Follow-on from yesterday's hopeful post.  I should point out that Ireland have beaten South Africa just once in rugby, and that was 34 years ago.

So guess what happened yesterday?  The Springboks somehow managed to lose.  It was damn close - 17-12 (for the rugby-uninitiated, all SA needed was one score to win, and they were within about a metre of doing that when the final whistle went) - but it just wasn't to be.

It's especially humiliating when the SA coach, Jake White, essentially dismissed the Irish team as hopeless earlier in the week - which probably played no small part in firing the Ireland team up for the game.  Humble pie, Jake?

You can read a full match report here.  Trying to find a bright side, all I can say is that there's bound to be a rematch next year - the Springboks don't like to lose, and I expect they'll be looking for payback.  You can be damn sure I'll have tickets for that game...