After the match in Durban ended so dramatically, there was little appetite around the world for anything other than Ciarán Frawley’s magnificent drop goal under pressure to win the second Test against South Africa.
Frawley, who just missed a drop kick at the end of this season’s Champions Cup final between Leinster and Toulouse, landed it this time after a bruising match to give Ireland the win and Test series draw.
“Ireland stun Springboks in remarkable Durban victory,” said the headline in The South African before it ran another piece on Frawley emphasising the two drop goals.
“The heartbreaking moment that sunk the Springboks,” said the piece by Mariette Adams, pointing to the fact that Frawley had come up with a little magic not once, but twice.
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“But replacement flyhalf Ciaran Frawley came up clutch as he slotted a perfect drop goal with the clock in the red to give Ireland a remarkable stoppage-time win. What makes Frawley’s cameo performance even more exceptional, is the fact that it was his second drop goal of the game, having executed one earlier in the game to get his team within touching distance of the Springboks on the scoreboard.”
The Telegraph also opted for the heart stopping finish to the match. Under the banner headline “Frawley delivers drama in Durban and proves Ireland-South Africa rivalry is here to stay,” author Charles Richardson conjures up the Charles Dickens classic A Tale of Two Cities.
“In the 79th minute, it was the best of times for South Africa, leading Ireland by two points having trailed by 10 at half-time. Sixty seconds later, however, it became the worst,” he ventured before adding a little mood colour.
“Even after the final whistle in Durban, after Frawley’s last-gasp heroics, the players continued to push and shove, ranting and raving at anyone who came within a hair’s breadth.”
The BBC also plumped for the kick that won the match at the end with “Ciarán Frawley last-gasp drop-goal seals stunning Irish win” while The Guardian, among several stories, ran a piece saying captain and coach Siya Kolisi and Rassie Erasmus were accepting of the defeat.
“No excuses for disappointing Springbok loss,” said the headline with Erasmus summing up the feeling in his squad.
“We can sit here with a sad face and think of excuses, but the best team won on the day,” said the Springbok coach.
The popular website RugbyPass couldn’t get away from the replacement outhalf with the headline “Boks bowed as Ciaran Frawley magic secures last gap Ireland win.” It continued in that vein.
“Frawley stepped off the bench to split the posts in dramatic fashion with the final action of a thrilling encounter at Kings Park” it said, adding that Frawley’s intervention came just as Andy Farrell’s side looked like it was slipping into another agonising defeat.
The Daily Maverick topped their coverage with a picture of the Irish bench lifting from their seats in a charge towards the pitch at the final whistle, the injured Bundee Aki at the forefront. Again, Frawley takes the lion’s share of credit.
“Ciarán Frawley drop-goals Ireland to sensational win over Boks at Kings Park,” wrote Craig Ray who followed with some insight into the history of South African rugby.
“It was a bitter blow for the Boks, who are the masters of the one-point win. They finally got to feel what it’s like on the other side of that scoreline,” he wrote.
More soberly the South African Rugby website stated the obvious. Perhaps not wishing to create any Irish heroes, it summed the match up.
“Late Durban drama and Ireland share series spoils,” it said. And that’s a fact.
Quote
“The strike was probably the ugliest drop goal I have ever hit in my life. The one in Tottenham (Hotspur Stadium, Champions Cup final) was way better, which is actually funny, but look it worked out which was key. I hit it so ugly that it was on the left post so I knew it would come back to the right. I was more so just telling it to go, get over and the ref was looking at it as well but delighted it did drop over. When they called it back for the TMO check I was, ‘God no, please find nothing here’. Look, absolutely delighted. It’s a proper way to finish a Test series.” – Ciarán Frawley on the last kick of the second Test match against the Springboks in Kings Park.
Repeat winners aplenty at under-20s
The Under-20 World Championship, which is also currently running in South Africa, is into its 14th edition having begun in 2008. Before that it was an Under-21 and Under-19 tournament. It is always a lively competition and a fun watch, a chance to see the up and coming players emerging from the various countries.
The only optical issue – and it can’t be changed in any way – is the same teams keep winning. New Zealand have won six times including the first four in a row. France have won three of them and England three with South Africa, the current two times senior World Champions, winning it just once when it was staged in South Africa in 2012.
Ireland have been runners-up twice in 2016 and 2023. The final takes place on Friday.
Number: 3
Frawley has kicked three famous drop-kicks in the last number of weeks. One missed for Leinster in the Champions Cup final and two delightfully landed in Durban on Saturday.
