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Ireland held off a late surge from South Africa to win their Test 19-16 and underlined their credentials as the world’s No.1 ranked team.
Tries to Josh van der Flier and Mack Hansen early in the second half put Ireland, who lost three players to injury in the first half, into a position of ascendency before Franco Mostert and Kurt-Lee Arendse narrowed the gap.
“It was a hell of a Test match, wasn’t it? It had a bit of everything,” said Ireland coach Andy Farrell after bringing down the world champions.
“We wanted to test ourselves in that regard, in terms of the physicality. It takes my breath away a little bit. Some of the lads played their first game of the season and a lot of lads are down on minutes, and they put in a performance like that. We came out on the right side of it.”
(Photo By Seb Daly/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
After a ferocious first 40 minutes that had more injuries than clean line breaks, Saturday’s game in Dublin opened up early in the second half with quickfire tries from van der Flier and Australian-born Hansen that put Ireland 16-6 ahead.
The host’s defence finally buckled 13 minutes from time when South Africa lock Franco Mostert stretched over but their lack of a recognised goalkicker proved costly as a Johnny Sexton penalty meant a 76th minute Kurt-Lee Arendse try was not enough.
“It was a real, proper Test match, South Africa pressure you in way that not many other teams do,” Ireland captain Sexton said. “We dug in, we didn’t play at our best but sometimes they don’t let you.”
That pressure was clear in an intense start when Ireland had to survive a 17-phase South African blitz, an early indication of how well equipped Andy Farrell’s men were to weather it.
With chances few and far between, Ireland failed to take advantage of a Cheslin Kolbe yellow card and it was the 14-men who were guilty of not putting points on the board. Damian Willemse, who struggled all day at flyhalf, badly missed a shot at goal.
Sexton was never going to miss from point-blank range shortly before the break after the first multi-phase attack of the game for Ireland which began with a Conor Murray lineout break that turned back the clock on the scrumhalf’s 100th cap.
However that was it for the landmark appearance after he pulled up in the process.
South Africa lock Lood de Jager left the field at the same time cradling his arm after the attritional encounter earlier ended Stuart McCloskey’s impressive start with a similar injury, a cruel blow in just his seventh Irish cap in seven years.
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Kolbe, starting at fullback for the first time, added another unfamiliar role to his day when he took over kicking duties and levelled with a penalty in front of the posts.
Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong joined the injury list when he failed to emerge after the break but they made the early breakthrough when Van der Flier sneaked over the line when it looked like the Springboks had driven the Irish pack into touch.
The hosts struck again three minutes later, turning the visitors over on one wing before Hansen finished off on the other to make it 16-6.
South Africa emptied their bench on the hour and one of the those replacements, Mostert, got them back into the game but Kolbe failed to add the extra points.
Sexton made up for two missed conversions with the crucial touchline penalty and Ireland followed up their first ever three-Test series victory in New Zealand in July with another important win against a team they will face again in the World Cup pool stages in France in 10 months’ time.
Meanwhile, Scotland put the wretched memory of their narrow defeat against Australia behind them as they weathered a strong start from Fiji to pull clear in the second half and prevail 28-12 at Murrayfield.
The hosts, who’d missed a last-ditch kick which would have beaten the Wallabies the previous week, had looked set for a smooth afternoon when George Turner’s early try put them ahead on Saturday.
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But Fiji – under the charge of former Scotland coach Vern Cotter – hit back with two tries and temporarily had the home side on the ropes.
Touchdowns either side of halftime by five-eighth Adam Hastings and wing Duhan van der Merwe helped Scotland regain the upper hand.
Replacement scrumhalf Ben White added another try in the closing stages.
In just the second minute, Fiji suffered a setback when debutant Ratu Rotuisolia was sent to the sin-bin for foul play.
Scotland made the extra man count when Turner pushed his way over off a rolling maul. Hastings, given a chance to stake a claim for the No.10 jersey, converted.
Setareki Tuicuvu wasted a penalty kick chance in front of the posts then made amends with a try on the end of a lovely flowing Fiji attack.
The returning Rotuisolia then touched down in the 23rd for the lead, with Vilimoni Botitu taking over the kicking duties to convert for 12-7.
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To add to Scotland’s woes, fullback Stuart Hogg was sin-binned as a result of his team being persistently penalised.
With Hogg off, the Scots were fortunate not to concede more points as they withstood intense Fijian pressure.
They rediscovered their composure after he returned, and in the last action of the half, Hastings produced an impressive piece of skill to get himself free and score behind the posts.
He also converted to edge Scotland ahead 14-12 at the break, much to the relief of the home crowd.
The Scots stretched their lead in the 49th when van der Merwe received a looping pass from Chris Harris on the left and stepped away from two Fijians to score.
Fiji wing Vinaya Habosi was sin-binned in the 61st for a high tackle on Scotland replacement prop Rory Sutherland, and they later received a third yellow card to replacement prop Livai Natave.
The Scots were able to celebrate their fourth try moments later when White claimed possession from the back of the scrum and scurried over.
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Scotland wing Darcy Graham was yellow-carded in the last minute but the win was secure.
Italy, meanwhile, flushed the bitter taste of their historic rugby Test loss to Georgia by thrashing Samoa with a record 49-17 scoreline.
The Italians became the first tier one side to fall to the Georgians in July, and had to stew on the result for four months until facing the touring Samoans, the Pacific Nations Cup champions.
Italy frolicked in perfect afternoon conditions in front of a sellout crowd at cosy Stadio Plebiscito in Padua on Saturday, scoring six tries with doubles for wings Montanna Ioane and Pierre Bruno.
“The boys have been dying to get out there, and did really well,” said scrumhalf Stephen Varney, back after missing Italy’s last five Tests.
Varney, 21, and halves partner Paolo Garbisi, 22, pulled the strings to produce Italy’s highest score and biggest win against Samoa.
The Azzurri were ruthlessly efficient in Samoa’s 22, virtually taking every chance with brilliant finishing. They even broke out from their own 22 for the best try of a surprisingly one-sided match.
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Samoa finished with tries to former Wallabies back Duncan Paia’aua and flanker Theo McFarland, but they were little consolation.
“That’s not good enough,” Samoa captain Michael Alaalatoa said. “We need an 80-minute performance.”
Samoa are in Georgia next weekend, while Italy welcome Australia.
