Despite a resilient three-try second half performance, the Ireland Under-20s (sponsored by PwC) could not avoid a second defeat of the Under-20 Six Nations Summer Series in Verona.
UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS SUMMER SERIES POOL A: Wednesday, June 29
IRELAND UNDER-20s 24 SOUTH AFRICA UNDER-20s 33, Payanini Rugby Centre
Scorers: Ireland U-20s: Tries: Dylan O’Grady, Oisin Michel, Reuben Crothers; Cons: Sam Prendergast 2, Reece Malone; Pen: Sam Prendergast
South Africa U-20s: Tries: Tiaan Lange 2, Reinhardt Ludwig, Corne Rahl, Lukhanyo Vokozela; Cons: Sacha Mngomezulu 4
HT: Ireland Under-20s 3 South Africa Under-20s 26
Dylan O’Grady, replacement Oisin Michel and captain Reuben Crothers all crossed as Richie Murphy’s injury-hit squad produced a battling display against the highly-rated Junior Springboks.
Summer Series silverware may be out of reach now, but this was another very useful workout for the Ireland U-20s as five more players made their first starts at this level with an eye on next year’s U-20 Six Nations.
All five of South Africa’s tries came from their forwards, hooker Tiaan Lange bagging a brace as they led 26-3 by the 35th minute in an eventual 33-24 bonus point win.
Ireland had struggled to quell the Baby ‘Boks’ physicality up front, coupled with some uncharacteristic lineout errors, but a much-improved second half provided positives to take into next Tuesday’s final round clash with England.
Wearing their white alternate jersey, the Junior Springboks kicked off and forced an early scrum penalty but skippcer Sacha Mngomezulu slid his effort wide from the 10-metre line.
Strong carries from Lange and Cameron Hanekom, off a lineout, quickly brough them into try-scoring range and Lange duly burrowed over with confirmation coming from the TMO. Mngomezulu converted.
After some early misfiring at set piece time, Ireland’s maul did some damage on the 10-minute mark. They went to the corner from a penalty, but James McCormick was whistled up for a crooked throw.
A leg-pumping run from Daniel Hawkshaw got Ireland back on track, yet their cruel run of luck with injuries continued when flanker James McNabney had to hobble off in the 17th minute.
Murphy’s charges began the second quarter by getting points on the board, a well-struck Sam Prendergast penalty closing the gap to 7-3 only for South Africa to swiftly threaten down the other end.
Prendergast failed to find touch from a penalty and despite Aitzol King brilliantly denying Nico Steyn with a last-ditch tackle, there was no stopping lock Reinhardt Ludwig who crashed over a few phases later.
12-3 became 19-3 on the half hour mark when Lange doubled his tally, the lineout providing the platform and the Vodacom Bulls front rower barging over in expert fashion for seven more points.
Ireland’s lineout problems continued, Lange gobbling up a ball at the rear right on the Irish 22. South Africa punched some holes with their carries and lock Corne Rahl powered over for the bonus point score.
Crothers and his team-mates regrouped and there were encouraging signs either side of the break, with the pack pressing for a score following Lange’s sin-binning for a dangerous clearout on the Ireland skipper.
Early on the restart, hooker McCormick, who had sprung through into the 22 from a ruck, was a pass away from linking with Michael Moloney as the whitewash came into view.
Regaining ground from a scrum penalty, Ireland were now threatening out wide with winger King just losing his footing as he almost scored from his own chip and collect.
That much-needed try arrived when Prendergast dinked a well-weighted grubber kick through for O’Grady to gather and round in behind the posts. Credit to Andrew O’Mahony too, the replacement scrum half having lifted the tempo again from a quick tap.
O’Grady was seeing more of the ball now, launching another kick chase, but a couple of costly penalties brought South Africa back into the Irish 22 and replacement Lukhanyo Vokozela showed good strength to muscle over in the 56th minute.
Shannon’s Kieran Ryan responded with a textbook turnover penalty, Ireland adding zip to their passes after Hawkshaw had done well to gobble up a Prendergast chip over the top.
South Africa coughed up penalties and after Josh Hanlon’s tapped effort five metres out and a forceful carry from Lorcan McLoughlin, Lansdowne clubman Michel squeezed over in the 61st minute with support from Ryan.
Prendergast’s straightforward conversion was followed by a penalty miss by Mngomezulu from near halfway, and as space continued to open up, Ireland were making headway with improved handling and smarter attacking lines.
