By Tadhg Peavoy
The last of the Guinness November Series internationals took place at Croke Park today with Ireland facing South Africa. Relive all the action with our live matchtracker by Tadhg Peavoy.
To access our TV coverage click here from 2.00pm (IoI only).
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5.54pm One last note for you. Declan Kidney has just been named IRB Coach of the Year. Thoroughly deserved I think you'll agree. For all today's scoring so far and in the evening kick-offs click here.
4.45pm Oh, and finally, the Springboks' captain John Smit has just been awarded the IRB Team of The Year Award for his side's efforts. Talk about bad timing!
4.39pm Right, well, that's it folks. Thanks for joining me for the last three weeks; I hope you enjoyed the coverage we provided.
So, until next time, see y'after.
4.35pm Ireland were excellent though. This wasn't a case of flair rugby, but a matter of playing SA at their own game, ugly and rough and tough. They did that in spades with massive tackling from O'Driscoll and O'Connell. Kearney added a sprinkling of genius from 15 which gave Sexton the platform to kick Ireland into supremacy. As for Sexton, this was a chance for him to show his wares and potentially oust O'Gara for the Six Nations 2010. On the basis of this performance, and his Leinster displays so far this season, he is now the man in possession of the starting out-half spot.
4.31pm The Boks dominated the first half but couldn't capitalise on their territory. Morne Steyn's kicks from distance were not up to snuff at all and South Africa lost this game as a consequence. In the Tri-Nations and Lions' tour they had Francois Steyn for those long-rangers and without him on the pitch the Boks lacked options from the boot.
4.30pm Sorry folks. Technical difficulties there! I'm back with you. Superb game. Not pretty stuff, but a clash of two rugby heavyweights.
80 mins Ireland are withstading immense pressure on their own line. Drive after drive. Du Plessis then Brussouw, then De Villiers. But, they hold on, on the line O'Driscoll makes a massive hit and SA can't use it on the ground. It's all over! FULL-TIME 15-10. A Famous win for Ireland!
79 mins Peno SA in the 22-metre area for Ireland holding on I think. Nobody here in RTÉ can fathom why though, if anything it should have gone the other way.
78 mins Flannery throws to Wallace at the back. O'Leary box kicks but fails to make touch. SA counter back. De Villiers runs 25 yards into the IRL 22. SA spin it wide to the right wing, Burger feeds The Beast metres from the line. Last minute tackled from an Irish shirt. Not sure who it was. This is critical!
78 mins Rob Kearney named Man of the Match for Ireland.
78 mins Habana make a woeful pass to De Villiers and he scrambles back to claim it. Earls knocks De Villiers into touch. Superb effort from Earls!
77 mins Matfield takes a line-out in the IRL 10-metre area. The ball goes out the line. Du Preez picks and goes. Smit plays scrum-half. Pieterson is almost away, but D'Arcy makes a last ditch tackle.
76 mins Heaslip has to change his shirt as it's been ripped right off.
75 mins SA clear to touch. IRL line-out is good. Flannery sets up a maul, at the ruck; however, IRL hold-on and SA win the penalty.
74 mins O'Connell takes and goes in the SA half. SA kill the ball and it's another Ireland penalty. PENALTY: The kick is in midfield, right in the middle, at halfway: He steps up, he kicks, he misses.
72 mins SA Scrum: Pienaar gives a garryowen. Kearney claims well and is hit in the air. Peno downfield. Flannery takes the line-out. Wallace drives into the SA 22 metre area.
72 mins Heaslip picks and goes but it's messy. Ireland setup a ruck but they are not using it. Nigel Owens deems that SA are going forward and Ireland lose it.
71 mins Thankfully there is a forward pass from SA and Ireland will have the scrum on the SA 10-metre line.
70 mins All SA at the minute. Du Plessis carries froward in the IRL 22. But, he loses it and Ireland's Bowe races free in the 10-metre area. High tackle on Bowe and offisde from SA, but the ref sees neither!
69 mins Ireland clear to touch. Good SA scrum. Matfield takes. The Beast Mtawarira is back on: he only went off for a blood change.
67 mins Heaslip wins the ball from the ruck, and drives forward. Then he gets done for holding on! So frustrating from Heaslip. PENALTY: Pienaar hits the post and the ball deflects away.
66 mins PENALTY: Sexton resumes service! Over it goes! 15-10.
65 mins Ruck for SA in the 22 and O'Connell gets in amongst them, Matifeld is penalised for holding on and O'Connell was the first to the breakdown, sterling work from the Munster man.
63 mins Ireland put a kick from SA into touch. But IRL win the line-out, Sexton kicks downfield. Pienaar up and unders it, Ireland run it back. Heaslip takes it into the SA half and feeds Earls, he kicks ahead and puts Kirchner under pressure. He lets it bounce over the line and touches down. Olivier is off for De Villiers.
