Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll has admitted that South Africa deserved to win a scrappy Test match at the Aviva Stadium.
O'Driscoll watched from the sidelines as Ireland allowed a nine-point lead to slip after a spirited comeback from the Springboks.
Ruan Pienaar scored the deciding try ten minutes into the second half to condemn Declan Kidney's side to defeat.
The Leinster centre thinks that Ireland got complacent after the break and were ultimately made to pay.
He told BBC Sport: "We soaked up too much pressure, allowing them to come at us. You can't sit back on a lead against South Africa.
"They had that pressure in the second half and probably deserved their victory."
The 33-year-old has been forced out of Ireland's autumn series after undergoing surgery on an injured ankle last month.
