A drop kick for the ages from Ireland's Ciaran Frawley sees them beat South Africa and level the series at one game each
Ciarán Frawley of Ireland kicks a drop goal during the second test between South Africa and Ireland at Kings Park in Durban, South Africa. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
South Africa 24
Ireland 25
Replacement outhalf Ciaran Frawley won a bruising second Test against world champions South Africa with a fantastic drop goal from 40m with the last kick of the game at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban on Saturday afternoon.
Frawley had scored a drop goal from almost the same spot ten minutes previously, to give Ireland a chance, and he really stepped up to the plate to announce himself at this level with his late strike.
Ireland capitalised on an early offside by Eben Etzebeth to take the lead with a Jack Crowley penalty from 30m in the 6th minute.
Early injuries to Willie le Roux, Franco Mostert and Etzebeth had the effect of defusing the Springbok bomb squad somewhat, which Andy Farrell would not have been too upset about.
Ireland struck for a superb opening try in the 13th minute.
A beautifully flat inside pass by Jack Crowley put Jamie Osborne through a gap, and the full back was able to pop to Robbie Henshaw, who in turn released the supporting Conor Murray to waltz in for a try.
Handre Pollard got the home side on the board with a penalty from inside his own half in the 19th minute, as the Springbok scrum started to twist the knife.
Springbok number eight Kwagga Smith charged down Crowley in the 27th minute and looked as if he was in the process of running in a try, only for the scrambling Osborne to brilliantly deny him with a last-ditch tackle, which was followed up by a fantastic steal on the deck by Garry Ringrose.
The Boks disrupted an Irish scrum in the 34th minute and were duly awarded a penalty, which Pollard slotted, as the set piece continued to give the reigning world champions a way back into the tie.
Pieter-Steph du Toit conceded a soft penalty soon after, as he bumped Robbie Henshaw as he chased a Crowley up and under, and the Innishannon outhalf punished the indiscretion, and right on half time he added another to ensure Ireland took a deserved 6-16 lead into the half time break.
The Boks came out for the second half with all guns blazing and Pollard notched three-pointers in the 45th and 48th minutes, except by now Ireland captain Caelan Doris was in the sinbin after he was spotted dropping all his body weight on the prone leg of Malcolm Marx.
South Africa kept chipping away at Ireland’s lead with Pollard punishing another indiscretion in the 53rd minute with another expert kick, and just three minutes later they leapfrogged Ireland into the lead with Pollard’s sixth penalty.
The bleeding was halted when Crowley slotted from 40m in the 59th minute to restore Ireland’s lead, but Pollard scored again within a minute after a harsh penalty call on Joe McCarthy, and the outhalf added another in the 65th minute.
Cian Healy was held up in the 69th minute but from the resultant restart Ciaran Frawley executed a sumptuous drop goal from 40m to get Ireland back within two.
And lightning struck twice when Frawley repeated the trick to win it at the death with another wonderful drop goal from range.
Scorers for South Africa: H Pollard (8 pens) Ireland: J Crowley (4 pens, 1 con), C Frawley (2 drops), C Murray (1 try) South Africa: W le Roux, C Kolbe, J Kriel, D de Allende, K-L Arendse, H Pollard, F de Klerk; O Nche, B Mbonambi, F Malherbe, E Etzebeth, F Mostert, S Kolisi (capt), P-S du Toit, K Smith.
Subs: S Feinberg-Mngomezulu for W le Roux (2), Etzebeth for Snyman (16), RG Snyman for F Mostert (16), G Williams for F de Klerk (44), M Marx and V Koch for B Mbonambi and F Malherbe (46), M van Staden for S Kolisi (50), G Steenekamp for O Nche (56).
Ireland: J Osborne; C Nash, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, J Lowe; J Crowley, C Murray;
A Porter, R Kelleher, T Furlong, J McCarthy, J Ryan; T Beirne, J van der Flier, C Doris (capt.).
Subs: F Bealham for T Furlong (44), C Healy, R Baird and P O’Mahony for A Porter, J Ryan and J van der Flier (56), C Blade and C Frawley for C Murray and J Crowley (59), S McCloskey for C Nash (61), R Herring for R Kelleher (65).
Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU).
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