15 Mack Hansen
A superb effort in adversity, some excellent reads in defence, competitive in the air in winning some touches, superb footwork in an early carry that left three Springboks grasping. He was a standout player. Rating: 7
14 Tommy O’Brien
Victim of a no-arms tackle, tucked shoulder, shot to the shoulder/head by Sacha Feinberg Mngomezulu. O’Brien avoided a yellow card for a high tackle on Canan Moodie in which he came off worst and didn’t return from the HIA. Rating: 5
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13 Garry Ringrose
He resembled one of the boys on a deck that was in flames for most of the game. He hustled to make tackles, tried to cover for absent team-mates and played in a variety of positions. Rating: 6
12 Bundee Aki
A good carry in the build-up to Ireland’s try, he got next to no opportunity to play on even terms and under pressure he had to gamble a few times, which didn’t always end well. An auxiliary flanker. Rating: 6
11 James Lowe
Powered through Cheslin Kolbe early on, was Ireland’s standout player in the rare moments of attacking clarity and was more than a match for the Springboks in the collisions. Rating: 7
10 Sam Prendergast
There were times when he showed his skill in his passing, footwork and tackling (11 made, one missed) and there were other occasions, when there were a few errors, a missed penalty, and a yellow card for a double infringement. Rating: 6
9 Jamison Gibson-Park
He was right in the frame for his team’s most effective performer, a highlight his trademark cut-out pass for Ireland’s only try. His ability to cover huge swathes of the pitch was crucial while his passing gave his halfback partners time and space in difficult circumstances. Rating: 7
1 Andrew Porter
He was pressurised or forced into giving away a handful of penalties, literally, and the accumulation for those transgressions eventually led to him receiving a yellow card in first half injury time. Returned when Paddy McCarthy saw yellow and showed character to make some positive inroads. Rating: 4
2 Dan Sheehan
Rode out some lineout issues initially but that didn’t dissuade him from throwing long or looking for the best launch. Took his try well and was prominent in the loose on both sides of the ball in being part of a valiant rearguard when numbers down. Rating: 6
3 Tadhg Furlong
A fine game in the most difficult of circumstances, it was his physical obduracy, his carrying, his tackling and handling that were very important when Ireland were short-handed for long periods. Rating: 6
4 James Ryan
Illegal clearout on Malcolm Marx which led to a triple whammy of setbacks. Tadhg Beirne’s try was chalked off. Ryan got a yellow card, subsequently and correctly upgraded to red. He can have no complaints. Rating: 3
5 Tadhg Beirne
Pinged a couple of times, one superb break, a turnover or two, he was part of a laudable rearguard action that mitigated the damage that there could have been. It won’t come as much consolation in defeat. Rating: 6
6 Ryan Baird
Brilliant lineout work as per usual but the one in-game characteristic that he has added to his game consistently in the new season from a rainy night in Georgia all the way through the November Tests is the quality of work. Rating: 7
7 Josh van der Flier
Superb in every aspect but particularly his carrying and it was his ability to break a tackle that was pivotal in the build-up to Dan Sheehan’s try. It was a remarkable effort on his return from injury. Rating: 7
8 Caelan Doris (capt)
He led by example, making a team leading 14 tackles, and in the face of his team going down to 12 players at one point and a whopping 19 penalties that Ireland conceded he kept playing even when having to play all three positions in the backrow. Rating: 7
Replacements
Paddy McCarthy was simply outstanding. Jack Crowley, a yellow card aside, produced some heroic moments, Cian Prendergast made an important steal and was doughty in defence, Tom Farrell had a couple of nice moments. The entire bench added momentum. Rating: 8
Head coach – Andy Farrell
Farrell will be heartsick because a large tranche of the issues that Ireland faced were self-inflicted. Five cards, four yellow and one red, 19 penalties, playing with 12 men at one point and conceded, and on the flip side his team died with their boots on. Rating: 7
