Springboks v England: Four talking points

The Springboks were given a tough test but managed to emerge with a 29-20 win over a game England in their end-of-year-tour Test at Twickenham on Saturday night.

The visitors outscored the hosts four tries to two, but it wasn’t a comfortable win at all, as England took the lead in the 51^st minute, before the Boks hit back to take a 10 point lead in the 63^rd minute.

But a late yellow card saw the Boks play 12 of the last 14 minutes of the game with 14-men, and their defence had to come massively to the fore to keep England out in the closing moments.

Here are four key talking points from the match:

Early game try fest

The first 25 minutes of the match was an absolute try fest as the Boks dotted down three times while England crossed the whitewash twice. It started with a brilliant bit of vision from flyhalf Marcus Smith that led to Ollie Sleightholme’s try in the third minute that put the hosts into a 7-0 lead. The Boks responded with their own bit of magic from scrumhalf Grant Williams who sniped, stepped and scored to level things up.

The Boks then went scored twice more, first a double charge down from lock Eben Etzebeth and loose forward Pieter-Steph du Toit ending with Du Toit diving on the ball over the line, while wing Cheslin Kolbe finished off a nice cross kick from flyhalf Manie Libbok.

England flank Sam Underhill then rounded out the first half scoring, hitting a gap and going over form close range, with the score 19-17 to the Boks at that stage.

Second half tries disallowed

The Springboks and England both had tries disallowed early in the second half as both teams looked to take charge of the game. It was the Boks who were in first after a long pass from fullback Aphelele Fassi to wing Kurt-Lee Arendse allowing him to sprint into the corner, only for the TMO to call play back and rule the pass forward, which didn’t allow them to stretch their lead.

England then thought they had taken the lead again for the first time since the 10^th minute, as they kicked penalties into the Boks 22m. A number of pick and goes set up space out wide and quick ball saw the hosts into the corner. But again the TMO intervened and brought the ref’s attention to a neck roll at a ruck by England, leading to the score being chalked off.

Penalties and discipline hurt Springboks

Three times in the second half the Boks gave away quick double penalties which allowed England to easily exit from their own 22m and get deep into the visitors’ half, which put them under massive pressure. The accumulation of penalties also led to the Boks being warned on two occasions; the first led to replacement prop Gerhard Steenekamp receiving a yellow card with 12 minutes left in the match.

The second warning didn’t lead to a card, as the Boks finally managed to rally before they turned things in their own favour with some big breakdown steals stopping England in their tracks.

The hosts also had a chance to kick for poles to bring the game within a converted try, but went for the corner and a dummy throw from replacement hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie allowed the Boks to survive.

Taking chances made the difference

In the second half England dominated territory, possession and the penalty count, but could only come away with three points which ultimately led to them losing the game. Both teams conceded 12 penalties each in the match, but the hosts conceded seven in the first half to the Boks’ four.

In the second half the visitors doubled that, which put them under massive pressure, but England could only manage one penalty by Smith.

The Boks on the other hand, despite not having as many opportunities, picked up 10 points in the second period to push them into a good lead. After England took a 20-19 lead in the 51^st minute, replacement flyhalf Handre Pollard knocked over a penalty in the 58^th to put them back ahead 22-20.

Four minutes later a lovely break from inside centre Damian de Allende saw the ball get to Kolbe who stepped and ran away for the only try of the second half to put them into a 29-20 lead which they held to the end.