Craig Ray: Boks to the wall now, South Africa have reached a desperate but comfortable place

Few sides, if any, do ‘us versus them’ as well as the Boks and while this loss will sting, the fact that they’re still alive and back under the radar, will suit Siya Kolisi and his team. 

DEJECTION: South Africa’s Kurt-Lee Arendse after the 13-8 defeat to Ireland in Paris> The Boks wil lick their wounds and come back strong.

THE Springboks know they are in a corner and the defence of their world title is just one slip up from ending after a 13-8 loss to Ireland in easily the match of the tournament.

Ireland will now carry the tag as undisputed favourites for the title while the Boks, who could just as easily have the match as lost it, retreat into their happier space as underdogs.