62 mins Bismarck de Plessis is also on for BJ Botha.
62 mins M Steyn is off for Ruan Pienaar.
59 mins Kearney returns a downfield and SA's Du Preez holds-on at rucktime. Peno Ireland. PENALTY: Sexton slices it badly, no joy this time.
57 mins Wallace is so flat as he takes the ball at the base. Awful. Then the ball is spun wide to Earls. He is isolated and knocked into touch, but at the ensuing line-out Ireland turnover. Sexton kicks to the corner, Kirchner is under it and clears.
56 mins Steyn kicks to IRL. Ireland run-it. Ruck setup and Healy acts scrum-half. SA come in offside and Sexton takes the peno. He kicks to touch. IRL line-out, the ball goes out the line. On the left flank Healy drives into the 22 handing off Fourie. On the line, O'Callaghan drives, Heaslip is fed the ball but he is standing static.
54 mins Kirchner is fed the ball as SA turnover, but he slips and the ball goes straight out. Ireland delay too long at the line-out and SA are awarded a free-kick.
53 mins SA drive forward, Fourie bulldozes into the 22, but Earls steals the ball from his arms. Kearney boots downfield and chases, Steyn has to rush his clearance, he slices it. IRL line-out.
52 mins It's like Gorillas in the Mist out there! You can barely see yoru own feet!
51 mins PENALTY: Sexton will kick from the right wing, outside the 10-metre area. He gets, perfect kick. 12-10.
50 mins Poor lineout, not clean, but Ireland secure. Earls gets the ball in midfield and drives through. O'Connell picks and goes from the ensuing ruck. Ball recycled too slow by Ireland and turnover. But, Bekker has kneed an Irishman in the head on the floor: penalty. Last warning, should have been a yellow card.
49 mins Ireland control the SA restart, ruck it, and Sexton clears to Steyn. Steyn returns the kick and puts it out on the full. Line-out back in the SA half.
48 mins Mtawarira is off for Van der Linde.
47 mins Sexton will kick for goal. Just outside the SA 10-metre area. PENALTY: Superb kick! 9-10. Sexton has yet to miss a kick for Ireland.
47 mins Ireland lose it, but SA kick stright into touch. O'Leary takes it quickly for Ireland. Ball is lost by O'Driscolll in midfield. But, it was lost through a high-tackle from Steyn and Ireland take the peno, no card though.
46 mins Ball is not straight in the line-out. Ireland get a scrum.
45mins Matfield claims the restart but it is kicked to Kearney who finds SA touch in the SA half.
44 mins Ireland penalised at the scrum and Steyn is going to kick for goal. He is taking it from the halfway, or just inside, on the left wing. PENALTY: He misses it, 3 misses now for Steyn.
43 mins SA win their scrum. Olivier hits midfield at pace, Du Preez kicks away the ruck ball. Ireland take forward through Kearney. Possession is sent to the other flank and turned over.
42 mins From a ruck the ball goes through the line, every back gets his hands on the ball, but Earls knocks on.
41 mins SA return the kick-off and Earls charges through the backline.
40 mins The second half is underway. Sean O'Brien is on for Stephen Ferris who was carrying a knock.
39 mins Kearney gathers and charges from his own 22. But SA win the ruck and ping it back. Ireland ping back and SA win a peno for Ireland hands in the ruck; O'Connell the culprit. Steyn will go for goal from the halfway line. PENALTY: Steyn puts it just short. That is the last action of the half.
HALF-TIME: Ireland 6-10 South Africa.
38 mins Ping-pong ensues. A high ball between O'Driscoll and an SA player. O'Driscoll is adjudged to have nudged him on the ground. PENALTY: Morne Steyn takes the peno from halfway, but it drops under the crossbar.
37 mins Heaslip takes the Ireland line-out at number 2. Ruck Ireland. O'Connell passes to Drico, but he has only Earls outside and skews a drop-goal effort; it was his only option.
36 mins: SA lineout. They win the line-out but lose it in the ruck. Penalty Ireland, Sexton kicks to hafway.
35 mins Ball is out through the hands. Habana passes inside to Kirchhner: a las minute interception by Bowe stops a certain try.
34 mins Bekker wins the SA lineout. Ruck in the IRL 10-metre area.
33 mins SA scrum: drives Ireland back. Steyn kicks to Kearney who feeds Sexton in the 10 metre area. Bowe takes it on. Ruck again. O'Driscoll slips with the ball in hand in midfield and loses ball, it is kicked to Kearney who kicks back to touch at hafway.
32 mins Flannery throws to O'Connell, its over his head and not straight as well. SA scrum as a result.
