PARIS (AP) — Ireland’s 5-3 trumped South Africa's 7-1.
The Springboks believed their fresh set of seven forwards would come off the bench and finish grinding down the Irish in the second half of their monster pool match at the Rugby World Cup on Saturday.
It worked, initially. An overpowering scrum in the new half set up South Africa's only try by Cheslin Kolbe to regain the lead at 8-7.
But Ireland's scrum adapted, just as its lineout did in the first half when it lost its first four throw-ins. The Irish toilers hung on to win just enough moments to edge an epic contest 13-8.
Asked about his 7-1 choice of forwards-backs on the bench, deployed by South Africa for only the second time ever, coach Jacques Nienaber said, “We thought that gave us the best opportunity to be competitive tonight. We didn't get the result but we were competitive.”
Springboks tighthead Frans Malherbe dominated Ireland loosehead Andrew Porter in the leadup to Kolbe's go-ahead try. But seven minutes later, Porter bested Malherbe right in front of referee Ben O'Keeffe for a penalty in front of the South Africa posts that Jonathan Sexton nailed for 10-8 with a quarter to go.
That was Malherbe's last action, and when hooker Bongi Mbonambi was replaced by part-timer Deon Fourie in the 64th minute to clear the ‘bomb squad’ off the Boks bench, only flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit was left of South Africa's starting pack.
“(The scrum) was a proper battle,” Ireland replacement prop Finlay Bealham said. “Some of the boys' necks and backs will be sore tomorrow but that is what South Africa are class at. They are world class in the scrum. But I thought we firmed up really well.”
The last of Ireland's five reserve forwards didn't get on until the 75th — for Porter — but they all had an impact.
The pressure was such that Fourie threw in crooked to a South Africa five-meter lineout.
Back down South Africa's end, the Boks had a scrum put-in outside their 22 but they pushed too early and were penalized, and replacement flyhalf Jack Crowley extended Ireland's lead to 13-8 with three minutes left.
“We focused a lot on our set-piece and dominating there so we have to improve,” Boks replacement prop Ox Nche said. ”We did our job in the second half but we just didn't execute as well as we wanted to."
South Africa earned one last shot, a 10-meter attacking lineout with the clock in red. Du Toit's take was mauled and they made a handful of meters before collapsing in a messy pile that ended the match.
Simon Easterby was a proud Ireland defense coach.
“That last lineout,” he said, “the lads defended incredibly well.”
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