Johnny Sexton’s late penalty gave Ireland a big enough buffer to deny the Springboks a comeback victory as the world’s top-ranked team claimed a tense victory in Dublin on Saturday.

The two teams went into the break deadlocked at 6-6, but Ireland came out firing and scored two quickfire tries before Sexton slotted a penalty which proved decisive – in the context of South Africa missing goal-kicks – and the hosts hung on for the final six minutes to win 19-16.

It was certainly a contest of high attrition for both teams, as Ireland lost to injury centre Stuart McCloskey, scrumhalf Conor Murray and tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong in the first half, while Bok lock Lood de Jager also cried off early.

The Springboks had more than enough opportunities but, as has become a pattern this year, struggled to break down their opponents once they hit the opposition 22. The visitors only really started making dents once Willie le Roux came off the bench in the second half to put Franco Mostert over for one of two late tries.

South Africa weren’t helped by the youthful halfback pairing of Damian Willemse and Jaden Hendrikse cracking under the pressure with some rushed decision-making and poor execution. However, it would also be harsh to solely blame the defeat on those two as, before Le Roux was on, the Boks only really attacked through the driving maul and one-off runners, both of which Ireland handled comfortably.

The home side flew out of the blocks in the second half, as flank Josh van der Flier did excellently to score from a maul that was destined for touch, before a poor Bok error at the breakdown was pounced on and Hansen dotted down in the same corner just four minutes later.

The Springboks will ultimately have some thinking to do ahead of next weekend’s Test against France, as Ireland won multiple penalties at the scrum, shut the Bok maul down, while Willemse and Kolbe missed crucial kicks.

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