The Springboks have gained 10 of their 18 conferences towards Eire since 1998, however the Irish shall be in the hunt for a primary sequence win in South Africa on the again of a 3-0 document, writes DEVIN HERMANUS.
The groups solely met 10 instances throughout the beginner period, between 1906 and 1981, with eight wins for South Africa and one for Eire to go together with a draw.
SPRINGBOKS 37 IRELAND 13
Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
13 June 1998
In 1998 Eire toured the Republic for the primary time in 17 years. The Irish got here with a younger and inexperienced facet to face a Springbok staff who had been on a six-match profitable streak and contemporary off a European tour in 1997 the place information had been shattered.
The guests put up a good battle for the primary 60 minutes of the primary Take a look at of the two-match sequence in Bloemfontein. Nonetheless, the hosts had been too sturdy and simply gained the sport with winger Stefan Terblanche scoring 4 tries on debut.
The Boks cruised to a 33-0 victory every week later at Loftus Versfeld that set them up properly for the remainder of the season after they would go on to win the Tri-Nations, underneath the stewardship of Nick Mallett, for the primary time.
IRELAND 13 SPRINGBOKS 27
Lansdowne Highway, Dublin
28 November 1998
This match marked the seventeenth successive victory of Mallett’s Boks, and stays their longest profitable streak in historical past. Gary Teichmann famously captained the facet in all the matches, which included back-to-back wins over New Zealand and Australia.
Percy Montgomery, with 1995 World Cup winners Joost van der Westhuizen and Naka Drotské, had been among the many legends to don the inexperienced and gold towards an Irish outfit boasting SA-born-and-raised Dion O’Cuinneagain within the again row.
A fresh-faced Rassie Erasmus confirmed talent and tempo for the primary strive of the sport in an exhilarating first 40 minutes. The South Africans led 7-6 on the break earlier than the boot of Montgomery, and Van der Westhuizen and Bob Skinstad touchdowns, sealed the consequence.
The Boks, although, surrendered their profitable document and a possible Grand Slam after they went all the way down to England at Twickenham.
SPRINGBOKS 31 IRELAND 17
Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
12 June 2004
After the debacle of Kamp Staaldraad, the Jake White period kicked off towards Eire within the Free State towards an Eire outfit that had gained their first Triple Crown since 1985, and overwhelmed the 2003 World Cup champions, England, of their first dwelling recreation because the last.
However the Springboks, led by John Smit, overpowered the Irish with Bakkies Botha scoring a brace of tries. Wayne Julies and Pedrie Wannenburg additionally crossed the whitewash as Gaffie du Toit kicked 11 factors.
The house facet dominated the second half, frequently driving the guests again, with Eire fading terribly as they had been strangled by the South African forwards who refused to let up.
White’s males would take the sequence 2-0, with the core of the Bok squad occurring to raise the Webb Ellis Cup in France three years later.
IRELAND 17 SPRINGBOKS 12
Lansdowne Highway, Dublin
13 November 2004
The sport’s solely strive was scored in controversial circumstances by flyhalf Ronan O’Gara. Referee Paul Honiss awarded Eire a penalty contained in the Springbok 22 and informed John Smit to go and speak to his gamers concerning their repeated infringements on the breakdown.
Whereas Smit’s again was turned and the Boks had been being referred to as right into a huddle, O’Gara took a fast faucet and ran in for 5 factors. Smit protested however the strive stood.
Smit would declare that Honiss approached him after the match to apologise for the error concerning O’Gara’s strive, and some months after the incident the Kiwi whistleblower apologised publicly on South African radio for his mistake.
IRELAND 32 SPRINGBOKS 15
Lansdowne Highway, Dublin
11 November 2006
White, as a method of blooding gamers for the 2007 World Cup, and South Africa’s pressing must develop new gamers within the lead-up to that match, included three debutants within the again three – considered one of them future two-time world champion Frans Steyn.
It was a Take a look at match for South Africa to commemorate 100 years taking part in within the Springbok jersey, and the Boks wore a precise duplicate of the jumper that was worn by the touring facet captained by Paul Roos in 1906.
However the South Africans by no means as soon as had a stranglehold on the sport that was marred by too many foolish penalties, heaps of turnovers and ruined alternatives.
