The Sunday News
Johannesburg — A great last-quarter comeback gave South Africa a 32-26 second Test victory over Ireland in Johannesburg yesterday that levelled the series with one match left. Trailing by 16 points with 20 minutes to go, the Springboks scored three tries to triumph after the Irish had built a 19-3 half-time advantage
Centre Damian de Allende scored the match-winning try five minutes from time when he brushed off two tackles to dot down and Elton Jantjies converted before adding a penalty.
The third, series-deciding Test will be next Saturday in Port Elizabeth.
Ireland led 19-3 at half-time and South Africa were booed off the field after 40 minutes in which they took the lead and were then repeatedly penalised, giving Jackson opportunities to build a big lead.
Jantjies, who had been told by coach Allister Coetzee to ‘boss’ the match, slotted a long-range penalty on four minutes to give the Springboks an early lift in a chilly, near-full Ellis Park stadium. But those points were to prove the only ones of the half with Jantjies failing to score from two kickable penalties when the Ireland were already 12-3 ahead.
Those Irish points all came from the boot of Jackson, who contributed 16 points to the shock triumph in Cape Town last weekend.
Offered four penalty opportunities, the playmaker took them all after 11, 15, 23 and 28 minutes as South Africa paid a heavy price for a string of infringements.
It got worse for the Springboks six minutes before half-time when the vulnerability of wing Lwazi Mvovo under the high ball was brutally exposed.
He failed to deal with a lofted kick, Irish wing Andrew Trimble skilfully tapped the ball back and several pairs of hands took it forward before lock Devin Toner barged over.
Jackson converted before, given a fifth penalty shot, missed to the left and his first failure of the Test was greeted with ironic cheers from many in the crowd.
It was a nightmare half for South Africa, who never threatened to score a try, repeatedly lost the ball in contact and booted numerous aimless tactical kicks into the Irish half.
The Springboks showed much more fire early in the second half, but it was Jackson who came closest to scoring, narrowly missing his sixth penalty attempt.
Winger Ruan Combrinck, a half-time replacement for Mvovo, finally gave the frustrated crowd something to cheer when he dived over in the corner after an electric break by fullback Willie le Roux.
Jantjies converted to trim the gap to nine points only for Ireland to hit back within two minutes as No. 8 Jamie Heaslip claimed a pushover try off a line-out and Jackson converted.
A scoring burst brought a third try within nine minutes as substitute No. 8 Warren Whiteley went over for the Springboks but Jantjies could not convert, leaving Ireland 26-15 ahead.
But as the match entered the closing stages, the momentum was with the Springboks and lock Pieter-Steph du Toit scored beside the post, Jantjies converted and the Irish lead was down to four points.
De Allende then scored to give South Africa a dramatic triumph. — Sport 24
