The series decider takes place in PE today.
Kick-off is at 5pm.
South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Julian Redelinghuys, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Jaco Kriel, 21 Rudy Paige, 22 Morné Steyn, 23 Lwazi Mvovo.
Ireland: 15 Tiernan O’Halloran, 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Luke Marshall, 12 Stuart Olding, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Jordi Murphy, 6 CJ Stander, 5 Devin Toner, 4 Iain Henderson, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best (captain), 1 Jack McGrath.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Finlay Bealham, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Ultan Dillane, 20 Rhys Ruddock, 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Matt Healy.
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Go Lions! 😈
springboks record in pe: played 19 lost 1 .
Here come the anthems!
Eish. Irish captain chewing gum while his national anthem is played.
@Bokhoring (Comment 4) : ????
@Bokhoring (Comment 4) : My emoji with wide eyes staring came out as ????
@pastorshark (Comment 5) : Best not singing and chewing something while his anthem is played.
Here we go…
Whitely and Combrinck pumped!!!
@Bokhoring (Comment 7) : Exactly what I thought….
SA starting with a lot of fire, but a bit over eager.
Kickoff Jantjies, good chase Whitely…next Bok forwards penalised…
Good play by Ireland through plenty phases before the mistake came…
First scrum…very good first scrum Boks…
First scrum a lot better from SA
Boks get a penalty for the Irish 13 being in front of the kicker…
Jantjies will take the shot…
@Bokhoring (Comment 15) : Muuuuch better…
Good kick by Jantjies…3-0 after 5 minutes…
Jantjies kicks a difficult penalty.
Huge scrum Boks and they earn a penalty…
SA wins a scrum penalty on half line.
Jantjies misses the second one and it stays 3-0 after 9 minutes…
Excellent win in the air by JPP…but de Allende loses it…
Beast has started like a house on fire…
I think Willie is going to get red for that.
Willie tackles a guy in the air and will be in trouble here…TMO checking…
Willie clearly looking at the ball and jumping for it…but will be in trouble…
Phew…Willie only gets yellow…
Yellow is probably pretty fair there.
@Bokhoring (Comment 30) : I think it is fair…but probably also a bit lucky given what’s gone before. For me the fact that his eyes are very firmly on the ball makes it a fair call…
More good Bok scrumming…that is pleasing to see…
@pastorshark (Comment 31) : Agreed
De Allende penalised at the breakdown…
Ireland looking very dangerous against 14 men…hard on the attack…
Multiple phases deep in our 22…and finally they score…
Good try…
Ireland very efficient with ball in hand. Poor tackle from Jantjies at the end.
3-7 after 16 minutes…
Very poor defence by Jantjies…
Several Irish players in front of the kicker there…not blown…nice counter sparked by de Klerk but it breaks down…
Bok lineout lost…
Lazy play by Malherbe gives Ireland a penalty…
All Ireland at the moment. Eventually Malherbe gives a penalty away that Jackson misses.
3-10 after 21 minutes…OR NOT! Poor miss by Jackson…still 3-7 after 21 mins…and le Roux back on…
Another penalty to Ireland…and Jackson will get another shot…
SA needs to improve their discipline. 10-3
This time he nails it and it is now 3-10 after 23 minutes…
Boks win another scrum penalty…
And this time Jantjies nails it and it is 6-10 after 32 minutes…
Louw wins a breakdown penalty…
Ireland almost away…but there was a knock in there…
Another big Bok scrum earns them a penalty…Faf takes it quickly…no ways were those players 10 back but the ref insists they were…poor reffing!!
The tackler was maybe 3m back…wow, Glenn Jackson…
More good work by the Bok forwards…
GREAT TRY BOKS!!
Really good turnover, then built up play and the cross kick by Jantjies put JPP in…
The conversion is good!
@pastorshark (Comment 57) : Good thinking by Jantjies and perfectly weighted. And JP finishes. What?
That is halftime and the Boks lead 13-10…
@coolfusion (Comment 59) : Perfectly weighted…perfectly plucked from the air…well done all around…
Why don’t we get the same JP as the boks do?
