Boks edge Twickenham battle
The Springboks were forced to work hard for a tough 31-28 victory over England in a physical battle at Twickenham on Saturday.
It was a different South African team this week from the one beaten by Ireland last week. This time the Springboks were filled with humble determination and it was enough to get them a victory against a team that had more possession and territory and the benefit of rugby's 'luck'.
England did not have the lead in the match but two tries in five minutes while Victor Matfield was in the sin bin brought them to 20-20 and gave 80 000 Englishmen hope. But they were unable to follow through. Their only real hope of something special came from fullback Mike Brown whom South Africa fed with ball that he could run with, but in the end their tries came from mauls, the second one from 30 metres out. Mauls, it is obvious, can also be exciting. In fact three of the six tries in the match came from mauls, a fourth from an intercept. Except in the other two tries, there was not a great deal of creative back play and four wings whose main activity was to chase somebody else's kicks.
All that said, it was an enthralling match and, in the second half, exciting as England drew level and South Africa looked like cracking till the Springboks fought back to win their fifth at Twickenham since 2006, in fact their 11th out of 12 overall with a draw in 2012.
Somehow one felt that England did not play as well as they had against the All Blacks while the South Africans were better than they had been against the Irish. It was their tackling and their determination after the tackle that were the major differences as they beat England to turnovers.
The weather was not great but the handling by both sides was largely secure, and Cobus Reinach was a big improvement at scrumhalf.
England kicked off and were the first to look threatening as Kyle Eastmond broke from a line-out but it was the Springboks who came closest to scoring as they won a turnover and broke down the left, the ball going from Reinach to Willie le Roux to Bryan Habana. Near the line Habana passed low infield to Le Roux in the midst of players and the fullback knocked on when a try looked certain. The referee then went back to a tackle penalty against David Wilson. Lambie goaled. 3-0 after 10 minutes.
Then came the try. Danny Care, playing his 50th Test was slow at the back of a tackle and passed a long pass to his left which Jan Serfontein intercepted to run 63 metres for a try near the posts. The referee consulted the TMO about possible offside by Serfontein but he was clearly onside. 10-0 after 15 minutes.
After a Reinach kick and a Brown counterattack, England attacked and South Africa had heart-stopping moments. Lambie, at scrumhalf behind a ruck, had a kick charged but the Springboks survived. England won a turnover and went wide left where Serfontein tackled Jonny May close to the line. Chris Robshaw charged down a Reinach kick but again the Springboks survived till Duane Vermeulen was penalised at a tackle. 10-3 after 27 minutes.
Several English forwards were penalised at a maul. 13-3 after 32 minutes and Vermeulen was penalised at a tackle. 13-6 after 35 minutes to end the scoring in a half in which Brown had been the most enterprising player.
At the start of the second half Care kicked to the Springboks and the ball went from Vermeulen to Reinach and on to Eben Etzebeth. From the tackle the ball came to Lambie who was shaping to go left but instead chipped with the outside of his right boot. Le Roux raced through, got the ball and headed for the England 22. Brown and Billy Vunipola were drawn to him, but he got an offload to Reinach who scored an exciting try. 20-6 after 41 minutes.
Farrell kicked an excellent penalty into touch five metres from the Springboks' line. England made a maul which fell down. The Springboks were penalised and Matfield shown a yellow card. England kicked out again for another five-metre line-out and made another maul which they moved sideways and forward till Wilson scored under the posts. 20-13 after 44 minutes.
Farrell kicked for the right touchline. Habana, with a left foot in touch, caught the ball but the assistant referee, strangely, gave the line-out to England which they mauled some 30 metres downfield for a try well in from touch by Ben Morgan. 20-20 after 49 minutes.
From the kick-off Tom Wood went on a long run down the left, and it looked as if England were on the way to a handsome victory, but it soon changed.
South Africa kicked a penalty out for a five-metre line-out. The ball was thrown to Vermeulen. The Springboks mauled. The maul splintered but Schalk Burger, helped by Marcell Coetzee plunged over in the right corner. 25-20 after 53 minutes.
The first 13 minutes of the second half had produced 26 points.
As England shunted a maul forward Dylan Hartley stamped on Vermeulen's knee and the England hooker was sent to the sin bin.
Changes started happening. For one, George Ford replaced Owen Farrell, who had had a game where little went right for him, Coenie Oosthuizen came on for Jannie du Plessis who hobbled off on a wonky knee and Bakkies Botha replaced Etzebeth who seemed to be getting back his old form.
Lambie kicked a penalty when Dave Attwood was penalised and two minutes later Ford kicked a penalty when Botha held on. 28-23 after 68 minutes.
From a line-out the Springboks bashed at the brave English line. Matfield was close and Oosthuizen and Trevor Nyakane, and the Reinach turned and passed back to Lambie who kicked a perfect dropped goal. 31-23 with four minutes to play.
A penalty gave England and attacking line-out and they attacked with urgency. They went wide right where Habana went for an intercept and Brad Barritt scored in the right corner as Reinach tackled him. 31-28 with under minutes to play.
The Springboks hoped they had a try when England knocked on. Oupa Mohoje got the ball and Reinach kicked down to the England line. The ball bounced high and Le Roux dived over. But consulting the TMO showed that Le Roux had knocked on. And on that note the match ended.
Man of the Match: There were three outstanding flanks on the field, men who did the dirty work in their country's cause – Chris Robshaw of England and Schalk Burger and Marcell Coetzee of South Africa. Our choice, ahead of the other two and Mike Brown, Pat Lambie and Willie le Roux is Marcell Coetzee who tackled relentlessly, won a good turnover and was fearless with ball in hand – marginally ahead of the other two.
Moment of the Match: Pat Lambie's clever chip that led to Cobus Reinach's try.
Villain of the Match: Dylan Harley – not for the first time.
The scorers:
For England:
Tries: Wilson, Morgan, Barritt
Cons: Farrell 2
Pens: Farrell 2, Ford
For South Africa:
Tries: Serfontein, Reinach, Burger
Cons: Lambie 2
Pens: Lambie 3
DG: Lambie
Yellow cards: Victor Matfield (South Africa, 44 mins – Repeated infringements), Dylan Hartley (England, 61 mins – Foul play)
Teams:
England: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Brad Barritt, 12 Kyle Eastmond, 11 Jonny May, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Danny Care, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Chris Robshaw (captain), 6 Tom Wood, 5 Courtney Lawes, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 David Wilson, 2 Dylan Hartley, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Rob Webber, 17 Matt Mullan, 18 Kieran Brookes, 19 George Kruis, 20 Ben Morgan, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 George Ford, 23 Marland Yarde.
South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jan Serfontein, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Bakkies Botha, 20 Teboho Mohoje, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Handré Pollard, 23 Cornal Hendricks.
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Jérôme Garcès (France),Nick Briant (New Zealand)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
