Ireland Under-20′s second half revival not enough to rescue victory against South Africa

Ireland 24 South Africa 33

Once again there was much to admire in the character Ireland displayed but as in their defeat to France Richie Murphy’s side was left to rue an error-ridden first half in which they conceded four tries to 26 points that left them with an insurmountable deficit in Verona.

Ireland were physically pummeled up front by the Baby Boks but to their credit and brilliantly led by Reuben Crothers, they demonstrated their resilience and flashes of real quality rugby by outscoring South Africa by 21-7 in the second half.

Ireland will play England, who lost their opening game to South Africa but beat France 29-20, in their last pool match next Tuesday. The final positions will determine a final set of fixtures in the crossover games between the pools.

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If Ireland had all their Grand Slam starters — there are 11 missing — this tournament would have been a tough proposition; without them they have forfeited so much in terms of experience and footballing ability. There is no faulting attitude and application but that was never going to suffice.

Ireland conceded the first try of the game, South African hooker Tiaan Lange, started and finished the move but was facilitated by brittle Irish defence initially from a lineout maul and then on the fringe of a ruck. Sacha Mngomezulu, having earlier missed a penalty, made no mistake with the conversion.

An important early lesson for the young Irish side was not to leave ball carriers isolated or easily identifiable against the physically bigger Baby Boks, whose ability to win the collisions or counter-ruck caused problems for Murphy’s side. Irish players were stripped in the tackle on several occasions.

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Discipline and accuracy were also a bugbear. The fussy French official Benoit Rousselet adjudicated three of the first four lineouts of the match to be crooked, two of the first four scrums ended in penalties, with Darragh McSweeney pinged both times, and was generally a whistle happy intrusive presence. The upshot was precious little continuity.

Penalties were running at about one every two minutes. Ireland received their fair share, but they spurned the chance to apply territorial pressure by turning over possession with alarming regularity. An inability to do the basics like find touch was also a significant issue. Three times this was the case and on the last occasion it led to a second South African try, this time for secondrow Reinhardt Ludwig.

Ireland barely had time to draw breath before they were standing under the posts again as South African hooker Lange, barrelled over from close range for his second, and four minutes later his team had racked up the bonus point try through secondrow Corne Rahl.

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Lange received a yellow card for a dangerous clear-out on Ireland captain Reuben Crothers at a ruck but after establishing good field position first from a lineout maul and then a scrum, Ireland once again turned over possession.

Ireland’s set piece instability was an issue, so too discipline, kicking, ball protection in carries and at the breakdown. South Africa’s physical dominance ensured that they were able to take collisions on their terms, so once they got within hailing distance of the Irish line, they were unstoppable: the four first half tries were scored by forwards.

There were flashes of excellence, generally involving Patrick Campbell, Dylan O’Grady, McCormick, and the outstanding Aitzol King; the latter’s lovely chip and regather on 45 minutes was the closest Ireland came to a try, denied by a tap tackle.

And then on 48 minutes the picture changed, Prendergast’s nicely weighted grubber kick bounced up into the arms of O’Grady who raced around under the posts. The UCD wing had given Ireland the field position with a brilliant midfield break.

The outhalf’s conversion made it 26-10 but once again Ireland’s carelessness and indiscipline gave South Africa field position and they made their opponents pay with a fifth try, replacement hooker Lukhanyo Vokozela powering over from a metre.

This Irish squad certainly possesses character and they demonstrated that quality by responding with a second try, replacement prop Oisin Michel giving the Baby Boks a taste of their own medicine by breaking a tackle to touchdown.

Prendergast converted and Ireland on foot of excellent work by replacements Shay McCarthy, Lorcan McLoughlin and Diarmuid Mangan took place back into the South African 22 with some enterprising rugby; unfortunately, it was scuppered by a handling error, an aspect of the performance that perhaps did more to undermine their cause than any other except for discipline.

As they had done in the French match they responded gallantly after the interval but once again the avalanche of points conceded in the first half was irreversible in terms of the result.

It was apposite that the brilliant Crothers had a final say, picking up and racing through the ruck to dot down under the posts in the penultimate play, Reece Malone’s conversion signalling the end of the game.

Scoring sequence — 6 mins: T Lange try, Mngomezulu conversion, 0-7; 21 mins: Prendergast penalty, 3-7; 25 mins: Ludwig try, 3-12; 31 mins: Lange try, Mngomezulu conversion, 3-19; 35 mins: Rahl try, Mngomezulu conversion, 3-26. Half-time: 3-26. 48 mins: O’Grady try, Prendergast conversion, 10-26; 57 mins: Vokozela try, Mngomezulu conversion, 10-33; 61 mins: Michel try, Prendergast conversion, 17-33; 82 mins: Crothers try, Malone conversion, 24-33.

IRELAND: P Campbell (Young Munster); A King (Clontarf), F Gibbons (UCD), D Hawkshaw (Clontarf), D D O’Grady (UCD); S Prendergast (Lansdowne), M Moloney (UCD); G Hadden (Gorey/Clontarf), J McCormick (Ballymena), D McSweeney (Shannon); C O’Tighearnaigh (UCD), D Mangan (UCD); J McNabney (Ballymena), R Crothers (Ballynahinch, capt), G Shaw (Cardiff University).

Replacements: A McNamee (Malone) for McNabney 17 mins; K Ryan (Shannon) for McSweeney 30 mins; L McLoughlin (QUB) for Shaw half-time; A O’Mahony (UCC) for Moloney 47 mins; O Michel (Lansdowne) for Hadden 49 mins; J Hanlon (Ballynahinch) for McCormick 59 mins; S McCarthy (Young Munster) for King 65 mins; S Wilson (QUB) for Ryan 65 mins; R Malone (Loughborough University) for Prendergast 74 mins; George Coomber (UCC) for Gibbons 74 mins.

SOUTH AFRICA: D Koevort; D Don, E James, C Banies, S Hartzenberg; S Mngomezulu (capt), N Steyn; C Lavagna, T Lange, S Mabece; C Rahl, R Ludwig; P de Villiers, L Nel, C Hanekom.

Replacements: L Vokozela for Nel 40 mins; N le Roux for Steyn 49 mins; Nel for Lange 49 mins; C Evans for Ludwig 49 mins; K Letebele for Don 63 mins; G Mdletshe for Nel 68 mins; I Khan for James 68 mins; C von Ludwig for Mngomezulu 68 mins; L Nunu for Lavagna 73 mins; C Weilbach for Mabece 73 mins; R Venter for de Villiers 74 mins; Lange for Vokozela 78 mins.

Referee: Benoit Rousselet (France)