Must say Faf oppertunism almost cost us. Still very much a cowboy. He should make sure of his backup and protect the ball better. It would have been nice if he got through but the odds were against it more than for…
Irish commentators saying Willies contest was legal and not punishable. Unlike standers deliberate foul play.
Second half underway…
Good defence Boks and they win a penalty…
And this time Ireland win the breakdown penalty…well done, Stander…
Also much better maul defence by the Boks today…
Still 13-10 after 46 minutes…
Combrinck ads a helluva lot
Boks win a free kick at scrum time…Combrinck taking line kicks…
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 70) : Definitely…
Nice play by the Boks, but Whitely just couldn’t get it away…penalty Ireland a few phases later…
Deliberate knock down gives Ireland a penalty…they set up a lineout on our 22…
GREAT defensive intercept by Faf saves a certain try…
Jantjies’s exit kicks have been dismal. Now Combrinck takes the kick and it’s just as bad.
One area where the Boks have struggled today is territory…
Ireland seem to have stepped up a gear…
Is a ball that comes off the chest without touching any part of arm or hand really a knock on?
Would be great if Ireland’s U20’s can take the cup.
Another huge scrum by the Boks wins them another scrum…
@pastorshark (Comment 79) : Not as far as I know….
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 80) : Agreed…
Great kick by Combrinck earns the Boks 3 points…16-10 after 59 minutes…
Kriel comes on for his cap…
@pastorshark (Comment 85) : …and starts with a good tackle!
Brilliant mark by the Irish 10…
Abortion of a lineout…what was that?!
@pastorshark (Comment 83) : Won”t make the embarrassment of the Baby Bok performance against the Argies any less cringe worthy, but one can’t have everything hey 🙁
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 89) : Too true…
@pastorshark (Comment 88) : I think you answered the question in the first half of your comment 😆
16-10 after 66 minutes…
De Allende…that was kak…
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 91) : 🙂
19-10 after 68 minutes…
@pastorshark (Comment 93) : Barring the one break for his try last week, he’s been kak for a while now. He hasn’t put Mapoe in space once.
19-13 after 70 minutes…
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 96) : And that break was largely due to tired Irish…
Mbonambi is going to have sat on the bench for 3 tests without getting a cap, isn’t he?
@pastorshark (Comment 98) : Yes, defense wasn’t great.
Mostert on…
@pastorshark (Comment 99) : Coetzee won’t risk it. He’s on the cusp of a historical Bok series loss
Ireland can still win this…
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 102) : Sure…not great for a player (and his confidence) though…
After sooo many Irish phases, the Boks win a penalty…
@pastorshark (Comment 104) : That’s SA Rugby for you…
Aaaand the is Mbonambi’s cap…
Ireland in the Bok 22 and will push hard for the win in the final minute…
Hooter goes…Ireland still attack…
GREAT defence by Faf…and the Boks win a penalty and the game…WOW! That was FAAAAR too close…
Faf deklerk my motm
We are so screwed in the RC! Going to be nothing but AB fodder.
We only had 31% possession?!?!
Faf makes 2 game saving tackles in the last quarter. Good job!
@pastorshark (Comment 107) : Hehe spoke too soon
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 112) : That sees a given…
@pastorshark (Comment 113) : We kicked everything away as per traditional Bok rugby
@pastorshark (Comment 116) : …seems…
Reinforces my worry that we have nothing to offer at scrumhalf but Faf. Paige nowhere good enough to play at this level of intensity Ditto Reinach.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 117) : And struggles with territory…ai…
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 112) : Gonna be a whitewash.
@Ben (Comment 121) : Did you get your black on yellow jersey?
Big changes needed. This can’t be how we’re going to play or the personnel we’re going to stick with if we’re to entertain even a sniff of becomg the number 2 side.
JPP MOTM??
@coolfusion (Comment 122) : No?
Credit to the Irish, far better team than we give them credit for…our away record against them over the past few years reinforces this.
