South Africa won because their bench made the greater impact than Ireland’s.
A friend of mine once attempted to climb Kilimanjaro and didn’t make the final ascent. The night before he was due to do so, he had a conversation with a woman that was never there.
Altitude can do funny things to the mind.
It can do funny things to your lungs too. Ireland found that out to their miserable cost at Ellis Park this evening. For an hour of the Second Test against South Africa, Ireland were coasting. Their scrum was gobbling up the Boks’, the kick-chase was working like a dream and they were coming out on top in most collisions.
Chests and lungs contracted after that hour mark and South Africa spotted what they have spotted plenty of times before – altitude turning its brutal, wrenching screw. A 26-10 lead evaporated. Four second half tries were leaked and 22 points racked up by the hosts in the final quarter.
There is a reason why South Africa play so many of their must-win games here. They invariably make opponents, during a Test series, go from sea level to 1,500 metres above it, and all within the space of a week. Few teams escape with wins. Even the All Blacks have a poor record here [4 wins, 9 defeats from 13 games].
Ireland knew they would have to finish this game close to empty and it played on their minds. ‘When is it coming, when is it coming… it’s come.’
So little air to breathe. So little time to think.
Allister Coetzee brought on some of the Lions players that call Ellis Park their Super Rugby home. Horses for courses and some big ones at that. Warren Whiteley and Ruan Cornbrinck were juggernauts. Franco Mostert was a brute with ball in hand.
South Africa may have looked clueless for most of the game – as they did last week in Cape Town – but they knew exactly what to do in the end-game.
Ireland were struggling to catch hold of themselves. Their bodies were betraying them – passes were going astray, legs were heavier, balls were not being released as quick as they should be.
Schmidt needed his bench and that is what puzzles me about his selections. I had no cause for serious complaint with his starting XV. Luke Marshall should have been retained at inside centre and this game was screaming out for Ultan Dillane.
The deficiencies were clearly on the Irish bench. We needed players to make an impact, as the Boks did, off that bench and yet we had no Mike Ross, no Dillane, no Jordi Murphy. All were in their IRFU finery in the stands.
With Ireland needed game-changers they went with Finlay Bealham, Dave Kilcoyne and Donnacha Ryan, who missed a lot of Munster’s season with concussion. The back row cover was Sean Reidy, on for his debut when the versatile Chris Henry was at home.
Connacht captain John Muldoon was at home too but perhaps, at 33, we’re stretching reality here. Henry or Muldoon would have been horses for courses selections – experienced heads but ones with slim World Cup 2019 hopes.
Ross, Dillane and Murphy left in the wings while Tiernan O’Halloran wasn’t used at all. He played well at fullback this season but can do a very good job on the wing. He could have stood in for Trimble, who was out on his feet in the final minutes after an otherwise fine game.
Perhaps the altitude got to Schmidt too.
Onward to Port Elizabeth and another shot at history. This Springbok team have proved, once again, how beatable they are.
It is a shame they had to beat us in the process.
