World Champions Beaten as Ireland make it a Vintage Year

Ireland 15 South Africa 10
Grand Slam Champions Ireland acheived an unbeaten calendar year as they came from behind to beat the World Champions in a seesaw second half at Croke Park and Daniel Pitchside Pitcher was inevitably pitchside for Sportspeak;

Jonathan Sexton coolly kicked Ireland to a well deserved 15-10 victory over South Africa in a sold out Croke Park this afternoon as the Grand Slam champs ended the year un-beaten. Sexton, playing only his second Test, kicked five penalties in another composed display that justified his selection ahead of Ronan O’Gara.

The only try of a bruising match was scored by South African flanker Schalk Burger in the 16th minute, and Ireland, who showed more intent to pass the ball wide, will have been disappointed by their failure to defend the tourists’ line.

On the pitch with nine Lions who played in the summer’s games, Ireland were very much so motivated to make it three wins in a row against the world champions. It was to the boks enormous credit that their line went un broken in a match that started brightly but faded as Ireland brilliantly seized total control in the second half, coming off an early 10-3 deficit.

South Africa out-half Morne Steyn, who booted a conversion and drop goal, missed three penalties and other than Burger’s try, their only tactic was to bombard GUINNESS man-of-the-match Rob Kearney with kicks. Andries Bekker stepped up from the bench, where there was no good second row cover, but there was little in the way of fatigue from a frantic opening.

Quick thinking from Stephen Ferris forced a lucky turnover which set Jamie Heaslip and Tommy Bowe free and the Springboks, with their defence stretched, had to concede a penalty. Sexton stepped up to land a monster penalty but the visitors’ response was excellent with Burger galloping over for a try.

Burger celebrated his score by kicking the ball into the stands, provoking a chorus of boohs from the Irish supporters who had defiantly not forgotten his eye gouge on Luke Fitzgerald during the Lions tour. The frantic pace continued as Brian O’Driscoll somehow got through a host of South African jerseys and Ireland poured forward with Heaslip and Ferris making wrecking-ball runs.

Steyn kicked a drop goal to rub their noses in it and despite keeping territory and possession, Ireland found themselves trailing 10-3. Showing superb composure, Sexton slotted a tricky penalty to reduce the deficit and then watched as Steyn squandered six points by missing two long range kicks in the closing minutes of the first half.

Ireland’s scrum encountered further problems but they restored morale with two Sexton penalties that nudged them 12-10 ahead. Gordon D’Arcy, on as a replacement for the injured Paddy Wallace, and flanker Sean O’Brien, who came on for Ferris, added their carrying abilities as the men in white began to steam roll South Africa, wilting beneath the relentless pressure, conceded another penalty but this time Sexton missed.

Replacement number 10 Ruan Pienaar struck the post with a penalty attempt and then Sexton missed for a second time. South Africa managed to launch one final do-or-die assault that saw Tendai Mtawarira run down the right wing, but Ireland nervously defended their line – their efforts summed up by O’Driscoll’s crucial last-minute tackle on Zane Kirchner.

A superb finish to a year that has seen Declan Kidney’s charges take their unbeaten run to 11 matches. This also comes on the same day Declan Kidney was awarded IRB head coach of the year for 2009 and well deserved too.

Bob "The Voice" McKenzie Twitter: @BobTheVoice About: