A monumental contest between the two teams rated the best in the world went down to an achingly narrow wire as Ireland edged a seismic Rugby World Cup Pool B clash 13-8 (halftime 7-3) at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday night.
Ireland beat the Springboks in their crunch Rugby World Cup Pool B clash at the Stade de France in Paris, with both teams scoring one try apiece. The crowd of 78 542 was glued to the edge of its collective seat as the teams slugged themselves to a virtual standstill with the game-deciding moment coming in the 76th minute with a second scrum penalty deep in the Bok territory to provide enough daylight for Ireland to edge home.
The Boks scored first through a Manie Libbok penalty goal in the sixth minute, after which the game was a proper arm-wrestle with neither side giving an inch.
Six minutes before the break, Mack Hansen put Ireland in the lead with a well-worked try after the Boks were under pressure in their own 22.
Cheslin Kolbe put the Boks in the lead early in the second half, but a Sexton penalty goal gave the Irish a two-point lead with just over 20 minutes to go.
Jack Crowley nailed another penalty goal with time running out to seal victory for the top-ranked team in the world, although the Boks had one last shot with a maul, but they failed to get the ball out with the try line begging.
Scorers:
Springboks 8 (3) – Try: Cheslin Kolbe. Penalty goal: Manie Libbok.
Ireland 13 (7) – Try: Mack Hansen. Conversion: Johnny Sexton. Penalty goals: Sexton, Jack Crowley. – SARugby.co.za
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