Boks still carting “class/reputation” along…duhduhduhlende, Willie, Strauss and Louw – someone please put up a vacancy sign for these positions.
@pastorshark (Comment 124) : I’m surprised too.
Ireland came close…sjoe!
Whiteley needs to keep starting berth Redelinghuis instead of Maherbe. Keep Combrinck that kick return is immensely valuable on wing. I would look available different partner for Mapoe. De Allende should play impact.
@Ben (Comment 127) : I mean JPP was much better today…but MOTM? Hmm…
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 112) : This morning’s demolition of a pretty decent Welsh team just shows it will be al NZ and the rest will fight for second place.
Nick mallett needs to learn the laws? Surely you can only play the vall after 5m if you have run forward from 10m or another tackler puts you onside
@Pastor agree with you. Improved JPP but not MOTM. . Definitely Faf
@Sharkfinn (Comment 133) : JP may have scored the try that put the Boks ahead but Faf made a very probable try saving tackle at the end.
@Bokhoring (Comment 131) : Jip 😐
@coolfusion (Comment 129) : I would pick lambie at 12 instead of De Allende and then keep Elton at 10.We would then have 2 left footed and two right footed kickers in the backline, with 3 of them being able to kick for goal
@Bokhoring (Comment 134) : Faf saved our arses twice in the last 10 min.
Must say I’m glad beast played a great game , I criticized him last week about not being the beast from 08 but he really played a exceptional game today, and the crowd actually had a chance to chant beasssssst !
@schrodingers cat (Comment 136) : would like to see francois venter get a chance at no12 or no13.
@50shadesofshark (Comment 139) : Ja I’m onboard with that. Need lambie tactical boot on 10 and an intuitive player like venter inside Mapoe. Willie and Combrinck give us enough options with the boot. Jantjies on impact. Need someone who can keep up with faf. He kind of gets himself isolated quite frequently. Pollard will also give us an extra option at 12 when he is ready again.
@coolfusion (Comment 141) : faf is a tiger on defence.made 2 try-saving plays : first 7ith that intercept 5m from boks’ line and then the spot-tackle at the end.
@coolfusion (Comment 140) : I think Willie needs a reboot. Combrinck/Goosen/Lambie 15. I think Jantjies and Pollard could combine well and create the currently absent space for Mapoe.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 142) : Jantjies for me still not too great with pressure. Goosen def an option at 15 he had been doing well there. We must get Mapoe a creative inside who is also a good distributor. Good news is we have many options. We must however adress scrumhalf. We need a proper backup for faf someone who can introduce a different style to Faf. The AB will read him and find a way to neutralize then we must be able to keep them guessing.
@50shadesofshark (Comment 141) : Yup he did very well.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 142) : Combrinck needs to stay at wing that boot on wing will give us an edge. Just needs more time with the team.
@coolfusion (Comment 143) : Reinach is perfect, or at least he used to be, before he got turned into a second rate Ruan Pienaar.
Give Jantjies time. He isn’t the problem in our backs. De Allende, Willie and to a lesser extent JPP aren’t pulling their weight.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 146) : Ja Damian for me is an impact player and Maybe Willie is too.
England rugby is looking rosy. Whitewash in Aus for the seniors, Saxons twice easily beating our second team and U20 ‘s third junior title in four years.
@coolfusion (Comment 147) : True. Impacts the first defender he sees. 🙄
Mapoe has been bad. He was selected as 13. That’s his position. He must own it. This excuse by people that his bad form is because of De Allende is bullshit. He was selected on his own not as a pair. I was calling for his inclusion to the Boks since last year but I see now that I was wrong and Meyer was right.
Jaco Kriel didn’t wow either. Let’s face it this Ireland team hasn’t been playing at their best and are still a lot of hassle for us. Looking at their games before this I can see they haven’t been firing on all cylinders. What does it mean for us? RD is only a month and a half away and they won’t have time together So AC will go with combos he picked in this test series, and to me, those combos are still not there.
