WITH A FEW steadying pints already on board, Ciarán Frawley’s heart rate has started to come down.
But the ecstasy of being the game-winner is still oozing out of him.
There are few wins as thrilling as those earned by drop goals with the last kick of the game. It takes such a collective effort to get into position but right in that split second, it’s down to the individual who drops the ball in front of themselves and looks to strike just as it hops up off the ground.
Drop kicks are a difficult art but Ciarán Frawley was an artist, not once but twice.
His first long-range effort put Ireland within touching distance of the Springboks at the end of an enthralling Test. His second from 42 metres out won the game as the final hooter blasted around Kings Park Stadium.
It was all the more impressive given that he had heartbreak so recently when his last-gasp attempt to win the Champions Cup final for Leinster against Toulouse slipped wide.
“The strike was probably the ugliest drop goal I’ve ever hit in my life,” says Frawley of his winning effort in Durban.
“The one in Tottenham was way better, which is funny. It worked out, which is key.
“Bladey [Caolin Blade] pulled the trigger at the right time. They were probably expecting us to pick and go a little bit more and get better field position.
“I felt there was no pressure on me when I went for the drop goal.
“I hit it so ugly that it was on the left post, so I knew it would come back to the right. I was more just telling it to go, get over! The ref was looking at it as well.
Frawley was key to putting Ireland in position for the winning drop goal, his brave grubber kick up the left-hand side allowing James Lowe to bundle Cheslin Kolbe into touch, giving Ireland one last platform.
“It was probably the 79th minute when we put the grubber kick through,” says Frawley. “It was an unbelievable kick chase by Lowey, he puts him out, we get the chance for a drop goal.
“There was a lot of little things around it but I’d say there were a load of Irish fans holding their breath when the grubber kick went through, ‘What’s he doing kicking it away?’ but we’re delighted it came off and the bounce of the ball went in our favour and we were delighted.”
And so, Ireland had one last lineout platform from which to launch their bid for a last-gasp victory.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell was brave in sending Frawley and scrum-half Caolin Blade on with a quarter of the game still left.
“I think Andy made very good decisions with his bench, bringing the forwards on as well gave a lot of energy to the team,” says Frawley.
“The momentum swung when we got the yellow card [against Caelan Doris] so decisions had to be made. When I came on, I felt like the vibe was good among the group and they dug in well. There was a lot of lads on there for 80 minutes and they put in a massive shift to get us that win.”
And so, with Kolbe driven into touch by Lowe, the halfbacks put their heads together.
Frawley, winning his sixth Test cap, and Blade, earning just his third, found the solution.
“The clock was actually hard to find in the ground so myself and Caolin Blade were having a bit of a discussion,” said Frawley.
“There was something going on before the lineout so Bladey actually saw the clock was close to being in the red and we put our heads together and said this lineout we’d work it, so a lot of credit to him for using the head.”
Frawley has no doubt that this was the best moment of his career.
“Yeah, definitely, definitely. Especially after Tottenham against Toulouse. I was delighted to see it go between the posts.”
He was able to block that memory out of his thoughts.
“No, it’s not on your mind,” says Frawley. “You’re focusing on the game but when you reflect on it immediately after, you’re kind like, ‘Why didn’t it happen as well as month ago?’ or whatever it was. But look, I’m delighted it came off.”
It says a lot about Frawley that he was already thinking that this season could have brought even more success.
In some ways, it has felt like Frawley has been waiting his whole career for a moment like this one in Durban.
“Look, it’s the way the game goes sometimes, you get injuries along the way and little setbacks. I’ve been jumping around positions and stuff like that, but I’ve been training a lot at 10 and training a lot at 15 and 12, but stepping in there isn’t alien to me.
“I felt confident when I came on, I felt the lads around me gave me a great buzz. It’s just executing off the back of it which felt quite instinctual.”
Whatever lies ahead for the Skerries man can wait.
Tonight is for celebrating.
“To come down here to play against the world champions and beat them in their own backyard is unbelievable. It’s not just an individual thing, I put over the drop goal, but the whole squad…the first half was unbelievable.
“It was probably one of the best halves of rugby you’d see from an Irish team and the way we dug in the second half was a credit to the lads.
“It was just my role on the night to put over the drop goal. It’s not an individual thing, it’s definitely a team performance.”