There was good impact provided by the fresh legs of Shay McCarthy, who had two late darting runs up the right wing and did well to stay in play as Ireland sought a late consolation try.
Fittingly, the tireless Crothers claimed it, slipping through from a ruck outside the South African 22 to score under the posts. Replacement Reece Malone converted for his first points at this level.
TIME LINE: 4 minutes – South Africa penalty: missed by Sacha Mngomezulu – 0-0; 5 mins – South Africa try: Tiaan Lange – 0-5; conversion: Sacha Mngomezulu – 0-7; 21 mins – Ireland penalty: Sam Prendergast – 3-7; 25 mins – South Africa try: Reinhardt Ludwig – 3-12; conversion: missed by Sacha Mngomezulu – 3-12; 31 mins – South Africa try: Tiaan Lange – 3-17; conversion: Sacha Mngomezulu – 3-19; 35 mins – South Africa try: Corne Rahl – 3-24; conversion: Sacha Mngomezulu – 3-26; 38 mins – South Africa yellow card: Tiaan Lange; Half-time – Ireland 3 South Africa 26; 48 mins – Ireland try: Dylan O’Grady – 8-26; conversion: Sam Prendergast – 10-26; 56 mins – South Africa try: Lukhanyo Vokozela – 10-31; conversion: Sacha Mngomezulu – 10-33; 61 mins – Ireland try: Oisin Michel – 15-33; conversion: Sam Prendergast – 17-33; 65 mins – South Africa penalty: missed by Sacha Mngomezulu – 17-33; 80+1 mins – Ireland try: Reuben Crothers – 22-33; conversion: Reece Malone – 24-33; Full-time – Ireland 24 South Africa 33
IRELAND U-20: Patrick Campbell (Young Munster RFC/Munster); Aitzol King (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Fionn Gibbons (UCD RFC/Leinster), Daniel Hawkshaw (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Dylan O’Grady (UCD RFC/Leinster); Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Michael Moloney (UCD RFC/Leinster); George Hadden (Gorey RFC/Clontarf FC/Leinster), James McCormick (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), Darragh McSweeney (Shannon RFC/Munster), Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster), Diarmuid Mangan (UCD RFC/Leinster), James McNabney (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), Reuben Crothers (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster) (capt), George Shaw (Cardiff University/IQ Rugby).
Replacements used: Adam McNamee (Malone RFC/Ulster) for McNabney (17 mins), Kieran Ryan (Shannon RFC/Munster) for McSweeney (30), Lorcan McLoughlin (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster) for Shaw (half-time), Andrew O’Mahony (UCC RFC/Munster) for Moloney (46), Oisin Michel (Lansdowne FC/Leinster) for Hadden (49), Josh Hanlon (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster) for McCormick (58), Shay McCarthy (Young Munster RFC/Munster) for King, Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster) for Ryan (both 64), Reece Malone (Loughborough University/Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster) for Prendergast, George Coomber (UCC RFC/Munster) for Gibbons (both 74), Charlie Irvine (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster) for O’Tighearnaigh (77).
SOUTH AFRICA U-20: Duran Koevort (DHL WP); Donovan Don (Down Touch Griffons), Ethan James (DHL WP), Carlton Banies (Vodacom Bulls), Suleiman Hartzenberg (DHL WP); Sacha Mngomezulu (DHL WP) (capt), Nico Steyn (Lions); Corne Lavagna (Vodacom Bulls), Tiaan Lange (Vodacom Bulls), Sivuyise Mabece (Vodacom Bulls), Corne Rahl (Cell C Sharks), Reinhardt Ludwig (Vodacom Bulls), Paul de Villiers (DHL WP), Louw Nel (DHL WP), Cameron Hanekom (Vodacom Bulls).
Replacements used: Lukhanyo Vokozela (DHL WP) for Nel (40 mins), Connor Evans (DHL WP) for Ludwig, Niel le Roux (Vodacom Bulls) for Steyn, Nel for Lange (all 49), Katlego Letebele (Vodacom Bulls) for Don (62), Imad Khan (DHL WP) for James, Gcino Mdletshe (Vodacom Bulls) for Nel, Compion von Ludwig (Vodacom Bulls) for Mngomezulu (all 69), Lamla Nunu (DHL WP) for Lavagna, Ruan Venter (Lions) for de Villiers (both 72), Corne Weilbach (DHL WP) for Mabece (74), Lange for Vokozela (77).
Referee: Benoit Rousselet (France)
Source: Irish Rugby