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Ireland underlined their status as the number one team in the world with a bruising 13-8 Rugby World Cup victory over defending champions South Africa in Paris on Saturday, though the Springboks will rue their inaccuracy off the kicking tee.
Ireland scored their only try in the first half through wing Mack Hansen as he found some rare space out wide and led 7-3 at the break but had to withstand a barrage of Springbok pressure in the second half amid a raucous atmosphere.
South Africa’s only try came from winger Cheslin Kolbe but they missed the conversion and three penalty chances to highlight their goal-kicking woes and perhaps hasten the return of experienced fly-half Handre Pollard to the team.
Ireland will be odds-on to win the pool as they claimed a 16th test win in a row, while South Africa suffer defeat in a World Cup game for the first time in nine matches and will likely have to beat Tonga in their final group game on 1 October.
Stuart Hogg: Facing South Africa makes you think ‘when is this going to stop’ but here’s how Ireland can win
Writing exclusively for The Independent, Scotland and Lions legend Stuart Hogg unpicks the biggest match of the pool stage – a colossal battle between the Springboks and Ireland – and reflects on Scotland having reached the nervy ‘win or bust’ stage already:
Writing exclusively for The Independent, Scotland and Lions legend Stuart Hogg unpicks the biggest match of the pool stage – a colossal battle between the Springboks and Ireland – and reflects on Scotland having reached the nervy ‘win or bust’ stage already
Paul O’Connell says Ireland must draw on the big-game experience which brought a historic series win in New Zealand and the Six Nations Grand Slam to defeat South Africa.
Ireland go into this pivotal Pool B appointment on a 15-match winning streak, including turning over the All Blacks on enemy territory and a Dublin success over the Springboks in November. Andy Farrell’s men are viewed as slight underdogs for the Stade de France showdown but forwards coach O’Connell has backed the team to figure out a way to register another statement win.
“It’s going to take a big performance for sure,” said the former Ireland captain. “They obviously present a big physical challenge, I think we present a big physical challenge, and they present a real technical challenge as well.
“They’re a very smart side and one of the things you probably admire most about them is the smarts they can bring along with their physicality. It’s a strength of our side as well, so we speak about this Irish team and what this Irish team stands for. They’ve got to bring everything they’ve brought to the big occasions they’ve been in in the last few years.
“We’ve had a Test series decider down in New Zealand, we’ve had a Grand Slam decider, we’ve had a tough autumn series against some very tricky opposition and the boys have always found a way and figured it out. It’s a real strength of theirs.
“They’re going to have play super well but they’re also going to have to figure things out and it’s something I really enjoy watching them do when they have a challenge in front of them, how they manage to figure it out as a group and they’re going to have to do that at the weekend.”
Former Ireland captain Paul O'Connell (Getty Images)
France were sweating on the condition of captain Antoine Dupont after the mercurial scrumhalf suffered a suspected jaw fracture during the hosts’ record 96-0 victory against Namibia at the Rugby World Cup on Thursday.
“There is a suspicion of a crack or fracture of the maxillary bone,” head coach Fabien Galthie said. “He currently is in hospital, he’s being tested, I can’t tell you more than that. I’m staying connected and will tell you more if I hear (from him). I’m writing to him now - live.
“We are never happy when a player gets injured. We are extremely concerned. It’s not the same as if we’d had no injuries.”
Dupont sustained the injury in the 46th minutes in a head-to-head clash with Johan Deysel, whose initial yellow card was upgraded to a red. The 26-year-old, voted best player in the world in 2021 and at the last two Six Nations, had his cheekbone iced before he walked off the field holding his jaw.
He then left the Stade de Marseille to undergo medical assessments.
France were already without their number one flyhalf Romain Ntamack for the World Cup after the Toulouse player suffered a knee injury in a warm-up test last month.
“There was an interception, we were regrouping then saw the images on the big screen and we understood,” flanker Charles Ollivon said.
“It was late and to the head so it was quite clear. These things happen unfortunately, but we stayed concentrated and went forward straight away. You don’t have time to ponder things unfortunately.”
France next face Italy in Pool A on 6 October.
Antoine Dupont receives treatment during France’s game against Namibia (Daniel Cole/AP) (AP)
South Africa vs Ireland - the fans are out in force
From our reporter Luke Baker in Paris:
I was here at the Stade de France for the opening match of this World Cup between France and the All Blacks and it was an atmosphere unlike anything I’d ever experienced. If early signs are anything to go by, it could be similar this evening. Paris was overrun by green jerseys – Irish and South African – from mid-afternoon and the metro to the stadium was packed about four hours before kick-off, with singing, chanting and roof-thumping in every carriage. Even the locals appear to have picked a side, with plenty of those jerseys being worn by French rugby fans.
Georgia and Portugal share spoils at Rugby World Cup as both miss last-gasp chances to win
A reminder of the result earlier today: Nuno Sousa Guedes missed a last-minute penalty as Portugal agonisingly failed to secure a first-ever Rugby World Cup victory on Saturday as Georgia scored a 78th-minute try - then missed the conversion - to force a thrilling 18-18 Pool C draw.
South Africa went to a rotated side against Romania but return to full strength for this clash, with Rassie Erasmus making just one change from the side that beat Scotland in the Springboks opening game of the tournament. That change comes in the front row with Bongi Mbonambi replacing the injured Malcolm Marx.
There’s also encouraging news in the second row as Eben Etzebeth recovers from a shoulder injury he picked up against Scotland to return to the starting lineup.
Ireland, meanwhile, make just one change from the side that beat Tonga last weekend as Jamison Gibson-Park comes in at scrum-half in place of Conor Murray. Elsewhere, Dan Sheehan returns from injury and is back on the bench.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell, right, preparing to face South Africa in Paris (PA Wire)
South Africa XV: Steven Kitshoff, Mbongeni Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe; Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert; Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jasper Wiese; Faf de Klerk, Manie Libbok; Cheslin Kolbe, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, Kurt-Lee Arendse; Damian Willemse.
Replacements: Dean Fourie, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Jean Kleyn, RG Snyman, Marco van Staden, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach.
Ireland XV: Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong; Tadhg Beirne, James Ryan; Peter O’Mahony, Josh Van der Flier; Caelan Doris, Jamison Gibson-Park, Jonny Sexton; James Lowe, Bundee Aki, Garry Ringrose, Mack Hansen, Hugo Keenan.
Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Dave Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Robbie Henshaw.
It really doesn’t get much better than this, does it? South Africa and Ireland prepare to lock horns tonight in perhaps the biggest game of this year’s Rugby World Cup pool stage.
Two of the favourites to win the tournament, both are unbeaten so far and will be eyeing up a massive win to put themselves in pole position to finish top of the group.
South Africa secured a hard-earnt victory over Scotland before breezing past Romania, while Ireland have scored comfortable victories over Romania and Tongo in their first two games.
The 2023 Rugby World Cup could be defined by who escapes from Pools A and B with the world’s heavyweight nations in action, including South Africa and Ireland aiming to qualify in top spot.
Keep track of all the latest results from France below:
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