“Just keep believing, there’s still time.”
That was the message from Ireland captain Caelan Doris to his team-mates in the closing stages against South Africa.
After a stunning first half from Ireland in Durban, the hosts hit back to lead by two points as the clock ticked towards 80 minutes.
Doris’ message certainly seemed unlikely when Ireland had a scrum on their own 22-metre line with 90 seconds remaining.
But up stepped Ciaran Frawley.
After winning the scrum, something Ireland had struggled with all evening, the replacement fly-half sent a perfect kick into Springbok territory and the onrushing Irish pack forced Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu into touch.
From the resulting line-out – another area Ireland had been below par – the ball was carried into contact and Frawley moved into position.
Once the ball came back to him there was only ever going to be one result.
Just as he had earlier in the game, on just his sixth cap, his long-range drop goal flew between the posts – this time to spark wild celebrations as Ireland won 25-24.
“It’s pure elation seeing the ball sail over at the end there,” Doris told Sky Sports.
“It was back and forth, there was two points in it. We believed if we got down there and got territory then we could score.”
