Players can be proud of win over Springboks, says Ireland coach

The tourists were then reduced to 13 men for 10 minutes following Robbie Henshaw’s yellow card on 32 minutes but having led 10-3 before Stander’s dismissal, thanks to Jared Payne’s 12th minute try and a conversion and penalty from Paddy Jackson, Ireland fought back to 13-13 by half-time, the fly-half adding a drop goal to his tally after Lwazi Mvovu had scored a try converted by Lambie’s replacement Elton Jantjies. I thought it was an incredibly collective effort.

Yet despite their numerical advantage for most of the game, the Springboks, playing under Coetzee for the first time, couldn’t break the Irish defence or spirit.

“There was nearly a direct repeat at the end of the second half again to their attacking in the left-hand corner; we managed to scramble across and three or four players turned up to avoid the try being scored”.

Asked if he expect more from the Springboks, Schmidt said: “They probably let us off the hook a couple of times”.

“I thought the red card was very, very harsh to be honest”, said the Kiwi.

Asked if the results heralded a “turning of the tide” in global rugby, Schmidt responded: “I don’t know. you can get knocked over by a freak wave in this game”.

Ireland’s win followed that of England’s over Australia earlier in the day, after Wales had also led New Zealand at half-time in the first June Test of the day, but Schmidt did not see this as evidence that the tide was turning between the hemispheres.

Schmidt embraces Ireland captain Rory Best.

“With some really good territorial play, we manged to earn possession and we manage to turn that possession into points”.

“The way the players rebounded from that, they way they dug in and worked hard for each other, I’ve probably never been prouder than the group of player we’ve got”, Schmidt said after the match.

“In terms of the mental side of things, we have had a bit of a freshener because we were out of the European Cups early ad so we’ve had weekends off between the Six Nations and now although it has been a long season, that has really helped guys”.

Fly-half Paddy Jackson had a mixed display but contributed 16 points to the scoreline after notching three penalties, two conversions and a drop goal for Ireland. We actually build our confidence through that period. Despite losing Stander in the 23rd minute after the former Bulls loose forward made contact with Lambie’s head with his knee, that didn’t stop Ireland from mixing up their play between carrying the ball and driving the Boks back with the boot.

“What a way to make history, by having to do something special”, said the Irish skipper, 33. “The amount of homework we did came through”.

“To win any game when you’re faced with going down to 14 men is special and to do it here, with everything, an even more special performance”.

“There was similarities to it, but for us it was about the way we stood up”. With 14 men they were outstanding, no excuses we were poor and we know we’ve got to fix it and we’ve got to come back into this series next week.