Ireland once more too strong for Bok Women

MATCH REPORT: The Springbok Women suffered yet another frustrating defeat against Ireland at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town, with the visitors winning their WXV Global Series clash by 38-17 on Saturday afternoon.

Their experience again paved the way for the visitors, and while the South Africans showed glimpses of what they can do, they made too many mistakes and conceded too many penalties against the fifth-ranked team in the world.

South Africa led with 20 minutes to go, but three late tries by the Irish showed the difference between the sides as they effortlessly shifted gears to seal the deal.

Despite playing against the stiff breeze in the first half, the Bok Women started very well when Unam Tose crashed over in the second minute off the back of a strong lineout drive, but for the next 25 minutes, Ireland played most of the rugby, often making good ground by spreading the ball wide.

With Catha Jacobs leading the charge, the Bok Women defended well but unfortunately gaps opened, which allowed Erin King and Beibhinn Parsons to score converted tries, while Alichia Arries was also sent to the sin bin for a dangerous tackle.

When the Bok Women finally made it back into the Irish 22, they failed to score from three consecutive attacking lineouts, but they kept the pressure up and with two minutes left in the half, Sizophila Solontsi scored in the corner after a clever lineout move followed by another driving maul.

Ireland lost Aoibheann Reilly to the sin bin for a dangerous clean in the movement that led to the try. Unfortunately Jakkie Cilliers again shaved the upright with her conversion attempt, but the Bok Women went into the last half of rugby for the year with some momentum and the wind in their backs.

Helped by some ill-discipline by the Bok Women, Ireland managed to weather the early second half storm, but it was clear the host team came out to finish the season on a high.

Vainah Ubisi’s converted try in the 58th minute, after great pressure on attack in the Irish half, put South Africa back in the lead, setting up a tense final 20 minutes.

The 3000-strong local crowd’s joy was short-lived though when Parsons scored her second try in the 61st minute, with Ireland again spreading the ball into the wide channels, with a couple of missed tackles not helping South Africa’s cause.

Ireland’s patience with ball in hand and good handling as they moved the ball from side to side had the desired effect, as they managed to work their way back in to the SA half, while Cilliers was sin-binned for a high tackle.

With six in the backline and no cover in the backfield for South Africa, Aoife Dalton’s line break led to another converted try for the visitors, which gave them a 26-17 lead with 10 minutes to go.

Three minutes later, Parsons completed her hat-trick as Ireland again spread the ball wide, and the conversion made it 33-17 for Ireland, effectively sealing the result.

Dalton rubbed salt into the South Africans’ wounds with her second try in the 79th minute to underline their class, as a good season came to a disappointing end for the Bok Women.

Scorers:

For Springbok Women:
Tries: Tose, Solontsi, Ubisi
Con: Cilliers

For Ireland:
Tries: King, Parsons 3, Dalton 2
Cons: O’Brien 4

Teams:

South African Women: 15 Byrhandré Dolf, 14 Jakkie Cilliers, 13 Maceala Samboya, 12 Shiniqwa Lamprecht, 11 Alichia Arries, 10 Mary Zulu , 9 Unam Tose, 8 Aseza Hele, 7 Catha Jacobs, 6 Sizophila Solontsi (captain), 5 Danelle Lochner, 4 Vainah Ubisi, 3 Xoliswa Khuzwayo, 2 Lindelwa Gwala, 1 Yonela Ngxingolo
Replacements: 16 Anushka Groenewald, 17 Anuschka Ekron, 18 Thandile Mazwi, 9 Nomsa Mokwai, 20 Aphiwe Ngwevu, 21 Lerato Makua, 22 Insaaf Levy, 23 Maria Tshiremba

Ireland Women: 15 Niamh Gallagher, 14 Béibhinn Parsons, 13 Anna McGann, 12 Aoife Dalton, 11 Robyn O’Connor, 10 Dannah O’Brien, 9 Aoibheann Reilly, 8 Brittany Hogan, 7 rin King (captain), 6 Fiona Tuite-O’Sullivan, 5 Dorothy Wall, 4 Jane Clohessy, 3 Eilís Cahill, 2 Neve Jones, 1 Linda Djougang
Replacements: 16 Beth Buttimer, 17 Niamh O’Dowd, 18 Sophie Barrett, 19 Grace Moore, 20 Jemima Adams Verling, 21 Emily Lane, 22 Eve Higgins, 23 Stacey Flood

Referee: Jess Ling (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Precious Pazani (Zimbabwe), Giana Viljoen (South Africa)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (France)