hosts on the odd occasion the Boks did have ball in hand, and kept ball in hand much better than South Africa to put them under huge pressure on defence. They also managed largely to neutralise the Boks' usually dangerous rolling maul, although this week the Boks certainly had the upper hand at scrum time.
It was a monster comeback from the Springboks in the second half coming from 10 points behind at the break, but it's the heroics of Ciaran Frawley in the final 10 minutes wins it for Ireland! Two drop-goals from the replacement flyhalf closed the gap Handre Pollard had built up, and then stole the win with the clock in the red. The Boks weren't able to put anything but penalties on the board today, but it looked until the end like it was going to be just enough to secure the victory.
80+1'
Maul formed by Ireland, but it disintegrates and they go infield off the base. Baird barges up into contact before it's recycled back to Frawley who goes straight through the posts again! A bit of a debate over a potential obstruction, but that's not true as Kolbe slipped on the turf all on his own there.
80+1'
24-25 C. Frawley
Drop Goal