Former Ireland loose forward Alan Quinlan says the Springboks “went for blood” in Dublin.
The Boks won six scrum penalties – including one that led to a penalty try – as they triumphed at the Aviva Stadium for the first time since 2012.
Ireland received five yellow cards – including one to lock James Ryan that was upgraded to a 20-minute red – and were fortunate not to concede even more.
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Asked during an Off The Ball podcast if the red card impacted the ability of Ireland to counter the immense power of the Bok scrum, Quinlan said the hosts would have practised moving loose forwards into the second row, so “it’s not a huge factor”.
“The scrum just capitulated,” he said, adding that referee Matthew Carley could easily have dished out more yellow cards to the Irish front row.
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“Now, I’ve never seen a scrum like that. They’re phenomenal,” he said of the Boks. “And so that power, and they just went for blood really and they just showed a ruthlessness. They could have kicked points a few times. But they just love the scrum situation.
“And the reality here is, the props they brought on, there’s about six more waiting that are just as good. Maybe not just as good, but that are unbelievable props, so their depth on front rows is just phenomenal. And they they’re missing Ox Nche and Frans Malherbe as well, they are probably their two starters.”
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Quinlan also had high praise for Boan Venter, saying: “Playing for Edinburgh, I watched him in URC games last year – he’s very, very powerful in a scrum. He’s now seven or eight caps for South Africa, and was incredibly effective.
“And who makes a decision like that, bringing two props on before half-time? Only Rassie, he’s probably the only one who does that.”
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Photo: Johann Meintjes/Gallo Images
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