31 mins Sexton kicks to halfway. Solid kick.
30 mins O'Connell gathers the re-start. Cleared to Kirchner, who clears back to Kearney in the Ireland 10-metre line. Ireland secure ball and JP Pieterson is offside and Ireland win a peno.
29 mins PENALTY: Sexton to kick from 22 metre line, wide on the left wing. Hard kick: he gets it! 6-10.
27 mins Line-out Ireland. O'Callaghan takes at 2. Ireland drive into the 22-metre area. Healy takes from the maul, to O'Leary. Kearney and Earls switch on the wing, but JP Pieterson hits Earls hard. SA concede a peno for not coming in at the gate at the breakdown. Brussouw was the offender.
27 mins Ferris is suffering from an injury, but wants to stay on.
26 mins O'Dricsoll gets his hands on the ball, beats two men and feeds Sexton. Ireland kick to the tryline. Tommy Bowe takes Habana out in the air. Peno SA, but he takes it quickly and kicks ball away. Stupid play. Advantage Ireland.
25 mins Ireland scrum in the SA half. Ball shoots out and Heaslip has to scamper back. O'Callaghan picks and drives, tacled by BJ Botha. D Wallace carries as Heaslip is fed the ball. Heaslip and Wallace are doing all the carrying today.
24 mins Bekker carries down the left wing and sets up a ruck. The platform is set up for Morne Steyn to go for goal. DROP-GOAL: he gets it 3-10. Wallace is finally replaced by D'Arcy.
23 mins JP Pieterson kicks downfield to Kearney who is alone at the back. Actually P Wallace is stilll on, limping. They need to get him off.
22 mins Paddy Wallace has picked up an ankle injury and is coming of for Gordon D'Arcy.
20 mins Ireland are awarded a scrum as D Wallace was held-up. Good scrum for Ireland. Heaslip picks and goes, then passes to O'Leary. Ireland on the line. Healy picks and goes. Good retension from Ireland. David Wallaces drives again, but he holds on this time and penalty SA.
19 mins Heaslip breaks at no 8 from the scrum. From the setup O'Driscoll finds open space and speeds into the 22. Recycled ball and the ruck is set-up before Healip picks and drives for the line. Five metres out and the ball goes wide to Sexton. He has to come inside to look for support. David Wallace gets his hands on the ball and is kept out by five SA tacklers swarming over him.
18 mins From the kick-off SA put the ball into touch and Ireland line-out. In the ensuing play Ireland win a scrum as Burger knocks on playing scrum-half as SA win a ruck.
14 mins TRY: SA scrum: Ireland are shunted back. Ireland penalised. SA are in the 22 now. Ball is skipped out to Kirchner on the right wing. Then the ball is recyled to the left wing going through several hands, from 10, 13 to Burger coming in at pace, his angle cuts through Ireland's defence and he goes over unchallenged. The conversion is added by M Steyn. CONVERSION 3-7.
13 mins Scrum SA: Solid scrum from both sides. Ball cleared to Bowe, he challenges in the air with Habana and Bowe knocks on. Scrum SA in Ireland's own 10-metre area. Frenetic pace here.
12 mins Ball cleared upfield by Kearney, SA ping it back and Ireland put the ball through hands. Cian Healy knocks the ball on in the SA 10-metre area.
11 mins Ball into touch off Kearney from a high ball. But, they don't take the line-out quick enough and a free-kick is awarded to Ireland.
10 mins From the kick-off Ireland set up in the 22. O'Leary attempts to box-kick but is closed down and his next attempt doesn't make touch.
9 mins PENALTY: Sexton steps up - really, really foggy now - it's sweet and over! 3-0.
7 mins SA win the next-line-out - just. SA set up in midfield, they swing wide to Habana. SA recycle in the Ireland half, but Ireland turnover at the ruck. Wallace counters and Irealnd win a penalty for SA hands in the ensuing ruck.
7 mins O'Connell steals the line-out! O'Leary box-kicks clear to the Ireland 10-metre line.
6 mins Bekker is taken out in the line-out, penalty SA. M Steyn clears to touch in the Ireland 22.
4 mins From the lineout SA win and clear to Ireland. The ball is spun wide to Earls who takes the ball into the SA half. Ferris drives on too. Sexton then clears to SA. Steyn returns that ball and Sexton ping it back again. Bowe fires an up and under but knocks the ensuing catch into touch.
4 mins There is a bit of a scuffle. Nigel Owens says 'whatever happens there, ends there.'
3 mins Sexton kicks long and Kirchner returns to Sexton; ping-pong time. The ball is set up by Habana in the SA half. Du Preez clears to Kearney. O'Leary clears to Wallace, who is standing at out-half. He clears to touch at halfway.
