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Dublin - South Africa overturned a first half deficit and ill-discipline to open their November tour of the northern hemisphere with a 16-12 victory on Saturday at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
After a half blighted by poor play and the concession of 11 penalties, leading to a 12-3 deficit, the visitors turned up the intensity and kept Ireland scoreless in the second half to consign Declan Kidney's understrength side to defeat.
The Springboks had looked vulnerable, and the hosts impressive, but a half time speech by coach Heyneke Meyer had the desired effect and with skipper Jamie Heaslip sent to the sin-bin moments after the restart, the Boks ruthlessly notched up 10 points to steal ahead and grab a lead they refused to relinquish.
Meyer's side came to Dublin hoping to banish the memories of a disappointing third place finish in the Rugby Championship and ease the pressure on the coach, under whose stewardship the Boks have won just four of nine matches.
Meyer had to plan without a host of stars and even worse was to come as Tendai Mtawarira was forced to withdraw hours before kick-off, taken to hospital after a recurrence of mild heart palpitations.
CJ van der Linde, who spent two years in Dublin with Leinster, stepped in to the breach but Meyer did have some consistency in his selection, with just three other changes from the side that lost to New Zealand in the last game of the Rugby Championship.
Ireland coach Declan Kidney made seven changes in personnel from the team that was humiliated 60-0 by New Zealand in June.
The hosts were hit by an injury crisis and lined up without Brian O'Driscoll, Paul O'Connell, Rory Best, Sean O'Brien, Stephen Ferris and Rob Kearney, forcing the hosts into some major restructuring.
Ireland raced into a six-point lead by the ten minute mark thanks to a combination of Jonny Sexton's flawless kicking and South African indiscipline.
South Africa were struggling to get on the front foot, but a good midfield break from JP Pietersen brought the Boks into Irish territory and a Lambie penalty kick put the first points on the board for the visitors.
Discipline continued to hamper their efforts though, and with the Irish growing in confidence Sexton added a third penalty on 21.
South Africa were on the back foot now, and coughed up another penalty which Sexton dispatched with ease to put nine points between the sides.
The crowd were enjoying the spectacle, but the noise level lifted a notch when Pietersen enraged both the home crowd and players by charging dangerously into Chris Henry as the Ulster backrow stood waiting to catch a high ball.
Fists flew as referee Wayne Barnes sent the Boks winger to the bin, with Pietersen perhaps lucky to avoid a red card.
With the clock ticking toward half time, Keith Earls squandered Ireland's best try-scoring opportunity, throwing his pass ahead of Bowe with the winger in space out wide.
Sexton and Pienaar missed kicks before the break, but the key moments were to come after the restart as the Boks upped their tempo and turned the game on its head.
Skipper Jamie Heaslip was sent to the bin for collapsing a maul with South Africa camped on the Irish line and just seconds later the Boks ruthlessly pushed home their advantage through a try by Pienaar.
Lambie added the extras to put the visitors ahead for the first time in the match and the young outhalf slotted another penalty on 69 minutes to ensure victory.
Scorers:
Ireland:
Penalties: Jonathan Sexton (4)
South Africa:
Try: Ruan Pienaar
Conversion: Patrick Lambie
Penalties: Lambie (3)
Teams:
Ireland
15 Simon Zebo, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Keith Earls, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Andrew Trimble, 10 Jonny Sexton, 9 Connor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Chris Henry, 6 Peter O'Mahony, 5 Donncha Ryan, 4 Mike McCarthy, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Cian Healy
Substitutes: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 David Kilcoyne, 18 Michael Bent, 19 Donnacha O'Callaghan, 20 Ian Henderson, 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Ronan O'Gara, 23 Fergus McFadden
South Africa
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Jacques Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adrian Strauss, 1 CJ Van Der Linde
Substitutes: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Patrick Cilliers, 19 Flip van der Merwe, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Morne Steyn, 22 Juan de Jongh, 23 Lwazi Mvovo
Referee: Wayne Barnes (ENG)
HAVE YOUR SAY: Your thoughts on the Springboks' performance against Ireland? Who was your man-of-the-match and will Heyneke Meyer's men go on to beat Scotland and England in their remaining two tour Tests? Send your thoughts to Sport24.
