Faf's tackle seals Bok series win

The Springboks hung on desperately in the closing stages, as the Irish threw everything but the kitchen sink at them, but the hosts managed to secure a 19-13 win in a nailbiting affair in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

The teams scored one try each, with penalties – including a 55-metre effort from wing Ruan Combrinck, securing the win – and the series.

With time up on the clock and the Irish attacking in waves – the phase-count well into double figures – De Klerk sprinted out of line, tackled his opponent ball-and-all and the Boks won a penalty.

It was as close as that.

Ireland dominated possession and so territory in Port Elizabeth, they went through long phases and played at a higher tempo than the Springboks, but South Africa won.

A lot of the possession was by kind gift of the Springboks who, when they got possession, time and again kicked the ball to the grateful Irish. The worst example of this was in the second half  when the Springboks were attacking down the left. Willie le Roux tried a bit of a grubber and the Irish expressed their thanks by running.

Substitute hooker Sean Cronin had a long and speedy run down the midfield, a longer run than any Springbok in the match and the visitors then kept the ball through 22 phases. This was with just over four minutes to play and the Springboks leading by six vulnerable points.

Three incidents won the Springboks the match – Elton Jantjies's brilliant diagonal for JP Pietersen's try, a leaping intercept by De Klerk and that tackle by De Klerk on Keith Earls that stopped dead 14 attacking phases by the Irish.

Two facets of play made a telling contribution to the Springbok victory – the scrumming and the tackling.

The Springbok pack destroyed Ireland at scrum time, never more so than when Steven Kitshoff and Julian Redelinghuys came on. South Africa earned  four penalties at scrum time.

Then their defence was almost watertight – but for a weak effort to stop Luke Marshall when he scored Ireland's try. For the rest Springbok defence was hard and decisive and well organised, even though it faded a bit from the speed and fervour that it started the match with. And then there was Faf.

There you have it – the team that kicked more and tackled hard won. That seems the recipe for modern Test success.

The victory delighted a lot of South Africa, including most of the over 40 thousand spectators in the magnificent Mandela Bay Stadium. Usually it is sparsely populated for rugby matches but this time there were few of its 46 000 seats that were not taken. Judged by the noise level, they enjoyed the match thoroughly.

Conor Murray led the Irish team out as it was his 50th cap. The teams lined up for the anthems and when they did the rainbow colours of the players' boots was the most colourful presence in the ground. Some had one pair of boots of four different colours. Rainbow boots.

Jantjies kicked off, Marshall was penalised and Jantjies goaled. 3-0 after 5 minutes.

The Irish kept possession away from the Springboks and then they had a one-man advantage when Le Roux was sent to the sin bin for his dangerous air contact with 15 Tiernan O'Halloran,  who had to leave the field for assessment. The Irish used the penalty to attack from the line-out and went through 13 phases till Marshall ran through Jantjies to score. Paddy Jackson converted. 7-3 to Ireland after 16 minutes.

Ireland came back on the attack and Jackson missed an easy penalty attempt but when Warren Whiteley went offside, much to his embarrassment, Jackson made it 10-3 after 22 minutes.

Ireland were penalised at a scrum near half-way but in front of their posts and Jantjies goaled. 10-6.

Siya Kolisi won the Springboks a turnover and they went wide right. They were going left when Jantjies with great deliberation pushed a high diagonal to the left. Tall JP Pietersen ran onto the ball, caught it on the full and scored in the left corner from where Jantjies converted.

Ireland had enjoyed 71% of possession in the first half but the Springboks led 13-10 at the break.

Ireland attacked early in the second half when a penalty gave them an attacking line-out. They advanced with phases and then went right, and Jackson threw a long, high pass to where both his wings were, Earls and Andrew Trimble, both of them unmarked. But nearer to Jackson was Faf de Klerk, just under 1,70m tall. He leapt straight up for the ball, his right arm extended as far as it would go, reaching up more than twice his height, it seemed. With his right hand he knocked the ball down and as it fell he dived and caught it. The Springboks survived.

Redelinghuys and Kitshoff destroyed the Irish front row and from inside his own half and at an angle Combrinck goaled. 16-10 after 59 minutes.

Jaco Kriel came on to cheers and the Springboks looked livelier and more confident. When Murray was penalised at a tackle, Jantjies goaled, 19-10 but soon afterwards Lionel Mapoe was penalised and Jackson pulled the score back to 19-13 with 10 minutes to play.

With four minutes to go Le Roux grubbered, Cronin ran and the Irish attacked.

Jackson kicked a penalty out and Ireland bashed at the Springboks' line through 14 phases. They went left and gave to Earls who had Matt Heasly outside of him, and only De Klerk in front of them. Only! Like the little Dutch boy who put his finger in the dyke, De Klerk was enough to stop Ireland. He darted forwards and smashed Earls to the ground as he got the ball. Ireland were penalised at the subsequent ruck-thing and the Springboks won the match.

Man of the Match: There is no doubt. He is ebullient Francois de Klerk who seems to be everywhere.

Moment of the Match: Francois de Klerk's tackle on Keith Earls that saved the match and the series for the Springboks.

Villain of the match. Nobody at all. And it was great to see Christiaan Stander playing the whole match and outstandingly.

The scorers:

For South Africa:

Try: Pietersen

Con: Jantjies

Pens: Jantjies 3, Combrinck

For Ireland:

Try: Marshall

Con: Jackson

Pens: Jackson 2

Yellow card: Willie le Roux (South Africa, 11 – foul play, taking a man out in the air)

Teams

South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Jon-Paul Pietersen, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Tendai Mtawarira.

Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Julian Redelinghuys, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Jaco Kriel, 21 Rudy Paige, 22 Morné Steyn, 23 Lwazi Mvovo.

Ireland: 15 Tiernan O'Halloran, 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Luke Marshall, 12 Stuart Olding, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Jordi Murphy, 6 Christiaan Stander, 5 Devin Toner, 4 Iain Henderson, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best (captain), 1 Jack McGrath.

Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Finlay Bealham, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Ultan Dillane, 20 Rhys Ruddock, 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Matt Healy.

Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), Ben Whitehouse (Wales)

TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)

By Paul Dobson

@rugby365com