Ireland… 13
South Africa… 8
One of the strange curiosities of the four match saga between Meath and Dublin in the Leinster SFC of 1991 was, after all the hype and coverage had subsided, it was only a first round encounter. The victors still had several hurdles to cross before they could even contemplate silverware. And indeed very nearly came a cropper at the very next hurdle against a Wicklow side spearheaded by the likes of Fergus Daly, Pat O’Byrne, Conan Daye and Kevin O’Brien.
Then again, it could also justifiably be argued that the replay in which Meath did eventually prevail should never have been required at all because Bernard Flynn had the ball half way across John Walsh’s crossbar when the referee blew the full time whistle and disallowed the score. That frenetic finish came back to mind whilst watching Ireland’s victory over South Africa on Saturday night.
Allow me to explain. Just like Meath’s win over the Dubs all those years ago, Ireland’s usurpation of the Springboks – epic though it unquestionably was – only represented another pair of points clocked up in Pool B with Scotland still to come. Furthermore, where Meath were left to rue the ‘point’ that never was, Ireland will, on reflection I suspect, count their blessings that Handre Pollard wasn’t available to Rassie Erasmus because the place kicker the holders of the Webb Ellis Trophy did field with would hit an elephant’s arse with a banjo.
Though this was absolutely not a case of Andy Farrell’s charges getting away with one. Right from the off, when the recalled Ronan Kelliher drove half of South Africa back on their asses when they gathered the kick off.
However, not that there would be an ounce of flippancy within Irish camp to begin with, but, they were well and truly roused out of any such notions when Boks monster Eben Etzebeth went through the Irish lineout like a bulldozer tackling a cardboard box early on.
Now, it would be very easy to castigate Kelliher and there were probably plenty that did, one wayward launch notwithstanding, and even it could be put down to lack of game time, it was hardly the hooker’s fault that the giant trees were unable to supply the acorns to the scavengers at ground level in the early stages.
Eventually though, as the top teams always do, Peter O’Mahony and the pack settled into their groove, allowing both backs and forwards to keep ball in hand and throw it around with confidence.
It was at that stage that the green machine showed just why they are regarded as the world’s best as they began to put the moves together which – once South Africa had fallen for the feigned wraparound pass which Johnny Sexton has made a career out of – put Mac Hansen in for a quite delicious try. Which he just about remembered to ground!
That gave the Irish a lead of 7-3 with 40 to go, but when the Boks came out like a battering ram in the second half, you began to wonder could the leaders hold out against such a peppering.
A Sexton penalty, manufactured by the combined efforts of Andrew Porter and Caelen Dorris, against the run of play, left the fly half and his colleagues a converted try clear.
However, it only takes the truly magnificent an eye blink to impose their will and when Hugo Keenan and Hansen both got caught out of position for just long enough to allow Cheslin Colby touch down under the Irish posts. Thankfully from Ireland’s perspective, the opposition’s dead ball specialist’s radar was about as off as Tony Blair’s intel on WMD!
So, heading into the home straight, our lads were left with the dreaded five point lead, meaning a converted try would have left them facing their Waterloo. One of the oldest sporting sayings going is ‘Attack is the best form of defence’ and it was obviously the unspoken line within the Irish camp.
Bundee Aki – who is rapidly becoming our player of the tournament – led the baton charge up the field and with the introduced rejuvenated Conor Murray flinging flat ball passes around like confetti, the defending side were eventually pinged for not releasing.
Allowing Jack Crowley slot the most significant kick of his burgeoning career to date, yet all it did was guarantee another Pool win. The real work starts now.
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