Frawley drop-goal gives Irish thrilling win over South Africa

South Africa (6) 24

Pens: Pollard 8

Ireland (16) 25

Try: Murray Con: Crowley Pens: Crowley 4 Drop-goals: Frawley 2

Ciaran Frawley kicked a superb drop-goal pinch nan past footwear of nan crippled arsenic Ireland edged South Africa successful a hugely melodramatic and captivating Test successful Durban to gain a tie successful nan series.

At nan extremity of a sadistic 2nd half successful which South Africa battered an error-strewn Irish broadside to overturn a 16-6 half-time deficit, Frawley seized his chance and lifted nan visitors to triumph successful nan astir melodramatic fashion.

It is simply a gut-wrenching conclusion for nan back-to-back world champions, for whom Handre Pollard pounced connected Ireland's rising punishment count to footwear 8 penalties.

But replacement fly-half Frawley, whose first drop-goal brought Ireland to wrong 3 points, nailed a do-or-die footwear from region to spark ecstatic celebrations from nan Six Nations champions.

Introduced successful nan 2nd half, Frawley has etched his sanction into Irish rugby folklore aft condemning South Africa to their first conclusion astatine Kings Park since 2016.

The Leinster back's heroics echoed Johnny Sexton's drop-goal to hit France astatine nan Stade de France successful nan 2018 Six Nations.

Of course, Ireland's flame-haired leader delivered nan heart-stopping crescendo astatine nan extremity of a 2nd half successful which a ascendant South Africa appeared connected people for triumph aft overturning a 10-point shortage to lead 24-19 pinch conscionable complete 10 minutes left.

After a gruelling play that included nan Rugby World Cup past autumn, fans are denied a decider but Ireland will bask successful their latest important triumph nether caput coach Andy Farrell.

Offering a blunt appraisal of his side's first-half capacity successful Pretoria, Farrell said his broadside were "passive" but nan Ireland caput coach will person been overmuch happier pinch really his players fronted up during nan opening exchanges successful nan 'Shark Tank'.

And aft an early Jack Crowley penalty, Ireland trim done nan South African defence pinch Jamie Osborne and Robbie Henshaw combining to tee up Conor Murray, who added to his effort successful nan first Test connected his 10th quality against nan Springboks.

Murray was 1 of respective changes made by Farrell pinch skipper Peter O'Mahony's demotion to nan chair inarguably nan header news.

But contempt a rejuvenated James Ryan's return to nan line-up, Ireland continued to struggle against an exceptionally powerful South African scrum, pinch 2 successful Pollard kicks coming from scrum penalties.

Ireland were besides fixed a mates of let-offs pinch jet-heeled helping Cheslin Kolbe failing to stitchery a walk moments earlier Faf de Klerk's knock-on stalled South Africa's momentum arsenic they applied unit connected nan Irish line.

Ireland, however, utilized nan wounded from past week's conclusion arsenic substance and had nan South African defence scrambling astatine times, though Garry Ringrose squandered a chance to people Ireland's 2nd effort and found a 14-point lead astatine nan break erstwhile he spilled nan ball.

More to follow.

South Africa: W le Roux; C Kolbe; J Kriel, D de Allende; KL Arendse; H Pollard; F de Klerk; O Nche, B Mbonambi, F Malherbe; E Etzebeth, F Mostert; S Kolisi (capt), P-S du Toit, K Smith.

Replacements: M Marx, G Steenekamp, V Koch, S Moerat, RG Snyman, M van Staden, G Williams, S Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

Ireland: J Osborne; C Nash, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, J Lowe; J Crowley, C Murray; A Porter, R Kelleher, T Furlong; J McCarthy, J Ryan; T Beirne, J Van der Flier, C Doris (capt).

Replacements: R Herring, C Healy, F Bealham, R Baird, P O'Mahony, C Blade, C Frawley, S McCloskey.

Sin-bin: Doris (48).

Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU).