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Three tries in 12-minute spell either side of the break decisive for Ireland in third-place playoff
So, 2020 finishes as it started for both these teams, Ireland beating Scotland in Dublin in the third-place Autumn Nations Cup playoff in a manner that came without any of the ifs, buts and maybes that accompanied the 19-12 Six Nations outcome last February.
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Stuart Hogg’s error in dropping the ball over the try line was the main talking point ten months ago, the consensus being that the Scots had left a positive result behind them.
However, the visitors could have no complaints here, Ireland bouncing back from a pedestrian opening half-hour to score three tries in a dominant twelve minute spell either side of the interval, the first coming with Duncan Taylor in the sin-bin following his yellow card for a deliberate knock-on.
That 19-point scoring burst was the winning of the game for Ireland and while there was a momentary wobble when Duhan van der Merwe darted in for an opportunistic try, the hosts finished the game the stronger outfit and were fully deserving of their 31-16 win which would have been even more generous had Peter O’Mahony not put a foot in touch when scoring late on.
This had been billed as a contest between two teams who had been tracking along a similar wavelength since respective brutal 2019 World Cup exits, both coming into this play playoff with identical W5 L3 records for this calendar year.
?? @IrishRugby overcome @Scotlandteam to claim 3rd place in the #AutumnNationsCup!
2 tries from @KEITHEARLS87 as he becomes @IrishRugby's second-highest try scorer of all time ?#IREvSCO pic.twitter.com/mWT9F3GwYL
— Autumn Nations Series (@autumnnations) December 5, 2020
Scotland arrived buoyed by recent away wins at Wales and Italy and while their forwards were initially combative for the opening period that saw them 9-3 ahead after 27 minutes, they didn’t possess the resilience to secure what would have been their most important road win of the year.
They started brightly, Jamie Ritchie demonstrating he was going to be a breakdown nuisance by stealing ruck ball, and even when he was penalised at the breakdown which CJ Stander carried to, Johnny Sexton was wide with the seven-minute penalty attempt.
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Zander Fagerson was next to get in on the poaching act, bottling up James Ryan for the infringement that resulted in Jaco van der Walt, the latest new cap under the 36-month residency rule, seeing a long-range penalty attempt cannon off an upright, but the Test newcomer had the accuracy on 13 minutes from closer in after Ireland strayed offside.
Scotland were also inventive in the carry, a raking break from his 22 by Stuart Hogg in the early exchanges setting in train a pattern where the visitors looked to manoeuvre possession with endeavour and width by shifting the ball quickly.
This was evident in the long pass from Duncan Taylor to Hogg that soon enticed Ali Price to kick cleverly in behind into touch for the lineout that resulted in an Ireland overthrow and Scotland sensing a possible try until a van der Walt knock-on.
Next, the Scots pilfered a penalty at the scrum, Cian Healy collapsing on an Irish put-in and van der Walt doubling his side’s advantage to six points 20 minutes in. Ireland needed some respite and they got it when a sloppy Scotland pass on halfway went loose and CJ Stander pounced, shipping a no-arms tackle from Fraser Brown that allowed Sexton to trim the gap back to three.
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It didn’t last long, a rip by Iain Henderson falling foul of the referee under their posts after a period of play where the Scots had again stretched the defence by going wide to the impressive Duhan van der Merwe.
Ireland’s breakdown uncertainly was further laid bare with what happened after Robbie Henshaw gathered a kick in the air. Rather than protect the ball on the floor at the 22, it came loose and Price snapped up to instigate a counter that ended with Scotland forcing the hosts to throw in inside their own 22.
Congratulations to Caelan Doris – announced as the Player of the Match. #ShoulderToShoulder #TeamofUs #AutumnNationsCup #IREvSCO pic.twitter.com/qnInDsAnZK
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) December 5, 2020
An easy out resulted, though, Bundee Aki taken in the air as he jumped to gather possession and with a pass from him down in the opposition 22 deliberately knocked on by Taylor, Ireland had a man advantage for the closing nine minutes of the opening half.
Sexton kicked the penalty and Ireland went to work trying to exploit their numerical advantage. A carry from Jacob Stockdale from ball stemming from a scrum secured a penalty – in at the side from Price – that was kicked to touch five metres out.
The maul was halted but pick and go prompted the penalty advantage that invited Sexton to kick towards Henshaw and his backwards deflection was dived on by Keith Earls for the 38th-minute try. Sexton flunked the conversation but with Ireland 11-9 ahead at the break, momentum has shifted.
Hogg’s cheap knock-on of a Sexton kick shortly after the restart was heavily punished, Healy hunted over at the posts from the pick and go that followed the scrum and Sexton added the extras on this occasion.
Scottish offside at the maul gave Ireland their next in, an attack sweetly finished in the corner following precise passing from Henshaw and O’Mahony and another conversion followed for a healthy 25-9 Ireland lead.
The outcome should now have been beyond doubt but the Scots, finally getting hands on the ball again, hit back with an opportunistic try six minutes later, van der Merwe sniping down the edge of a ruck, beating Rob Herring all too easily and embarking on a mazy run to the line.
Further pep was put in the visitors’ step with Fraser Brown catching replacement Josh van der Flier holding on while on the floor, but Scotland were soon penalised for the same type infringement in the opposition 22.
That was really the end for the contest, replacement Ross Byrne tapping over an easy penalty after Sexton has limped off. O’Mahony was then denied by the touchline, play coming back for Byrne to land his second kick to seal Ireland’s 15-point win.
IRELAND 35 – Tries: Earls (38, 50), Healy (44). Cons: Sexton (44, 51). Pens: Sexton (23, 32), Byrne (66, 76) SCOTLAND 16 – Try: van der Merwe (56). Con: van der Walt (57). Pens: van der Walt (13, 20, 27)
???? ?? ? ??????! ???#ShoulderToShoulder #IrishRugby #GuinnessSeries #AutumnNationsCup #IREvSCO pic.twitter.com/Mosqk6etFY
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) December 5, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Firstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
99 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
99 Go to commentsHo hum.
99 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
99 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to commentsLet’s be honest. The draw and scheduling in the World Cup was a joke but South Africa found a way after having to go the hard (nearly impossible) way to the Cup Final via France and England. NZ had a hard game against France (lost) and had 5 weeks to prepare for the Quarter, 3 weeks knowing it was Ireland. NZ theerfore had to win one big game against an Irish team who played SA and then Scotland 7 days before. They won and it was de facto a semi final because they were playing a relatively weak Argentina team and it was a walk over. In the final a very rested NZ team was playing a very tired SA team and still lost. They couldn’t score more than 11 points. Put another way SA had to find a way to win while tired and they achieved that. NZ should thank their lucky stars that they fixed the scheduling in 2015 otherwise they would be dealing with a Bok treble.
99 Go to commentsPerhaps if Bongi wasn’t targeted and removed from the game in the first 3 minutes it would have been quite a different game. Maybe if NZ also faced the same competition the Boks faced to their win NZ would have looked quite different. The final score shows who outplayed who.
99 Go to commentsRubbish article! Abuladze played most of Exeters matches when fit. He got injured against Glasgow a while ago and is out for the rest of the season, thats why he hasnt played for Exeter and Georgia recently. Do some proper research next time!
1 Go to commentsGotta love it when kids throw their toys out the pram and can’t hack it with the grown ups debate. Here’s looking at you turlough! 😉🤣
148 Go to commentsThey lost the game period move on
99 Go to commentsSpringboks won! Stop winging. You can change the game however much you and your rugby colonizing IRB want to and the Springboks will win you at that too. Your mind is colonized my friend get a life
99 Go to commentsBen, nobody gets fooled anymore by selective and biased data to support an hypothesis. Games are decided on such small margins these days that you win some and lose some, and dominance is a thing of the rugby past. Look at the RWC circle of fortune…. Ireland beats SA who beat France who beat NZ who beat Ireland. And so it goes on. Match officials help to eliminate real indiscretions. If they had been with us years before, no doubt results would have been different. Remember Andy Haden’s dive from a lineout in 1978 for which a match-wining penalty was awarded? Wales should have beaten the ABs that day. They took the loss like the gentlemen they were.
99 Go to commentsWith all the analysis and how good the all blacks were.The fundamental mistake with the ABs is that this is a test match and not an exhibition.There is no better team(country) in world rugby than the Boks that knows how to win a test match(we are post masters at this).We know our rules, we have the discipline, we tackle like beasts, we take our points and we never give up.I now have educated the ABs supporters(at least say thank you).Please stop “bitching” , accept what the outcome is and move along swiftly.
99 Go to commentsAnd they came from behind to win two big games before the final. No one can say what would have happened. Had the boks gone behind the game plan changes and the result may changes. Ifs and ands are irrelevant. The boks won. Neutral critics enjoyed the games they played. Its not a popularity contest. Get over it and move on.
99 Go to commentsI'm happy for the people of SA to get a second WC. And I mean that. I was very disappointed with this man's “stand on the hand” incident with Josh Van Der Flyer (Ireland). Ireland's downfall in the last WC was they did not rotate their first 15 as the head coach probably should have. That said, I'm happy for SA and genuinely hope it lifts the mood in their country. Ireland did beat them in the first match of the tournament. And before the trolls start trolling ….. please don't bother. Etzbeth said recently that the Irish players said after the match “see you in the final”…..this was actually wishing the SA team the best of luck in the rest, the Irish team were not dismissing the AB’s. This is what Etzbeth was implying. But he was wrong. I no longer live in Ireland. But I hope to see them lift that cup before I pass. Anyway, congratulations SA. 👍
12 Go to commentsMore bloody click bait. Dan Carter has said absolutely nothing. As he should do. Poor journalism again from a site that should know better
9 Go to commentsOh god please help these loosers get over it!!!! You lost. Doesn't matter how many times you dummies are gonna analyse the game, you still lost and we are still Rygby World Champions….get over it, you lost.
99 Go to commentsThe next Willie le Roux. SA are made not to use him.
3 Go to commentsDan has always been as controversial as tea with milk so we were never going to get any definitive answer. So DMac for the win.
9 Go to commentsGoodness. When are the All Blacks and New Zealand commentators going to stop complaining about how they could have won and just try to win next time 😂. In South Africa if you lose you get up and try again. Get over it.
99 Go to comments