Ireland come back to sea level and down to earth with a bump against South Africa

South Africa 32 Ireland 26: Ireland touched down in Port Elizabeth yesterday with a metaphorical bump and more than a few bruises after a torrid second-half backlash from South Africa saw the Springboks come from 19-3 and 26-10 down in Johannesburg to level the series with a deciding Test to come.

The teams have come down to the shores of the Indian Ocean from the Highveld, dropping 1,700 metres in the process, with home head coach Allister Coetzee and his squad gathering all the momentum from a pulsating, see-saw second Test on Saturday.

If the first 120 minutes of this three-Test series belonged to Joe Schmidt’s Ireland following a first victory in South Africa nine days ago in Cape Town and a wonderfully managed first half at the weekend, the way Ireland wilted and the Springboks finally found their feet under the new management suggests that the remaining 80 minutes will see another piece of history elude the Irish the same way their grip was loosened on Saturday’s game by the Boks’ resurgent power allied to the rapidly tiring tourists. Four second-half tries, inspired by the introduction of man of the match Ruan Combrinck and a clutch of players from Johannesburg’s Super Rugby franchise, The Lions, united Springbok players and fans that had been at odds with one another at the interval. Paddy Jackson’s boot and a Devin Toner try, driven by the excellent diligence and intensity of their colleagues, sent Ireland in 19-3 up at the break as the sorry, error-laden Boks were booed off the pitch.