Wood provides steel as Ireland have edge

VICTORY over any South African representative team is always an achievement of some note and merit and the win attained by the Ireland A side over South Africa A at Donnybrook yesterday was well deserved. The Irish. team's performance got the international campaign off on the best possible note.

In the end, Ireland had just three points to spare, but that did not fully represent their superiority in a thoroughly entertaining match. There were some performances that made the national selectors fully aware of the alternatives at their disposal.

In that respect, nothing was more pleasing than the display given by the Ireland hooker and captain Keith Wood. Not alone did he lead by example, but he proved beyond any doubt that his injury problems are over.

There was, however, a discordant note to a match that produced some genuinely creative rugby. The abrasive and dangerous behaviour of a few South African forwards brought regular intervention from the touch judges, but no more than an admonishing finger and penalty awards from referee Charles Muir. One incident in the second half deserved more severe stricture: South African flanker Jamie Coetzee was extremely fortunate to stay on the field.

Ireland coach David Haslett described Ireland's win as "a tremendous performance and one to give a lift to Irish rugby for the tests that lie ahead".

"Nothing pleased me more than the concentration and discipline Ireland revealed," he said. "In that respect I was especially pleased that the players respected the discipline in relation to respect for the laws of the game. There was a clear implication in that comment that he did not feel the South Africans had taken a similar approach.

Haslett was loud in his praise of Wood. "He was absolutely outstanding." Manager Ray Coughlan reiterated that praise. "I was just delighted to be back wearing the green jersey again, said Wood, "and even more delighted that we won."

Haslett got it right, too, when he said: "We made a few wrong decisions that cost us scores and we would not have been flattered by a bigger winning margin."

Certainly Ireland lived on the brink in injury-time. They led 28-20 and a try was on, but a loose pass saw the opportunity lost. South Africa counter-attacked and full back Dawie Du Toil got a score that brought the tourists within three points. However, the precious three-point lead was defended in the five minutes of injury-time and justice was done.

The Irish forwards stood up very well to the physical demands imposed by a bigger pack. Malcolm O'Kelly did very well in the line-out and got able support from Shane Leahy. Some of the Irish mauling and driving was very effective and both sides revealed their creative instincts. No one served the South African cause better than second row Ryno Opperman, who won some excellent line-out possession.

Eric Elwood played well and was admirably served by young serum-half Brian O'Meara, while yet again Mark McCall in the centre gave a prompt to the selectors. Eric Miller also illustrated his promise on the flank in a hard-working back row.

Ireland opened the game well, taking the lead with a penalty from Elwood after three minutes. Louis Keon equalised for South Africa before Conor O'Shea got the first of his two tries. Elwood kicked another penalty to make it 11-3. A fine try by Keon, which hp converted, brought South Africa within a point of Ireland, but a third Elwood penalty and try from Miller - converted by Elwood - saw Ireland lead 21-10 at the interval.

Within five minutes of the restart, O'Shea got a second try, which Elwood converted, and a great victory beckoned. But the South Africans fought back with some effect and Ireland lost a few chances by taking wrong options in good attacking situations.

A penalty from Keon and try from replacement serum-half Schultz, which Keon converted, left the score at 28-20 with 27 minutes remaining. From that to the end, Ireland threatened more. Then, in the 80th minute, came the try by Du Toil, the South African full back, which set up the grandstand finish.

"This side will get better as the season progresses," said manager Coughlan, "this was only our first match." It was certainly a worthy opening offering.