Proud Doris and Murray hail Ireland’s fighting spirit

LATE LATE SHOW: Ireland back-row Caelan Doris. Pic: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

Captain Caelan Doris allowed himself the luxury of calling parts of Ireland’s second half display against the Springboks a “shit show”, although that might be a bit harsh on his team.

Ireland fought back to level the two-Test series 1-1 thanks to a 25-24 win in a frothing Kings Park in Durban. Two late drop-goal from Ciaran Frawley won the day after the Boks came roaring back from 16-6 down at halftime to lead 24-19 going into the last 10 minutes.

For the most part, Ireland were excellent and the 25 minute or so period after halftime, when the Boks came thundering back into the match saw Ireland give away five consecutive penalties.

Handre Pollard kept slotting the kicks at goal and by the hour mark, it seemed all Ireland’s good work would be irreparably undone. Doris himself was sin-binned in that period.

“The second half felt like a bit of a shit-show at times, that first 20 in particular,” Doris said. “I was sitting on the sideline watching some of it unfold, being unable to influence it.

“And it sort of felt suffocating at times – penalty after penalty. We got it back on track a little bit and Frawls, in fairness – massive credit to him.

“The first one, I thought the ball was coming to me, I see it going to him, in behind. He slots it. And then the composure he had – first of all going for the cross-field kick, which didn’t come off, and then he kicks it again and I’m thinking, ‘what the hell are you doing, kicking the ball away?

“It was a perfectly weighted kick, we tackled the Bok player into touch and just the composure Frawley had throughout, and then the confidence to go for that last kick. Yeah, credit to him. I thought it was class.” 

Doris was immensely proud of the result and the comeback after losing the first Test 27-20 in Pretoria.

"Right now anyway, it is definitely a good feeling finishing the season with a win like that," Doris said. "It went right down to wire and it’s nice to come out on the right side (of the result).

“It has been a long season and we know what an unbelievable test it was coming over at the end of the season and playing against the double world champions. We knew it was going to be massive and we’re happy to end it on a high.” 

LATE LATE SHOW: Ireland back-row Caelan Doris. Pic: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

Despite Pollard’s eight penalties for a personal haul of 24 points, Ireland scored the only try of the match through the seemingly timeless Conor Murray.

The 35-year-old scrumhalf was excellent while he was on and showed his calming influence with accurate tactical kicking and composure in clearing rucks.

“South Africa don’t lose easy, they find a way (to stay in the game) and it’s so frustrating at times to play against,” Murray said. “Look, we believed in ourselves and it was always going to be a big challenge.

“I think we can be really proud of last weekend’s heart (after losing the first Test 27-20), it was a tough defeat. But to turn up this week and we knew we were getting our break after this; the boys still fronted up and committed to this week.

“We had a big meeting on Wednesday, it was a really honest meeting about ourselves. It wasn’t perfect tonight at all, but we got over the line.” 

The last four games between the sides have ended within a one score margin with Ireland winning three of those. It has become a major rivalry in the sport.

“I think its (the growing rivalry) is good for the game isn’t it?!” Murray said. “We said we don’t hear what goes don’t goes on off the field with Rassie (Erasmus) but it adds another element to it.

“Meeting the (South African) lads last weekend, and again this week, there’s huge respect there with what they’ve done in World Cups and so forth. 

"We have complete respect for them and it’s an honour to be able to go toe-to-toe with them. The nerves were a lot this week but it’s nice when it pays off.”