Ireland clears South Africa in the clash of the titans – Libération

2023-09-23 23:08:00

Rugby World Cup 2023 in FrancedossierAt the end of a fierce clash, a serious Clover XV beat the too messy Springboks, Saturday September 23, who position themselves as likely opponents of the Blues in the quarter-final.

We were promised a bloodbath, it was an ode to defense. And approximations. In a closed but very committed match, the sober Irish beat a South Africa that was too muddled, incapable of realizing its highlights and who let more than 10 points go to waste.

After a first big tackle as an aperitif for a Stade de France won over to the Irish cause, the start was in favor of the XV du Trèfle but it was ultimately the South Africans who opened the scoring with a penalty. The physical confrontation is there. We highlight several buffers, sometimes borderline, until the first, the only, concussion protocol for Ringrose.

Anxious to send a message, the Irish team systematically chose the penalty without much success, Rónan Kelleher’s throws almost never finding a taker. Until the 32nd minute. True to their strategy, the Irish refused to take a penalty and continued to go into touch. Paid choice, for a try at the other end of winger Mack Hansen.

Overconfident South Africans?

A generally messy first half, at a very brisk pace. And it will be the same until the end. The famous South African strategy aimed at changing a large part of its forward pack at the start of the second half allowed it to win several scrums, until Cheslin Kolbe scored in a corner. But Faf de Klerk from afar and Manie Libbok miss too many points at the foot.

Despite a final shudder in front of the Irish line, it was on a ball released too slowly that the end of the game was whistled. After a lap of honor to the sound of Zombie by the Cranberries, the Irish players left the field with a feeling of accomplishment. Opposite, South Africa gave the feeling of having arrived too sure of its strength, often making the wrong choices and accumulating gross errors in fateful areas. The Springboks offer us the least prolific match of this World Cup, tied with… South Africa, already, against Scotland. Barring a huge surprise, the South Africans should be the opponents of the France team in the quarter-final. With or without Antoine Dupont.