AS IRELAND AND SOUTH Africa walked out to be met by a raucous reception at the Stade de France, the Webb Ellis was waiting to greet them at the end of the tunnel. It might just be coming home with one of these sides in a month’s time. This was an epic contest that lived up to the hype, and then some. Part entertainment, part absolute torture. It felt like the night this tournament really burst into life, Ireland edging a World Cup classic 13-8.
With a 9pm kick-off there was plenty of hours to while away. No big deal. We’d be waiting for this one for years. A few more hours wouldn’t hurt.
On a long, lazy stroll around Paris this morning, it was hard to position yourself more than six feet away from someone wearing an Ireland shirt, be it on the bustling streets of the Latin Quarter or in the busy galleries of the stunning Musée D’Orsay. It’s quite an experience to be standing a few feet from Van Gogh’s Starry Night and be surrounded by accents from Cork, Dublin and Limerick. Get used to it, Paris.
The game was billed as the ultimate clash of styles. Ireland’s dynamic, incisive attacking system coming up against South Africa’s aggressive defence and awesome power game. The opinion-splitting decision to name seven forwards on the bench only further focused the attention on this aspect of South Africa’s game. The Boks have plenty of gifted backs in their ranks but it’s their skilled, physical forwards who get most of the limelight. It’s easy to see why. There are many compelling characters in the Springboks squad but players like Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth and RG Snyman are remarkable athletes, the kind that only South Africa really produce. Rugby can be a simple game, and South Africa have a lot of big men who are hard to tackle.
Ireland were going to have to meet that physicality head on and the start was ferocious, Rónan Kelleher setting the mark with a massive early hit on Damian Willemse.
Then a pattern began to emerge. Ireland were doing well to work their way around South Africa’s linespeed, flirting with finding a way through without ever really punching a hole. They spent much of the first quarter in the Springboks’ 22 but their lineout was a disaster. Kelleher saw his first throw pinched. When they lost a second, there was a notable edginess around the ground. Then a third, and a fourth.
In the end it was South Africa who got the scoreboard rolling, Manie Libbok kicking an easy three after Tadhg Furlong went off his feet.
Ireland kept coming, but South Africa’s defensive work was stunning. It made for a fascinating test of Ireland’s belief in their systems, but they kept moving the ball around, poking and prodding, looking for the gaps to appear.
There were flashes of brilliance. Hugo Keenan went rampaging down the right before being tackled short of the line. Bundee Aki tore down the middle of the pitch only to find himself surrounded by white jerseys with no support.
When their moment arrived, it was brilliant. A series of hard carries helped Ireland move the ball across the line before they rolled out the Sexton loop, James Lowe then freeing Mack Hansen down the right wing. Sometimes you can’t beat the classics. Sexton kicked the conversion and Ireland took a 7-3 lead into the break.
If that sounds somewhat straight-forward, it wasn’t. Aki made a crucial tackle to deny the Boks what looked a certain try while Garry Ringrose brought a real edge to his tackling, keeping that aggression even after returning from a HIA.
It set up a fascinating second half, given everybody in the ground knew exactly what the Springboks had planned.
RG Snyman, Jean Kleyn, Kwagga Smith and Ox Nche all arrived in the 48th minute, with their first contribution a massive shove on the Ireland scrum. Second scrum, same result. In a flash the ball was spun wide and Cheslin Kolbe was sprinting over. Libbok missed the conversion and the Bomb squad had done their job.
The reports were true, these lads are bloody good. Luckily, they’re also human. With an hour played Frans Malherbe was penalised at the scrum. Sexton pointed to the posts and kicked his team into a two-point lead.
It was enough to make the 30,000-strong travelling Ireland support believe (some estimated the figure at more than 40,000). The Fields rang out. The players took some water on. Somehow, we still had 20 minutes to savour.
Every scrum became an event. South Africa won the next one, but Libbok couldn’t nail the kick. The 26-year-old out-half is a thrilling player but he’s not a killer. Scrum-half Faf de Klerk took on the next penalty and skewed the kick well wide.
South Africa looked to turned the screw, but a crooked throw from Deon Fourie spoiled a massive opportunity in the corner.
Now Ireland were winning the moments. With Sexton and Gibson-Park off and the front row replaced, Ireland won a scrum under the South Africa posts. Jack Crowley clipped over the three and victory was within Ireland’s grasp.
South Africa couldn’t summon a response, Ireland winning a crucial turnover inches from the tryline as the clock hit the red.
They can now look ahead to Scotland on 7 October. For as long as they remain in the tournament, they’ll play all their games at this stadium. Tonight they made this wonderful arena feel like home.
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