Buzzer-beater Crowley counted on Lowe timing

Between plot twists, bomb squads and countdowns, Ireland's win over South Africa was always going to be a thriller and Jack Crowley was there when the credits rolled.

The Boks bench was filled almost to the brim with forwards but the famed 'bomb squad’ failed to detonate. Instead it was the Irish replacements who stole the show.

Like a staple from an old Bond movie, there was a close call when Jack Crowley stopped the shot-clock timer with just over two seconds left.

As if Irish fans hadn’t gone through enough for Mack Hansen’s try when the brilliant winger almost cut the white wire instead of the green, there were more hearts skipping a few beats as the replacement out-half tried to squeeze every last moment out of the allotted 60 seconds for a shot at goal.

The clock was at 75.30 when referee Ben O'Keeffe award the penalty for a South Africa scrum infringement.

The team has a minute from when they tell the ref their decision to take the kick.

Did he realise that he was cutting it that close?

"Yeah I’m not sure who was standing to my right. It might have been James Lowe but I know it sometimes looks – I don’t know what the word is – it’s precious time and he was counting it down for me," said the 23-year-old Munster man.

Libbok restarted at 77.13 and Andy Farrell’s men had two minutes and 47 seconds to survive.

Ireland took the kick but a penalty concession in midfield gave the Boks one last chance, which they didn't take.

"At that stage you’ve got to be closing out the game," added Crowley, who replaced Johnny Sexton with seven minutes left.

"You can’t be giving them an opportunity because they will take it.

"You saw that when they kicked to the corner for the maul that they had so, the shot clock up in the corner you are watching