Rugby-Rousing comeback hands Boks victory over Ireland

(Adds details) * South Africa rebound from first test defeat * Springboks hit back after being 19-3 down at halftime * Series level at 1-1, setting up third test decider By Mark Gleeson JOHANNESBURG, June 18 (Reuters) - South Africa produced a rousing second-half revival, coming from 16 points down to beat Ireland 32-26 in Saturday's remarkable second test at Ellis Park and level the three-match series. The home side, jeered as they went into halftime 19-3 behind, ran in four tries in the second half in a furious onslaught to level the series 1-1 and set up a fascinating decider in Port Elizabeth next weekend. Paddy Jackson had kicked Ireland, winners of the first test in Cape Town last Saturday, into an early lead and tries from Devin Toner and James Heaslip gave them a 26-10 lead with half an hour to go. Yet with Ireland in sight of a landmark first series win in the southern hemisphere since their visit to Australia in 1979, South Africa then put aside an error-riddled performance to clinch a narrow victory. Debutant Ruan Combrinck sparked the comeback before Warren Whiteley, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Damian de Allende all went over for tries to rescue home hopes. The crowd erupted with delirium as flyhalf Elton Jantjies slotted over a penalty to confirm the victory with the last kick of the match. The game had threatened to plunge Springbok rugby, already reeling after last weekend's loss, into crisis but Ireland had no answer to the passionate display from the hosts in the final 20 minutes. South Africa, playing only a second game under new coach Allister Coetzee, were first on the scoreboard with an early penalty which Jantjies put over from the halfway line. Yet they then regularly committed infringements in the maul to allow Jackson to convert four penalties as Ireland went 12-3 up before the half-hour mark. Jantjies missed two kicks soon after -- one striking the upright from distance -- before Andrew Trimble cleverly touched back a high up and under, allowing towering lock Toner to score with Ireland's first real chance two minutes before the break. Two half-time changes for the Springboks sparked their salvage operation but errors again stymied their efforts before Willie le Roux put debutant wing Combrinck in for a try in the corner in the 56th minute. Straight from the kick off, Ireland forced another penalty but instead of going for the posts, they kicked into touch and from the resultant line out drove the ball over with Heaslip scoring to restore a 16-point advantage. Whiteley handed home fans hope of a late recovery as he stretched over the line at the end of drive, set up by the pace of Combrinck, leaving the Boks nine points in arrears with 15 minutes to play. Five minutes later the deficit was down to just four as another drive put Du Toit in for a second try in successive weeks. De Allende then broke through the Irish defensive line to give South Africa the lead with five minutes left and Jantjies' late kick sealed a remarkable turnaround. (Editing by Ian Chadband)