Ireland head coach Andy Farrell admitted he had not “seen a game like that ever” as he took exception to a chaotic 24-13 defeat to South Africa being described as “shambolic”.
The hosts lost lock James Ryan to a 20-minute red card during a remarkable first half in which team-mates Sam Prendergast, Jack Crowley and Andrew Porter were sin-binned.
Ireland’s repeated infringements followed the perceived injustice of Springboks fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu avoiding an early card for a high hit on Tommy O’Brien.
With Farrell’s side down to 13 men, hooker Dan Sheehan crossed in response to scores from Damian Willemse and Cobus Reinach, before a penalty try moved the world champions 19-7 ahead at the break.
Ireland returned to the field with 12 players following the departure of Porter and somehow outscored South Africa in a spirited second half thanks to a pair of Prendergast penalties, either side of a try from Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
Paddy McCarthy became the fourth Irishman to be yellow carded before South Africa celebrated ending a 13-year wait for a win in Dublin.
“I’d say chaotic; I won’t repeat your word because I think you’re wrong,” replied Farrell, when it was suggested the first half was “borderline shambolic”.
“You think you’ve seen it all and I haven’t seen a game like that ever.
“First and foremost you look at yourself and why things have happened. We’ll do that and make sure we learn the lessons from that.
“But my overriding thought of the game is, I’m unbelievably proud, so for you to start the conversation off like that doesn’t sit well.”
After Willemse’s fourth-minute score, Ireland thought they had levelled through a Tadhg Beirne try, only for second-row partner Ryan to be penalised for an illegal clearout on Malcolm Marx in the build-up.
Ryan was initially sin-binned before the sanction was upgraded to red on review, much to the frustration of a fired-up home crowd following Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s seventh-minute challenge on Ireland wing O’Brien.
South Africa prop Boan Venter had a 26th-minute try disallowed because of a forward pass earlier in the move, while O’Brien avoided a card for a high tackle on Canan Moodie, only to be forced off by a resultant head injury.
Ireland end the autumn with two wins from four following an opening defeat to New Zealand and victories over Japan and Australia.
“If you can’t learn from that (game), you’re in the wrong place,” said Farrell.
“I thought going down to 12 men, how the lads came out and showed the bottle for their country, certainly in that first 10 minutes of that second half, was absolutely amazing.
“The crowd recognised that and supported them.
“To be able to win a second half 6-5 under those circumstances – I know it doesn’t tell the full story of the second half – it’s amazing really.”
South Africa had lost four of the past five matches between the sides.
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus, who arrived at his post-match press conference with a drink, said: “Any beer is nice after a win, especially against a quality team like Ireland, who have totally dominated us since we have been a group together.
“The game was very physical and there was a 20-minute red card given, which I thought was the right call.
“We were dominant for most parts of the game but just couldn’t quite kill it.
“It was hectic and it was difficult to manage. It was difficult to understand sometimes who’s on and who’s off and who comes back and who’s got an HIA (head injury assessment) and who’s injured.
“That’s Test-match rugby at the highest level and you have to manage those kind of things.”
PA
