It may not have been enough to win the series in South Africa, but there is no doubt that Ciaran Frawley's winning drop goal against the Springboks last weekend is one of most memorable moments in recent Irish rugby history.
Victories on South Africa soil are notoriously difficult to come by at test level, with Ireland having won in the country on only one previous occasion.
They put themselves in an excellent position in Saturday's game, leading by ten points at halftime. However, South Africa would produce a brilliant second half performance to get in front.
Ireland faced plenty of adversity after the interval, including going down to 14 men at one stage after Caelan Doris was sent to the sin bin. Despite this, they would hang in there long enough to give Frawley a shot to win the game at the death.
READ HERE: Five Biggest Winners From Ireland's Dramatic Test Series In South Africa
Rugby: Owens Says Ireland Man Lucky Not To Be Sent Off Vs South Africa
Ireland had a number of complaints about the officiating during the first rugby test in this series, with Andy Farrell questions a few decisions that went against his side in Pretoria.
In the second test, it could be said that they were the ones that benefitted from a few marginal refereeing calls.
The incident that saw Caelan Doris sent to the sin bin was particularly controversial.
The Ireland man could have no complaints about the call after 'croc rolling' his opponent at the ruck. In fact, some believe it could well have been a red card, while James Ryan was also a tad fortunate not to be punished for his role in the challenge.
Tends to happen if you batista bomb on someone's outstretched leg. https://t.co/6lNxOLWCBP pic.twitter.com/z8btSc3SgG
— Angus (@AnalystGus) July 16, 2024
Speaking on the World Rugby YouTube channel, former referee Nigel Owens said that not only was Doris 'very lucky' to avoid the red card, but Ireland could well have had two players sent to the bin on the back of this incident.
The croc roll is when you grab a player on the fringes of the ruck, then you croc roll him to the ground. What you're doing is you're preventing him trying to compete to get at the ball as a jackler, or trying to counter-ruck.
That can cause some serious injuries, particularly to the lower limbs.
In this instance here, we have two players involved in it. But going to the TMO, a good process, they feel that Doris is the one that starts, and for that reason then he is the one that they decide to send to the bunker as a yellow card.
James Ryan can count himself fortunate as well, because on another day with another official and another team, could have viewed him as playing a huge part as well and could have sent him to the bunker as well.
Should Caelan Doris have been unpgraded to a red card? To be honest with you, it's a very tough decision.
I don't think there could have been any arguments had he been upgraded to a red card, because the action is dangerous. That's the reason it has been outlawed.
So Doris on this occasion can count himself very, very lucky, because it could well have been a red card as well.
South Africa's Malcom Marx would suffer a fractured tibia as a result of this incident, pointing towards why the rugby authorities are so keen to see it stamped out of the game.
Had Doris been red carded, it seems very unlikely that Ireland would have been in a position to win this game. They can certainly count themselves fortunate in that regard.
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