Attempt-scorer Steyn put in an exquisite cross to Bryan Habana, taking part in at exterior centre, to race previous two defenders for an excellent landing in an in any other case uninspiring efficiency from the Boks.
IRELAND 21 SPRINGBOKS 23
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
6 November 2010
South Africa survived a storming fightback by Eire because the hosts did not win the primary Take a look at on the new Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
A penalty from Morné Steyn – who later noticed his profitable run of Take a look at kicks finish at 41 – and transformed Juan Smith strive gave the Springboks a 10-0 lead.
Three Johnny Sexton penalties and two additional Steyn efforts made it 16-9, however a strive by Gio Aplon despatched the South Africans clear and a transformed Tommy Bowe landing and Rob Kearney’s late effort weren’t sufficient.
The Boks, who desperately wanted to construct momentum after a disappointing Tri-Nations, rode the storm and escaped with a useful victory, their first in Dublin for 10 years.
SPRINGBOKS 20 IRELAND 26
Newlands Stadium, Cape City
11 June 2016
Probably the most outstanding factor about Eire’s first win on South African soil, which got here regardless of them dropping CJ Stander to a pink card halfway by means of the primary half, is simply how snug it was, and left Allister Coetzee with some tough inquiries to reply after his first match in command of the Boks.
The Irish led by seven when Stander departed, and did so for a lot of the second half – solely an intercept strive from Pieter-Steph du Toit ensured a jittery end.
Jared Payne’s strive helped Eire lead 7-0 and so they had been 10-3 forward when South African Stander was despatched off for a reckless problem on Pat Lambie.
SPRINGBOKS 32 IRELAND 26
18 June 2016
Ellis Park, Johannesburg
If this had been a observe race then Eire would have run out of gasoline with the end line in sight, and the sound of the Springboks consuming up the metres behind them.
South Africa staged a stirring comeback within the second Take a look at in Johannesburg to sq. the three-match sequence earlier than profitable it 2-1 in Port Elizabeth.
Eire had been chasing a primary sequence win within the Republic however the Springbok replacements injected much-needed urgency and the hosts finally outscored the vacationers 4 tries to 2. Ruan Combrinck and Warren Whiteley got here on for the second half, and each scored, earlier than Damian de Allende and Pieter-Steph du Toit added their names to the scoresheet.
IRELAND 38 SPRINGBOKS 3
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
11 November 2017
Tries from Andrew Conway, Rhys Ruddock, Rob Herring and Jacob Stockdale, and a Man of the Match efficiency from Johnny Sexton, helped Eire declare a document profitable margin over the Springboks.
The crushing defeat to kick off a forgettable four-Take a look at tour for South Africa underneath Allister Coetzee all however signalled the top of the previous assistant coach’s time period on the helm that included a 57-0 hammering by the All Blacks in 2017.
With Rassie Erasmus again within the nation, the Boks wanted a victory to ease the strain on Coetzee and his teaching employees, however as an alternative frittered away possession by means of aimless kicking in a scoreless first half – the third time that 12 months they did not register factors within the opening 40 minutes.
IRELAND 13 SPRINGBOKS 8
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
23 September 2023
Eire cemented their standing because the top-ranked staff as they edged an enthralling Pool B tussle between the world’s No 1 and a pair of, in a maiden World Cup assembly and first on impartial turf.
Manie Libbok’s early penalty put South Africa forward as Eire’s lineout malfunctioned, however the strain informed as Eire arrange camp within the Bok 22 and James Lowe launched Mack Hansen within the nook, with Sexton’s conversion giving the Irish an interval lead.
The Boks hit again on the resumption when Libbok’s lengthy cross discovered Cheslin Kolbe out huge, just for Sexton’s penalty to edge the Irish again in entrance. Libbok and Faf de Klerk each missed additional pictures at purpose earlier than Jack Crowley’s strike sealed victory.
Nonetheless, Andy Farrell’s males exited within the quarter-finals whereas Rassie Erasmus’ troops marched on to glory.
– This text first appeared within the August 2024 situation of SA Rugby journal.
Photograph: Duif du Toit/Gallo Photographs
The submit 10 Memorable Bok-Eire clashes in professional period appeared first on SA Rugby journal.
