World champions South Africa have spoilt Ireland's return to Lansdowne Road with a 23-21 victory in Dublin that kept alive hopes of a first Springbok grand slam in 50 years.

South Africa streaked away to lead 23-9 midway through the second half after tries from Juan Smith and Gio Aplon before Ireland rallied late through tries to Tommy Bowe and Rob Kearney.

Full-back Kearney cut South Africa's lead to 23-21 with barely five minutes remaining, leaving Ronan O'Gara with a tricky conversion to tie the scores.

But from the right hand touchline, O'Gara's kick cruelly bounced back off the post and the Springboks, then a man down after Bryan Habana was yellow-carded, held on.

Playing much the more controlled rugby, South Africa's victory ended a run of three straight defeats by Ireland, all in Dublin, and gave coach Peter de Villiers some breathing space after a Tri-Nations where the Springboks lost five of their six matches.

"We had a good lead and we defended it (but) you always worry, the game isn't won until it's over - we have learned this in the Tri Nations," de Villiers said.

South Africa dominated the lineout after stand-on captain Victor Matfield was reunited with Bakkies Botha.

"We have lost quite a few games in the last minute, particularly at home, so we've done well," Matfield said.

Just short of the hour mark, de Villiers took off the uninjured Morne Steyn to give a debut to 20-year-old Pat Lambie in a decision which threatened to turn the match as Ireland stormed home.

Ireland tried to force the pace against a South Africa side who, playing the conditions better, used their forward strength to play with greater precision.

"Only the 30 guys who took the field had a real understanding as to how difficult conditions were out there," said Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll.

"That ball was like a bar of soap.

"We were trying to play a little bit, whether that was the smart thing to do in those conditions."

Ireland were forced to make 18 tackles in the first five minutes and their discipline eventually gave way when they were caught offside.

Goalkicking ace Steyn made no mistake with the simple penalty.

And it was an Irish error that led to the game's first try when, from a line-out, flanker Smith intercepted scrum-half Eoin Reddan's blind pass and sprinted clear from fully 65 metres before sliding over in the 17th minute.

Fly-half Steyn made the seemingly difficult conversion from the right touchline look easy to extend South Africa's lead to 10-0.

An exchange of penalties ended with the Springboks 13-6 ahead at the interval.

Ireland made a mess of the restart but Steyn's world record run of 41 successful goalkicks in a row when he pushed the ensuing 45-metre penalty wide of the right post.

"We were controlling the game, we don't know what's going to happen in the rest of the tour," said de Villiers ahead of next weekend's clash with Wales.

"The substitution that went against us was when O'Gara came on."

Minutes after Lambie's miss, the Springboks had a second try when centre Zane Kirchner's clever inside pass released Aplon to score under the posts in the 65th minute.

Cue the Irish rally, with O'Gara's clever kick over the South Africa defence allowing Bowe to regather and score under the posts before the stand-off converted.

Ireland laid siege to South Africa's line after O'Gara's kick downfield and the pressure told when Kearney went in at the corner to set up a tense finish.

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