Ciarán Frawley revels in match-winning contribution as Ireland stun South Africa
Ireland rookie Ciarán Frawley revelled in his match-winning contribution after landing a last-gasp drop goal to stun world champions South Africa in Durban.
The replacement fly-half split the posts from distance in dramatic fashion with the final action of a thrilling encounter, having executed a similar effort just 10 minutes earlier.
His late heroics on the occasion of his sixth cap earned Andy Farrell’s men a famous 25-24 victory at Kings Park Stadium to secure a 1-1 series draw against rugby’s top-ranked nation.
Asked what was going through his mind, the 26-year-old told Sky Sports: “I just don’t know, to be honest. It’s mental.
“This place is a fortress and it’s so loud. The game was going back and forth, they got momentum there probably for most of the second half.
“But the boys dug in deep. We were in our own half and managed to get up and get the final points, so we’re delighted.
“I’m just going to have a pint now and enjoy that.”
The Six Nations champions looked set to slip to an agonising defeat after fading following a ferocious first-half performance which brought an early try for Conor Murray and a 16-6 lead.
Flawless fly-half Handre Pollard slotted eight penalties to turn the contest in the Springboks’ favour on the back of their 27-20 triumph last weekend in Pretoria.
But Frawley sensationally added to 14 points from Ireland number 10 Jack Crowley to snatch a statement success from Farrell’s 50th Test as head coach.
The extraordinary twist came at the end of an undisciplined second period during which stand-in captain Caelan Doris was sin-binned and the Springboks dominated.
Doris, who led the team after Peter O’Mahony was dropped to the bench, told Sky Sports: “There was pure elation seeing the ball sail over at the end there.
“It was back and forth, there were two points in it so we believed if we got territory we could score.
“We knew what an unbelievable test it was coming over here at the end of the season, playing against the double world champions. We’re definitely happy to finish it on a high.”
Murray’s 14th-minute finish following slick interplay between Jamie Osborne and Robbie Henshaw proved to be the only try of a gripping encounter.
The veteran scrum-half, who was recalled after Munster team-mate Craig Casey was concussed in the first Test, saluted the team’s response after weathering a second-half storm.
“South Africa don’t lose easy, they find a way and it’s so frustrating at times to play against,” Murray told Sky Sports. “But we believed in ourselves.
“Coming into South Africa’s backyard is always going to be a big challenge and we can be really proud.”
South Africa named an unchanged 23, including fielding the most experienced starting XV in the nation’s history.
Springboks captain Siya Kolisi believes the series has firmly established a rivalry between the countries on the back of his side retaining the World Cup last year following a 13-8 pool-stage loss to Ireland in Paris.
“It definitely is because it was tight last week, it was tight this week and at the World Cup too,” he told Sky Sports.
“Obviously at the moment, they have the upper hand. We’ll work hard, learn from this and I’m sure we’ll see them again.”
Speaking of the match, Kolisi added: “In the first half, the intensity and the physicality, they were in charge of that and we were just playing catch-up.
“We weren’t as intense as last week and they were dominating us physically. We did well to fight back.”
Sourse: breakingnews.ie