'Frawley redemption at the heart of famous Irish win'

As he entered a raucous 'Shark Tank' successful Durban, joining an Ireland broadside reeling from nan thunderous hits and relentless unit of a resurgent South Africa, Ciaran Frawley wasn't prepared to relive past traumas.

Seven weeks ago, Frawley could beryllium recovered bowing his caput astatine Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, his missed drop-goal effort stopping Leinster from becoming European champions for nan first clip since 2018.

Having been teed up by Jamison Gibson-Park, Frawley uncorked a footwear from region pinch conscionable seconds remaining, his agony increasing arsenic he watched it drift to nan left.

As Toulouse celebrated, Frawley looked arsenic crestfallen arsenic immoderate subordinate successful bluish having besides missed a footwear that would person fixed Leinster renewed dream successful extra-time.

Such a high-profile and costly miss would beryllium capable for a batch of players to time off 1 of rugby's dying arts successful their locker.

But not Frawley. Having replaced Jack Crowley pinch 20 minutes remaining successful yet different sadistic version of nan heavyweight rugby rivalry that keeps connected giving, Frawley decided he was owed a header aliases two.

With an error-strewn Ireland connected nan ropes and staring down nan tube astatine back-to-back defeats for nan first clip since 2021, Frawley snatched a celebrated Irish triumph pinch not 1 but 2 masterful swings of his correct boot.

The first 1 arrived pinch conscionable complete 10 minutes near connected nan clock. With South Africa starring 24-19, having forced a full displacement successful momentum pursuing an awesome first half from nan Irish, Frawley received a walk from replacement scrum-half Caolin Blade.

Glancing astatine nan posts and adjusting nan shot successful his hands, Frawley drilled a heat-seeker betwixt nan sticks to resistance Ireland backmost to wrong two.

With Ireland surviving nan adjacent 10 minutes, Blade again flung nan shot to Frawley. As clip ticked into nan red, different rocket from nan number 22's correct footwear sailed betwixt nan posts.

Having already executed a superb footwear done a oversea of South African bodies that gave Ireland nan line-out that led to his buzzer beater, it capped a hugely effective cameo from Frawley connected his sixth cap.

As referee Karl Dickson blew his whistle, Frawley wheeled distant successful jubilation, his ecstatic team-mates joining him arsenic a heavyweight classical ended pinch those successful greenish toasting a triumph for nan ages.

For Ireland, it was a 2nd triumph connected South African ungraded successful 12 attempts. For Frawley - who later revealed Ireland had prepared for nan drop-goal script - it was redemption successful its sweetest form.

"I had a spot of disappointment pinch Leinster astatine nan extremity of nan play against Toulouse," said Frawley, still processing nan biggest infinitesimal of his career.

"There nan drop-goal went to nan left, truthful it was bully to spot this 1 spell done nan posts."

Watching nan grin break retired connected Frawley's face, it was intolerable not to callback nan awesome Johnny Sexton, his arms outstretched, stunning nan Stade de France into soundlessness pinch a glorious drop-goal successful nan 2018 Six Nations.

And while it whitethorn person lacked nan Grand Slam-clinching mania of Ronan O'Gara against Wales successful 2009, it still stands arsenic 1 of nan much unforgettable moments by an Ireland subordinate successful nan 15 years since.

When Sexton drew nan curtain connected his Test profession successful nan aftermath of Ireland World Cup exit astatine nan hands of nan All Blacks, it near a sizeable spread successful nan Irish attack.

Jack Crowley, who served arsenic Sexton's apprentice astatine nan World Cup, has been entrusted pinch nan No.10 jersey, and while nan Munster man enjoyed a dependable Six Nations, Frawley has staked his declare for a starting role.

Since making his Leinster debut successful 2018, he has been utilized astatine full-back and successful nan centres, pinch Sexton among those denying nan Sydney-born backmost a tally astatine 10.

Indeed, erstwhile Andy Farrell handed nan 26-year-old his first Ireland start, it was astatine 15 against Wales successful this year's Six Nations. The chances of a early Test profession there, however, look slim fixed Hugo Keenan's consistency and nan emergence of Jamie Osborne, who was hugely awesome connected Saturday.

And while Frawley has not started for Ireland since that Wales game, possibly his clip will travel erstwhile nan All Blacks sojourn Dublin connected 8 November.

For now, though, astatine nan extremity of a draining play of ups and downs for some nine and country, Frawley tin soak up nan acclaim aft becoming Ireland's latest drop-goal hero.

Redemption is often astatine nan bosom of sport's astir compelling moments. It was nary different here.