Djougang brace helps Ireland to victory in South Africa

South Africa 27

Ireland 40 

LINDA DJOUGANG BAGGED tries in either half at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday as Ireland dug deep to earn the spoils against South Africa in a high-scoring WXV Global Series encounter.

In the first of two tests between these nations as part of this inaugural women’s rugby tournament, Ireland found themselves four points in front at the midway stage in the action following tries from Aoife Dalton, Djougang and Jane Clohessy.

12 unanswered points on the resumption had them firmly in the driving seat and even though South Africa rallied to good effect in the final-quarter, the visiting nation eventually finished with 13 points to spare.

After an initially scrappy opening to the contest, out-half Dannah O’Brien kicked a penalty to touch on the left-flank to offer Ireland a foothold in the opposition ‘22’. The ball was worked from the ensuing line-out towards the right-hand side, where inside centre Dalton powered over under enormous pressure from the South African defence.

O’Brien provided the extras to this score and now that they were up and running, the visitors were hoping to push on for the remainder of the opening period. Yet their hosts were certainly no pushovers and reduced their deficit to just two points on the stroke of 20 minutes when No 8 Aseza Hele burst past the whitewash for a superb individual try.

While a wayward Jakkie Cilliers conversion kept Ireland in the ascendancy, they were temporarily reduced to 14 players in the 24th minute after team captain Erin King was adjudged to have executed a high tackle on South African scrum-half Unam Tose.

The Springbok Women briefly took advantage of this numerical supremacy when their imposing lock Vainah Ubisi stretched over for their second try on 28 minutes, but Ireland managed to regain control of the scoreboard in advance of King’s return.

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Another line-out move edged Scott Bemand’s charges to within inches of the South African posts and following some neat play from Emily Lane, loosehead prop Djougang superbly dotted down for a one-handed try that was comfortably supplemented by an O’Brien bonus kick.

South Africa turned the tables on their northern hemisphere counterparts once again on 37 minutes when winger Maria Tshiremba touched down in the left-corner off a Byrhandré Dolf pass, but there was enough time left on the clock for Ireland to secure an interval lead.

Deep into first-half stoppage-time, Jane Clohessy (daughter of former Munster and Ireland front-row Peter Clohessy) received possession to the right of the posts and drove over for her side’s third try of an increasingly-compelling fixture.

O’Brien’s third successful conversion – in comparison to a single effort from Cilliers – ensured Ireland brought a 21-17 cushion into the second half.

After becoming the record try-scorer for the team in their previous WXV showdown with Japan at Dexcom Stadium in Galway on 27 September, Parsons subsequently extended her tally in a test match against the same opposition in Cork six days later.

She had already shown glimpses of her attacking prowess in the first half and at the tail end of an extended move moments after the restart, the Connacht star extended her international try haul to 26 with a typically ruthless finish on the right-wing.

Ireland were growing in confidence as the game progressed and it seemed inevitable they would get through for a fifth try. Niamh O’Dowd had been introduced off the bench to the Irish scrum and her delicate offload paved the way for King to cruise over the whitewash on 52 minutes.

This left all of 16 points between the teams and, after immediately impressing as a replacement for Lane at scrum-half, Aoibheann Reilly appeared to have added her name to the scoresheet when she crossed over on the third-quarter mark.

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Yet despite O’Brien having already slotted over a conversion, these scores were retrospectively ruled out for a knock-on from Brittany Hogan earlier in the move.

This came as a major relief to an under-fire South Africa, who went on to receive a double boost when a yellow card for Irish replacement Eve Higgins in the 67th minute was rapidly followed by flanker Lerato Makua’s unconverted try.

However, just as they did when King was in the sin-bin, Ireland regrouped with 14 and reasserted their authority when a long passage of play inside the South African ‘22’ was rounded off by a second clinical try from the ever-dependable Djougang on 74 minutes.

There was enough time left on the clock for winger Alichia Arries to secure a fifth South African try off a Mary Zulu crossfield delivery.

While this will keep them on their guard ahead of next weekend’s second test in the same venue, Ireland and head coach Scott Bemand will be generally satisfied with their afternoon’s work in Cape Town.

South Africa scorers:

Tries – Aseza Hele, Vainah Ubisi, Maria Tshiremba, Lerato Makua, Alichia Arries

Conversions – Jakkie Cilliers [1/5]

Ireland scorers:

Tries – Linda Djougang 2, Aoife Dalton, Jane Clohessy, Béibhinn Parsons, Erin King

Conversions – Dannah O’Brien [5/6]

SOUTH AFRICA: Jakkie Cilliers; Alichia Arries, Maceala Samboya, Siniqwa Lamprecht, Maria Tshiremba; Byrhandré Dolf (Mary Zulu 75), Unam Tose (Anacadia Minnaar 75); Sanelisiwe Charlie (Yonela Ngxingolo 49), Anushka Groenewald (Lindelwa Gwala 49), Xoliswa Khuzwayo (Thandile Mazwi 49); Vainah Ubisi, Catha Jacobs (Danelle Lochner 47); Sizophila Solontsi, Lerato Makua (Aphiwe Ngwevu 75), Aseza Hele (Logan Welman 49).

IRELAND: Stacey Flood (Eve Higgins 61); Béibhinn Parsons, Anna McGann, Aoife Dalton, Robyn O’Connor; Dannah O’Brien, Emily Lane (Aoibheann Reilly 47); Linda Djougang (Sadhbh McGrath 76), Neve Jones (Beth Buttimer 76), Eilís Cahill (Niamh O’Dowd 47); Jane Clohessy (Grace Moore 61), Dorothy Wall (Kate Jordan 76); Fiona Tuite-O’Sullivan, Erin King, Brittany Hogan (Jemima Adams Verling 76).

REF: Jess Ling (Australia).

Written by Daire Walsh and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.