1min Sexton kicks-off to South Africa, who don't control. Line-out Ireland. the ball is put out the line but O'Driscoll knocks on. South Africa counter and Du Preez feeds Morne Steyn in the 10-metre area. He goes for a drop-goal and misses.
2.38pm Just in case you missed the news, Springbok second-row Bakkies Botha has been ruled out with injury, Andries Bekker takes his place.
2.37pm Right, preliminaries over, time for some ball.
2.36pm The crowd brace themselves for Ireland's Call...
2.35pm And Amhrán na bhFiann belts out around the stands.
2.33pm This has definitely been the most moustachioed November in the history of rugby.Charity tache growing has reached epic proportions due to Mo'vember. Schalk Burger has a fine slug-style tache on his upper lip.
2.29pm The South Africa anthem is about to get underway. Its title is Lord Bless Africa or The Voice of Africa.
2.28pm President Mary McAleese is doing the old meet-and-greets on the red carpet. She looks dapper in a pink scarf and winter jacket combo.
2.27pm Did anyone catch the anthem at the France v South Africa game in Toulouse? It had the dubious reputation of being preceded by the worst ever rendition of the South African national anthem: check it out for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcMA4Bz1SHI
2.26pm Still really foggy out there. Still looks a little like a horror movie. No sign of any zombies though.
2.23pm Kick-off is approaching now. If you have any comments on the game send them in to the usual address: sportonline@rte.ie.
2.16pm Conor O'Shea highlights how southern hemisphere sides have been dominating the breakdown over the last year. They commit many men and come in through the gate, out-muscling the opposition. Ireland will have to match them at ruck time today.
2.09pm Italy have taken an early 8-0 lead against Samoa in the first match of the day. Thought you might like to know, not really the glamour tie of the day though is it!
2.08pm Former Ireland number 8 Victor Costello recalls playing South Africa. He describes them as 'arrogant' and 'feeling like they own the sport' and that 'you want to beat them'.
2.04pm Tom McGurk tells us that the South Africans are mesmerised by how cold it is out at Croke Park. They should try getting up at 5am to come in for a shift in RTÉ!
2.03pm A weird fog has descended over the pitch at Croke Park. it looks a little like a set from the horror flick John Carpernter's The Fog!
2.02pm The TV coverage has started at Croker. The Three Wise Men: Hooky, Popey and Sheasy are in attendance; as per usual.
1.32pm Fancy a flutter on today's clash. Check out Paddy Power's offers here:
12.43pm For all of you that can't access today's TV coverage, we will be here providing you with all the action from just after 2.00pm. Kick-off in Drumcondra is 2.30pm
12.37pm Hello everybody and good morning. So, the last of Ireland's November internationals is upon us. After a stuttering and unconvincing, yet strangely satisfying draw with Australia and a facile win over Fiji, the main course has arrived.
The Rugby World Cup 2007 winners South Africa arrive at Croke Park on the back of an alarmingly poor tour of the Northern hemisphere. Defeats to Leicester, Saracens and France, combined with a solitary win against Italy, have given the 'Boks a decidely beatable demeanour. However, underestimate these British and Irish Lions' slayers at your peril. It would be most 'Bok like for Peter de Villiers' charges to announce their return to form with a win over Ireland's Grand Slam heroes.
The late injury news ahead of today's tie is that Bakkies Botha has withdrawn from the South Africa side due to a back injury. From an Irish point of view, this is a shame, as Declan Kidney's team would want to test its scrum against arguably the best scrummaging lock in the world.
Ireland: R Kearney (Leinster); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), P Wallace (Ulster), K Earls (Munster); J Sexton (Leinster), T O'Leary (Munster); C Healy (Leinster), J Flannery (Munster), J Hayes (Munster); D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster), S Ferris (Ulster), D Wallace (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster).
Replacements: S Cronin (Connacht), T Buckley (Munster), L Cullen (Leinster), S O'Brien (Leinster), P Stringer (Munster), R O'Gara (Munster), G D'Arcy (Leinster).
South Africa: Z Kirchner (Blue Bulls); J Pietersen (Sharks), J Fourie (Lions), W Olivier (Blue Bulls), B Habana (Blue Bulls); M Steyn (Blue Bulls), F du Preez (Blue Bulls); T Mtawarira (Sharks), J Smit (Sharks, capt), BJ Botha (Ulster), A Bekker (Western province), (Blue Bulls), V Matfield (Blue Bulls), H Brussow (Cheetahs), S Burger (Western Province), D Rossouw (Blue Bulls).
Replacements: B du Plessis (Sharks), CJ van der Linde (Leinster), F Hougaard (Blue Bulls), J Deysel (Sharks), D Potgieter (Blue Bulls), R Pienaar (Sharks), J de Villiers (Munster).
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales).
