Ireland 19 (6) South Africa 16 (6)

“It was frustrating how many opportunities we created but didn’t convert into points. It is something that has happened in our last few games, so we will work hard to correct that.” That was Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber commenting, not after this weekend’s 19-16 loss to Ireland in Dublin, but after losing to Australia in Adelaide on 27 August.

This was Nienaber’s take after the Irish defeat: “We had opportunities that we didn’t capitalize on, but we’ll take the learnings from this match and fix that which we have to next week. The difference tonight was that Ireland used all the chances they created, and we didn’t.”

It’s becoming an all-t0o-familiar refrain, although it’s not inaccurate in any way. The Boks continue to do enough to win games, only to blow chances or fail to execute in the red zone. That 25-17 defeat in Adelaide and this loss in Dublin could have had different narratives if the execution matched the endeavor.

The question now is, how does the team make that change? Is it the tactical approach that needs to be tweaked, or do the Boks need different players to complete the coach’s vision?

Nienaber and co are set to continue through to next year’s World Cup, so raising the question of making a coaching change is both pointless, and to this writer at least, not even an option. Nothing suggests the coach needs to be sacked, but something needs to change.

Ireland wing Rob Baloucoune feels the full force of a Jesse Kriel tackle during a massively physical encounter. (Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile/Gallo Images)

Lamenting the same “lack of execution” problems 10 weeks after publicly identifying them in Adelaide suggests there has been little or no improvement. Tough conversations and decisions need to be made.

It is beyond frustrating watching the Bok side because they do so much right. They are so dominant in periods of the game that it feels that it’s only a matter of time before they tear a good side like Ireland apart. Then they don’t.

It’s difficult to pinpoint, but the Books are so close to being brilliant, yet so far too. The Springboks in some ways are the living, breathing epitome of fine margins in sport.

One broken tackle here, or one accurate pass there and this might have been a different story.

Instead, it’s a story with a familiar theme – acknowledging their monumental effort while also pondering the missed opportunities created through that effort.

Ireland excellent

But let’s also concede that Ireland was excellent. When they were under the cosh in the first half an hour, they held firm in the face of a ferocious Bok onslaught. Their defensive line bent and warped, but never broke.

Maybe the Boks weren’t clinical or clever enough to fracture the line, but that was also a consequence of Ireland’s intensity in that area. Their defense never lost its shape in those early exchanges, and by keeping the Boks at bay, the tourists’ frustration and impatience built.

After 12 minutes Ireland had made 46 tackles to the Boks’ nine. By halftime their tackle count was double that of the Boks, yet the sides went into the break at 6-6.

Johnny Sexton landed two penalties and Ireland gladly survived off scraps, knowing that their chance to transfer pressure would come at some stage. All they had to do was ensure they were in the game when it came.

That period came in the third quarter. The Boks were a little flat after halftime. The introduction of scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park raised Ireland’s intensity and ruck speed on attack.

Combined with the Boks’ period of defensive passivity, relatively speaking, in those crucial 10 minutes after the break Ireland, sensing the moment, pounced.

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Their first try came from a rolling maul where the excellent Josh van der Flier somehow remained in field to ground the ball as the entire maul was being shunted to the sideline. Replays couldn’t provide any proof that the Ireland flank had put a foot in touch and the try stood. The Boks can have no qualms about that decision.

But they could have a moan about the build-up, which led to the decisive lineout. Sexton threw a massive forward pass as Ireland attacked. How the officials missed it remains a mystery and a phase later the Boks conceded a penalty, which led to the lineout, which led to the try. Small margins.

Ireland’s second try, scored by left wing Mack Hansen a few minutes later, started when the Boks let the ball squirt out the back of the ruck. There was no one in attendance as Irish loose forwards Caelan Doris and Van der Flier combined to work the ball left to Hansen’s wing where he had a clear run to the line.

Ireland wing Mack Hansen celebrates after scoring his side’s second try. (Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile/Gallo Images)

Again, in the build-up, prop Andrew Porter threw what looked like a forward pass to hooker Finlay Bealham after receiving Van der Flier’s pass. It went unnoticed and Ireland rode their luck. It happens. The real error was the Boks’ inability to secure a routine ruck.

The Boks fought back well. Franco Mostert’s try had replacement fullback Willie le Roux’s fingerprints all over it. Le Roux put in a grubber down the right, which freed Cheslin Kolbe. Ireland managed to snuff out that attack but when the ball came left, Le Roux slipped into first receiver to make the decisive pass to put Mostert into enough space to complete the score.

Kurt-Lee Arendse’ try four minutes from time was the result of wonderful work from indefatigable lock Eben Etzebeth, who flummoxed three defenders with his stepping and over-the-top pass to the wing.

It was too little, too late though.

Goal-kicking issues

Nienaber gambled in selection without an 80 percent goalkicker, although in many ways, his options were limited. Without the injured Handre Pollard and Elton Jantjies, who is dealing with personal issues, the Bok coach was never going to start Manie Libbok or Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the Aviva cauldron. Damian Willemse was always going to wear 10.

It was a mixed performance from Willemse, who took on the gain line with some success and asked tough questions of Ireland. But after he missed a relatively easy penalty attempt early on, he seemed to lack the confidence to have another go.

The Boks opted to punt their next two penalties – both in kicking range – to touch and go for lineout mauls. In a match that was always going to be tight, not going for points was an error, but also underlined the problem.

Kolbe, who was yellow-carded in the first half for a tip tackle on Hansen, slotted the Boks’ second penalty with the last act of the first half. But he missed the conversions to both tries – Mostert’s being relatively simple.

Had Pollard started, it might have been a different outcome because those kickable penalties they spurned could have been the difference. Again, these were the small margins that decided the outcome.

Sexton missed two touchline conversions as well, but he nailed what proved to be the match-winning penalty from a difficult angle. When it mattered he rose to the occasion.

Ireland captain and flyhalf Johnny Sexton’s difficult penalty to give Ireland a 19-16 lead late in the game against the Springboks proved decisive. (Photo by Oisin Keniry/Getty Images)

“Most people who look back on this game will probably say it (goal-kicking) was the difference between the two sides. Johnny missed a kick or two too, but he nailed the big ones,” Nienaber said.

“We’re working on it. We and the players measure their goalkicking, so they know at what percentage they’re kicking during the week.

“It’s tough, in some instances a miss is actually a kick that hits the posts. It is what it is. None of the goalkickers go out there to miss a goal. Johnny didn’t try to miss his first conversion, for example, but the key is he nailed the big ones and we didn’t. I’ll never blame a player for that. They must just keep working on it, which they are.” DM

Scorers:

Ireland 
Tries: Josh van der Flier, Mack Hansen. Penalties: Johnny Sexton (3).

South Africa
Tries: Franco Mostert, Kurt-Lee Arendse. Penalties: Damian Willemse, Cheslin Kolbe.