Rassie Erasmus, Siya Kolisi Detail Half-Time Strategy That Helped End Springboks' 13-Year Dublin Drought

South Africa overcame Ireland 24-13 at the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour in Dublin on Saturday.

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus expressed his satisfaction on Saturday after his team broke a 13-year winless streak in Dublin, admitting that while the performance wasn't flawless, the victory over Ireland at the Aviva Stadium was a significant achievement.

The 24-13 win marked the Springboks' fourth consecutive victory on their Castle Lager Outgoing Tour. Despite the result, Erasmus, captain Siya Kolisi, and World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year Malcolm Marx remained grounded, acknowledging Ireland's spirited second-half comeback.

South Africa held a 19-7 lead at halftime and ultimately secured an 11-point victory in a match disrupted by both red and yellow cards.

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"It was a great win against a team like Ireland, who have dominated against us since we’ve been together as a group," said Erasmus as quoted on SA Rugby. "If you look back at the last five games we’ve played, they are still three-two up against us, so we won’t get carried away with the result, but the beer tastes a little better."

"We are just thankful that we were able to beat them here," he continued. "It’s been a long season for us... But we are certainly proud after such a long season to grind through a win against a team such as them at home for the first time in 13 years."

Addressing the chaotic nature of the game, which saw multiple cards issued, Erasmus and Kolisi noted that their team was accustomed to playing under such pressure, having faced similar situations in recent wins against France and Italy.

"We’ve had games with red cards and a concussion... and we’ve had to grind it out," Erasmus explained. "The match was very physical and there was obviously a 20-minute red card, which I thought was the correct call."

"I thought we were completely dominant for most parts of the game, but we just couldn’t capitalise on it while we were inside the 22m area," he added. "It was hectic and difficult to manage... but that’s Test match rugby and you have to understand and manage those situations."

Kolisi praised the clear communication from the coaching staff and officials, which helped the team navigate the disruptions. "At halftime, we had to make plans, but we always knew what was happening," the captain said. "We took the penalties and we understood they had numbers short, and the scrum was working for us, which is why we went for that aspect of the game."

Hooker Malcolm Marx, who was presented with his World Rugby award by former Springbok lock Victor Matfield after the match, elaborated on the forward battle. "It was a tough game and having that many scrums wasn’t pleasing on the neck," he commented. "They are a quality side with a quality pack, so obviously, we had to grind it out and apply as much pressure as we could to get the rewards."

Erasmus was quick to credit Ireland's resilience, particularly in defence. "Ireland were just as physical to keep us out with the tackles and turnovers they made inside the 22m area, so it was physical, but I don’t think they came off second best there," the coach stated.

"It was definitely not a perfect performance, but there was a monkey on our backs that we had to get off," he concluded, dismissing suggestions of revenge. "It was a case of trying to fix things. In the scrums we were dominant, but not in every department."

The Springboks will now travel to Wales on Sunday for the final match of their November tour in Cardiff.