After a half blighted by poor play and the concession of 11 penalties, leading to a 12-3 deficit, the visitors turned up the intensity and kept Ireland scoreless in the second half to consign Declan Kidney's understrength side to defeat.
The Springboks had looked vulnerable, and the hosts impressive, but a half time speech by coach Heyneke Meyer had the desired effect and with skipper Jamie Heaslip sent to the sin-bin moments after the restart, the Boks ruthlessly notched up 10 points to steal ahead and grab a lead they refused to relinquish.
Meyer's side came to Dublin hoping to banish the memories of a disappointing third place finish in the Rugby Championship and ease the pressure on the coach, under whose stewardship the Boks have won just four of nine matches.
Meyer had to plan without a host of stars and even worse was to come as Tendai Mtawarira was forced to withdraw hours before kick-off, taken to hospital after a recurrence of mild heart palpitations.
CJ van der Linde, who spent two years in Dublin with Leinster, stepped in to the breach but Meyer did have some consistency in his selection, with just three other changes from the side that lost to New Zealand in the last game of the Rugby Championship.
Ireland coach Declan Kidney made seven changes in personnel from the team that was humiliated 60-0 by New Zealand in June.
The hosts were hit by an injury crisis and lined up without Brian O'Driscoll, Paul O'Connell, Rory Best, Sean O'Brien, Stephen Ferris and Rob Kearney, forcing the hosts into some major restructuring.
Ireland raced into a six-point lead by the ten minute mark thanks to a combination of Jonny Sexton's flawless kicking and South African indiscipline.
South Africa were struggling to get on the front foot, but a good midfield break from JP Pietersen brought the Boks into Irish territory and a Lambie penalty kick put the first points on the board for the visitors.
Discipline continued to hamper their efforts though, and with the Irish growing in confidence Sexton added a third penalty on 21.
South Africa were on the back foot now, and coughed up another penalty which Sexton dispatched with ease to put nine points between the sides.
The crowd were enjoying the spectacle, but the noise level lifted a notch when Pietersen enraged both the home crowd and players by charging dangerously into Chris Henry as the Ulster backrow stood waiting to catch a high ball.
Fists flew as referee Wayne Barnes sent the Boks winger to the bin, with Pietersen perhaps lucky to avoid a red card.
With the clock ticking toward half time, Keith Earls squandered Ireland's best try-scoring opportunity, throwing his pass ahead of Bowe with the winger in space out wide.
Sexton and Pienaar missed kicks before the break, but the key moments were to come after the restart as the Boks upped their tempo and turned the game on its head.
Skipper Jamie Heaslip was sent to the bin for collapsing a maul with South Africa camped on the Irish line and just seconds later the Boks ruthlessly pushed home their advantage through a try by Pienaar.
Lambie added the extras to put the visitors ahead for the first time in the match and the young outhalf slotted another penalty on 69 minutes to ensure victory.
Scorers:
Ireland:
Penalties: Jonathan Sexton (4)
South Africa:
Try: Ruan Pienaar
Conversion: Patrick Lambie
Penalties: Lambie (3)
Teams:
Ireland
15 Simon Zebo, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Keith Earls, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Andrew Trimble, 10 Jonny Sexton, 9 Connor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Chris Henry, 6 Peter O'Mahony, 5 Donncha Ryan, 4 Mike McCarthy, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Cian Healy
Substitutes: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 David Kilcoyne, 18 Michael Bent, 19 Donnacha O'Callaghan, 20 Ian Henderson, 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Ronan O'Gara, 23 Fergus McFadden
South Africa
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Jacques Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adrian Strauss, 1 CJ Van Der Linde
Substitutes: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Patrick Cilliers, 19 Flip van der Merwe, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Morne Steyn, 22 Juan de Jongh, 23 Lwazi Mvovo
Referee: Wayne Barnes (ENG)
HAVE YOUR SAY: Your thoughts on the Springboks' performance against Ireland? Who was your man-of-the-match and will Heyneke Meyer's men go on to beat Scotland and England in their remaining two tour Tests? Send your thoughts to Sport24.
