Rassie Erasmus’ Springboks took down Ireland 24-13 on Saturday to record a first win in the Irish capital in 13 years.
Earlier in the week, it was said this was one of the last remaining unticked boxes for Erasmus’ Springboks.
And now it has finally happened. The Springboks have beaten Ireland in their own backyard after 13 long years. Making this result even more special is the fast it’s also Erasmus’ maiden triumph at this venue as coach.
Box ticked.
And just how did the South Africans pull off this rare, but magical feat against an ill-disciplined Irish outfit, often vying for the Boks’ “best in the world” status?
Through a sheer physical onslaught, mainly inspired by forward dominance with a sprinkling of individual brilliance among the backs.
So, who shone brightest in this dominant display, you might wonder?
Well, here are some key player ratings based on today’s individual performances:
SPRINGBOK PLAYER RATINGS
All scores out of 10
SPRINGBOK PROPS – 10
Across the board – from starters Boan Venter and Thomas du Toit to replacements Gerhard Steenekamp and Wilco Louw – the Bok props laid down gauntlet to reaffirm their status as the world’s premier scrummaging unit.
Du Toit once again proved just why he is now a Bok starter when he tracked back in defence to make a remarkable try-saving turnover on the ground right on the tryline.
JASPER WIESE – 8
There’s a reason why he is the first-choice No 8 and the evidence was on full display today again. He served as the Springboks’ primary ball-carrier and posed a constant threat at the breakdown and tackled even better during his time on the field.
MALCOLM MARX – 8
Continued where he left off last week. Actually, he has been playing insane rugby throughout this tour. Marx’s brutal physicality and accuracy at the lineout, as well as his defensive contribution made him one of the best players on the field.
TEAM LINEUPS:
Ireland – 15 Mack Hansen, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 James Lowe, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Caelan Doris (captain), 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Ryan Baird, 5 Tadhg Beirne, 4 James Ryan, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Andrew Porter.
Subs: 16 Rónan Kelleher, 17 Paddy McCarthy, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Cian Prendergast, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Craig Casey, 22 Jack Crowley, 23 Tom Farrell.
South Africa – 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Boan Venter.
Subs: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Andre Esterhuizen, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Manie Libbok.
