Ireland down Springboks in bruising battle

The host's stern defence finally buckled 13 minutes from time when South Africa lock Franco Mostert stretched over.

A Johnny Sexton penalty for the Irish crucially made it an eight-point game and a 76th minute Kurt-Lee Arendse try was not enough as the visitors' lack of a recognised goal-kicker proved costly.

The win meant Andy Farrell's men followed up their first ever three-Test series victory in New Zealand in July with another important win against a team they will face again in the World Cup pool stages in France in 10 months' time.