If it is this easy on Wednesday, when World Rugby meets to decide the hosts of the 2023 World Cup, the bookies should close the book on Ireland now. Joe Schmidt had urged his players for a performance that would put the country “in the shop window” before the vote against South Africa and France. They answered his call and then some – dominating from the off before twisting the knife in the last 10 minutes to record their biggest ever victory over the Springboks.
True, the final score of 38-3, following three late tries, flattered the hosts a little. But it was impossible not to admire the way Johnny Sexton controlled the game, by turns frustrating and lacerating the Springboks, or how the Irish barely gave their opponents a sniff, even during a strangely flat period in the opening 15 minutes of the second half.
By then Ireland had plenty of points in hand, helped by a first-half try from Andrew Conway and Sexton’s serene kicking. And as the South Africans faded, Rhys Ruddock, Rob Herring and Jacob Stockdale went over to ensure Ireland steamrollered past their previous biggest win against the Springboks, a 17-point victory in 2006.
This game, played between two of the protagonists bidding for the 2023 World Cup, was always going to carry extra piquancy. That much was evident as early as the first minute as the giant Springbok prop Coenie Oosthuizen was launched backwards in the tackle by Sexton and Bundle Aki.
It was not only a statement from the Irish but a gameplan wrecker. Oosthuizen, one of the best scrummagers in world rugby, was carted off with what looked like a twisted knee and from the resulting scrum Ireland were able to take advantage, applying the squeeze and earning the first penalty of the night, which Sexton duly converted.
Inevitably there were more meaty exchanges, especially in the first half – the crowd roared when Iain Henderson trampled over the South Africa captain, Eben Etzebeth – no mean feat given he is 6ft 8in and over 18 stone – only to gasp when Sean O’Brien was given the same treatment seconds later by François Louw.
Yet with Ireland more than matching their opponents up front, Sexton was able to control the game. Quickly the South African penalties began to mount – along with points from the Sexton boot. Another three came when the Bok second row Lood De Jager was slow to roll away from the breakdown, and another penalty, this time from a loose kick in the ruck, allowed Sexton to put Ireland 9-0 ahead after 20 minutes.
Even at that stage the difference in the quality between the half backs was obvious. Ireland had Connor Murray and Sexton, with 123 caps and multiple levels of telepathy between them. South Africa’s pairing of Ross Cronje and Elton Jantjies had just 26 caps. Jantjies had looked confident in scoring 52 points against France in three Tests in June, but the experience of a damp and grisly November evening in Dublin was proving a very different ball game.
Ireland were wearing a new dark-grey shirt for the first time in this game, which clearly clashed with the dark green of their opponents. Yet Sexton had few problems finding his team-mates and after another period of pressure Ireland deservedly scored their first try on 24 minutes.
In truth the score came from nowhere. Murray attempted a fiddly little box kick, perfectly directed between the South Africa wing Courtnall Skosan and Conway, and as Skosan flapped, Conway pounced. In the blink of an eye he was able to scamper down the touchline and swallow dive over the try line.
It took the South Africans the best part of 30 minutes to put together multiple phases and show some hints of their quality. It led to their first excursion near the try line, only for CJ Stander – who represented South Africa at grade level before switching under residency rules last year – to save the day.
The visitors were out early for the second half and a renewed sense of urgency was rewarded with their first points through the boot of Jantjies. For the next 15 minutes the game was a messy splodge, but just before the hour the impeccable Sexton was able to steady the ship with another penalty, to put Ireland 17-3 up.
Even then no one could have predicted what would happen in the final 15 minutes. Ireland looked to have merely made the game safe when Ruddock capitalised on fine work from Conway, to sneak over the line, but the home side had sensed the South Africans were out on their feet. And in the game’s final moments Herring and then Stockdale crashed over to add a bright gloss to their victory, while also perhaps sending a little message to World Rugby too.
