Ireland steamrolls Boks in Dublin
Dublin, Ireland - Ireland recorded its biggest win over South Africa on Saturday with a 38-3 hammering at Lansdowne Road.
The Irish ran in four tries - three in the last ten minutes - to extend the woeful Springboks winless run to five matches.
Especially pleasing for Joe Schmidt was the fact that three of his inexperienced players, Andrew Conway, South Africaborn hooker Rob Herring and the impressive Jacob Stockdale scored three of the tries. Rhys Ruddock nabbed the other.
Debutant Bundee Aki gave the perfect answer to critics of his being selected under the residency rule in hammering prop Coenie Oosthuizen so hard in the second minute the latter - who had only just been recalled to the side - had to be carted off the pitch. Johnny Sexton put the hosts into the lead two minutes later with a crisply struck penalty from long distance.
The Irish were causing the Springboks endless problems in the set scrum provoking the visitors to concede penalties and free-kicks in desperation.
Sexton duly doubled Ireland's lead from another South African infraction as the quarter hour mark approached.
The Irish playmaker kept the scoreboard ticking over with another penalty - stemming from the best move of the match which saw wing Conway drive deep into South Africa territory - to make it 9-0.
The lively Conway then somehow collected the ball from his Munster team-mate Murray's kick after Courtnall Skose made a hash of catching it and the 26 year old scooted clear despite four Springboks being round him.
Sexton went close to adding the extras from the touchline but the Irish still held a healthy 14-0 lead after 25 minutes.
It took half an hour but finally South Africa put some pressure on the hosts inside their 22 only for Ireland's South Africa-born No 8 C J Stander to win a penalty for his adopted country.
The Irish finished the half on the front foot deep inside Bok territory but couldn't add to their lead going in at 14-0.
South Africa got muchneeded points early in the second-half, Elton Jantjes converting a penalty - taking him past the 200 point mark in Test rugby - after Stander was penalised for a high tackle on veteran prop Tendai 'Beast' Mtawarira.
Sexton settled Irish fans nerves, after the hosts had started the half in scrappy fashion allowing the Springboks a glimmer of hope, with a penalty in the 55th minute to restore the 14-point lead.
Ultimately the hosts then ran away with the match as first Ruddock went over - just as he did the last time they met in Dublin three years ago - after great work by Conway.
Then it was the turn of another replacement, Herring, to touch down and with the Boks now reeling, Stockdale went over in the corner after a stunning move.
Joey Carbery, who had come on for the imperious Sexton, converted it from the touchline to round off a sublime day for the hosts.