Coach Rassie Erasmus couldn't hide his grin as the Springboks savored a long-overdue victory in Dublin, beating Ireland 24-13 for their first win there since 2012. This marked a relieving end to a 13-year drought at the Aviva Stadium, making that post-game beer "taste a little better," according to Erasmus. The win on Saturday was also their fourth consecutive triumph on their end-of-year tour, a streak that has the Boks feeling rightfully proud but not overly cocky.
"It was a great win against a team like Ireland, who have had our number since we've been a group," Erasmus reflected. Despite the recent win, he acknowledged the overall record against the Irish still had them trailing. "If you look back at the last five games, they’re still 3-2 up against us, so we won’t get carried away with the result – but the beer tastes a little better."
The game itself was a spectacle of chaos, featuring a red card, five yellows, and frequent momentum shifts. For Erasmus, this was just another day at the office. "We’ve had games with red cards and concussions when there wasn’t even a ping," he said. The physicality was expected, with a crucial 20-minute red card to Ireland's lock James Ryan tipping the scales slightly, though Erasmus admitted capitalizing on these advantages was a challenge.
"It was hectic to manage who went off and who came back on, but that’s Test rugby,"
Springboks captain Siya Kolisi praised the team's adaptability amid the disruptions. "At half-time we had to make plans, but we always knew what was happening," Kolisi shared. His team took strategic penalties and exploited their numerical advantage, particularly in the scrum which proved to be a key battleground.
Malcolm Marx, freshly crowned World Rugby Player of the Year, echoed the sentiment of a bruising battle upfront. "It was a tough game and having that many scrums wasn’t pleasing on the neck," Marx admitted, still lauding the Irish for their resilient second-half performance.
"They’re a quality side with a quality pack. They held us out in the second half – they showed their quality,"
Despite the imperfections in their game, Erasmus was content with the outcome and the effort required to achieve it. "Ireland were just as physical to keep us out with the tackles and turnovers inside the 22," he noted. If the Irish had scored in the final minutes, it would've reset the game, highlighting the tightrope walked by the Boks to clinch this victory.
With the Dublin monkey finally off their back, the Springboks now turn their focus to Cardiff, where they will face Wales in the final Test of their tour. The hard-fought win over Ireland not only boosted their spirits but also set a high bar for the conclusion of their seasonal campaign.