Ireland player ratings: Baird and van der Flier stand tall on chastening night against South Africa
Referee Matthew Carley issued five cards to Ireland during the game against South Africa. Pic: ©INPHO/Gary Carr
Same again Mack? Chance would have been a fine thing as Ireland were rocked on to the back foot and Hansen had to help with the salvage operation. Showed up well in reacting to the crumbs that came his way before hobbling off, leaving a madcap, crazy game behind him.
In the wars. O’Brien was fortunate to escape with a penalty only after being caught high in the tackle as Canan Moodie smashed forward, bloodying his nose and leading to an HIA.
Back in business and looking to make up for lost time, Ringrose had to bring all his nous and experience to bear, contributing his own physicality as Ireland somehow managed to stay in the helter-skelter game on the scoreboard.
Back-row Bundee. Aki never shirks a challenge and did not hesitate when he was summoned into action on the side of the scrum, even giving advice to the officials about infringements. A couple of trademark clatters forwards gave Ireland a bit of occasional impetus.
Frantic as ever, chasing the action for all it was worth even if not always in the most clear-headed way. The Leinster wing, however, did not buckle despite all the pressure.
Sketchy but stayed the course. Prendergast coped well enough with the defensive assault but the rest of his game was not quite as composed as it might have been. His kicking was a bit off-kilter and he didn’t manage to pull any rabbits from the hat, also seeing yellow for repeated offences.
Feisty and involved. Gibson-Park was into his opposite number, Cobus Reinach, right from the first whistle but there was little he could do, falling off what should have been a try-saving tackle on Springbok superstar Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
A torrid shift at the coal-face. It was no surprise that Porter became the fourth card of the first half when the scrummage once again crumpled with the only option but to infringe, a symbol of Ireland’s wretched evening. Porter never managed to really get to grips with it.
Under the cosh at set-piece but never yielded and deserved his try as Ireland somehow managed to roll back the stone from the seeming dead in the first half. It was a rare moment of joy. There is no bigger test for a tight forward than a battle with a Springbok scrum and Ireland were a distant second despite hanging in there.
Only rare glimpses of Furlong in the loose which tells its own tale as it was all hands to the pump defensively. It was a chastening night for the Irish pack, ceding cards and a penalty try. A sobering experience.
In the mire. There was a foolish rush of blood, a grievous lapse of discipline. Not only did Ryan’s illegal clear-out on Malcolm Marx see a Beirne try chalked off, it also saw him dismissed on a 20-minute red card and Ireland’s put-upon pack were condemned to suffer even more stress.
Manful at all times but it was a forlorn cause. Much as Beirne put his body on the line, there was little the Munster lock could do to resist the green Springbok tide although his blue headguard was always to be seen.
A Herculean effort. Time and again, Baird was there fighting and scragging as the forwards tried to resist what was coming their way. It was a typical mano-a-mano effort from the Leinster flanker, one keynote maul turnover saving a try. Limped off.
Chased the scraps all night long, few as they were but van der Flier was as hearty and willing as ever, throwing himself in to gobble up what loose ball there was and driving forward on occasions.
Big clean-up operation at the base of the scrum as the depleted ranks up-front came under strain, Doris picking up smartly from the rear. The captain could do little to staunch the flow of penalties against his team but he and his side refused to fold.
Ireland could have done with a bench the size of a barge on the Liffey such was their need for replacements. The men summoned to the fray gave their all and somehow managed to raise a gallop in the closing quarters despite the pulverising. No wonder the crowd got behind them. The contributions of Paddy McCarthy and Cian Prendergast were admirable, staying in the fight and giving slim hopes to the Aviva faithful, stunned into temporary silence as those four cards were shown in the first half. Five cards in all spoke of ill-discipline but in truth it was the result of overwhelming South African dominance and it was a measure of Ireland’s spirited resistance that they managed to keep a measure of respectability on the scoreboard, finishing strongly. Their character was not to be questioned. They never gave up.
Matthew Carley might be seen as the villain of the piece, issuing five cards against Ireland, but in truth it is the laws of the game, and their strict application, that is at fault. Rugby is at a crisis crossroads. It is almost impossible to avoid censure in the collisions. Ireland, too, were woefully inadequate at the scrum. If the game wants tight scrummaging to be a factor, and it has to otherwise it is rugby league, then the Springboks dominance has to be rewarded. Carley may have been fussy, allied to the TMO, but he had little option.
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