BOK TO SQUARE 1

Ireland pick up four first-half yellow cards as South Africa prove too strong at Aviva

- BY DEREK FOLEY

IRELAND were physically dominated by South Africa, suffering FOUR first-half sins bins, all part of being blown apart at the Aviva last night.

Referee Matt Carley was just short of ordering a firing squad for the home team.

James Ryan was sin-binned for an over-the-top dive at a ruck, Sam Prendergast got yellow-carded for Ireland's persistent fouling, Jack Crowley got 10 minutes for illegally tackling the scrumhalf and Andrew Porter got his 'scrum' yellow on the stroke of halftime.

Why struggling Porter wasn't taken in after 20 minutes can't be explained by 'it's just not done'. Loosehead sub Paddy McCarthy started against Australia so there had to be 60 minutes in him. English referee Carley didn't flinch in the face of the home fans' outrage.

There were signs from the off that Ireland were going to be overpowered but it was harder to guess that they'd aid their own undoing.

A sliding doors moment came as 'Boks out-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu appeared to have made a no-arms tackle on the touchline on Tommy O'Brien, the TMO takes a look and the 'Boks are dreading a third red card in as many weeks...