@sudhir (Comment 150) : I think combos are important. De Allende clicked with his WP outside centre de Jongh. Mnisi and Mapoe obviously have an understanding. The same with Thompson/Muir, Bunce/Little, Horan/Little….
Considering how little time Coetzee had to prep the team, he should have picked in-form combinations. Any idiot can see that De Allende’s game has taken a massive dive so to pick him as Mapoe’s partner, who is the standout 13 in SA in the Lions setup, wasn’t exactly brilliant by Coetzee.
@sudhir (Comment 150) : yes sorry to see the times he got the ball he did nothing with it (especially passing it to the wings). Personally I would prefer JPP at 13!
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 152) : Mnisi is good but nowhere near Bok quality! Currently the only 12 (with a SA passport) that’s in form is Frans Steyn so I hope they select him for RC!!!
@JD (Comment 154) : I would still take an out of form FS over any of yhe other pretenders except perhaps for that young Lions player
@JD (Comment 153) : yes I agree Mapoe is not the real deal at 13
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 146) : CR is “perfect”,eish
@benji (Comment 155) : who?
@schrodingers cat (Comment 158) : my bad I cant think of his name right now
1 week van for Willie.
I wonder if Bosch will be thrown in the deep-end at 15, or whether it will be April at 15, with Lambie at 10.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 160) : *ban
@benji (Comment 156) : Mapoe is performing in the Lions team but he struggled with the bokke. However he did not received a lot of balls to show what he can do and with the balls that he did get it looked to me as if he was desperately trying to prove he deserved to be there and thus he played a bit selfish.
@schrodingers cat (Comment 158) : @benji (Comment 159) : Ruan Janse van Rensburg?
@FireTheLooser (Comment 160) : ban of Willie is totally idiotic!!!! He was competing for the ball!!!!!
@JD (Comment 163) : thats him thanks
@JD (Comment 164) : @benji (Comment 160) : good player.strong runner at 108 kg and seems to look for the gap and off-load.not a one-dimensional basher.
@JD (Comment 164) : At least ban him for the next bok match,who cares! Now he is missing a very important match for us!
@50shadesofshark (Comment 166) : yes agree also shows good skills level
@JD (Comment 164) :
And Stander was going for a charge down……… .No matter. They shouldn’t have got themselves in those positions in the first place.
@HeinF (Comment 167) : I wouldn’t want Willie kicking (read: gifting) the ball to a very dangerous Lions team.
One thing Bosch commands: a very accurate/lethal kicking boot.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 170) : I agree I think Willie has become a liability,the opposition have weighed and measured him
@fyndraai (Comment 169) : Willie was going (and looking into the air) for the ball and had a real chance of getting the ball, CJ only jumped for the “charge down” afrer the ball had already passed him so there was now chance for a charge down but hey it’s done and no matter how we feel he will miss the Lions game!
Just for interest I’m sure in soccer it works in competitions so if a player is suspended for a couple of games in UEFA competition he’s allowed to play in other competitions like International games or English Premier league and his suspension will only take effect in the next UEFA game, similarly if he’s suspended in say the Premier league he can play in UEFA competitions and will only miss the next Premier league game(s). Maybe time rugby take a look at it and also implement it.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 170) : @benji (Comment 171) : not sure if they must risk Bosch maybe Joe (or even Odwa) would be a safer option.
@JD (Comment 173) : Bosch on bench rather with Joe starting. Is there confirmation Pat is 100% ready?
@Kabouter (Comment 174) : with all the Lions euphoria and Ackers involvement with SA A, maybe it is the perfect time for a smash and grab win in jhb!
@JD (Comment 172) : Ja I must agree. And if you watched the match on sky sports the Irish commentators spent a lot of time talking about that incident and reaching the conclusion that he was competing and he did think he had a reasonable chance of winning the bal. Which is what the law requires. Sharks should appeal the decision.
@benji (Comment 157) : You must read the whole sentence, which includes “…or at least he used to be, before he got turned into a second rate Ruan Pienaar.”
Reinach at the Lions under Ackerman would be a very different player to the kickbot he’s been turned into at the Sharks and Boks.