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Ireland beat Springboks 15-10 to end unbeaten year
Source: Agencies |
November 29, 2009, Sunday
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JONATHAN Sexton justified his selection ahead of record points-holder Ronan O'Gara by kicking Ireland to a 15-10 defeat of South Africa to complete an unbeaten year of test rugby yesterday.
Sexton, playing only his second test but looking like a veteran, booted over five penalties as Ireland rallied from an early 10-3 deficit at Croke Park.
"It's a great way (to end the year), the whole year undefeated, it's brilliant," No. 8 Jamie Heaslip said.
The test was billed as the best of the Northern Hemisphere against the best of the South, pitting the Six Nations champion against the Tri-Nations winner. There was added spice as nine of the Irish lineup were in the Lions side beaten in a bitter series in the republic over the summer.
But the Springboks weren't as fresh as then, and arrived in Dublin slumping from three defeats in four tour matches, including two shockers to clubs Leicester and Saracens. Lock Bakkies Botha was a last-minute withdrawal with a back injury, but the Springboks still believed they could end an unprecedented two-match losing streak to the home side.
In a frenzied opening, South Africa responded to Sexton's first penalty by opting against taking a kick at goal. Flanker Schalk Burger was at the end of a wide move to charge over the line in the 16th minute. Morne Steyn's conversion and drop goal put the Boks up 10-3 after 24 minutes.
Sexton cut the deficit to four in the 30th, then Steyn missed two long-range penalties just before the break, and another after it.
Sexton landed two consecutive shots in a four-minute span to put Ireland ahead 12-10 as South African discipline crumbled under pressure and fatigue. The Springboks' scrum was sturdy but the lineout was picked apart by Ireland, and Botha's replacement Andries Bekker conceded the go-ahead penalty when he dropped his knee into David Wallace. Later, winger JP Pietersen was also fortunate to avoid a red card when his high tackle left Tommy Bowe's mouth bloodied.
Sexton missed for the first time, but five minutes later he made it 15-10 with 14 minutes to go when Victor Matfield was penalized for not releasing on the ground. Sexton made five of seven goalkicks, and received muted praise from coach Declan Kidney, who gambled on the 24-year-old.
"We see it as a blessing that we have a world-class flyhalf and an up-and-coming flyhalf," Kidney said. "We'll need both of them."
Sexton's counterpart Steyn, one of the Boks' stars this year but enduring an off day with his boot and decision-making, was replaced by Ruan Pienaar, who hit the post with his only shot, and the Springboks' last chance at an undeserved victory ended spectacularly when fullback Zane Kirchner was crunched by Irish captain Brian O'Driscoll.
"If you look at the last three games we've played, we've went down in the second half," Boks coach Peter de Villiers said. "I always knew it was going to be tough in the second half. We are not looking for excuses, the Irish took their chances and they were the big winners."
Sexton, playing only his second test but looking like a veteran, booted over five penalties as Ireland rallied from an early 10-3 deficit at Croke Park.
"It's a great way (to end the year), the whole year undefeated, it's brilliant," No. 8 Jamie Heaslip said.
The test was billed as the best of the Northern Hemisphere against the best of the South, pitting the Six Nations champion against the Tri-Nations winner. There was added spice as nine of the Irish lineup were in the Lions side beaten in a bitter series in the republic over the summer.
But the Springboks weren't as fresh as then, and arrived in Dublin slumping from three defeats in four tour matches, including two shockers to clubs Leicester and Saracens. Lock Bakkies Botha was a last-minute withdrawal with a back injury, but the Springboks still believed they could end an unprecedented two-match losing streak to the home side.
In a frenzied opening, South Africa responded to Sexton's first penalty by opting against taking a kick at goal. Flanker Schalk Burger was at the end of a wide move to charge over the line in the 16th minute. Morne Steyn's conversion and drop goal put the Boks up 10-3 after 24 minutes.
Sexton cut the deficit to four in the 30th, then Steyn missed two long-range penalties just before the break, and another after it.
Sexton landed two consecutive shots in a four-minute span to put Ireland ahead 12-10 as South African discipline crumbled under pressure and fatigue. The Springboks' scrum was sturdy but the lineout was picked apart by Ireland, and Botha's replacement Andries Bekker conceded the go-ahead penalty when he dropped his knee into David Wallace. Later, winger JP Pietersen was also fortunate to avoid a red card when his high tackle left Tommy Bowe's mouth bloodied.
Sexton missed for the first time, but five minutes later he made it 15-10 with 14 minutes to go when Victor Matfield was penalized for not releasing on the ground. Sexton made five of seven goalkicks, and received muted praise from coach Declan Kidney, who gambled on the 24-year-old.
"We see it as a blessing that we have a world-class flyhalf and an up-and-coming flyhalf," Kidney said. "We'll need both of them."
Sexton's counterpart Steyn, one of the Boks' stars this year but enduring an off day with his boot and decision-making, was replaced by Ruan Pienaar, who hit the post with his only shot, and the Springboks' last chance at an undeserved victory ended spectacularly when fullback Zane Kirchner was crunched by Irish captain Brian O'Driscoll.
"If you look at the last three games we've played, we've went down in the second half," Boks coach Peter de Villiers said. "I always knew it was going to be tough in the second half. We are not looking for excuses, the Irish took their chances and they were the big winners."
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