The tough questions winless England must answer

ANALYSIS: England suffered a fifth straight defeat as world champions South Africa won 29-20 at Twickenham at the weekend.

It was also their third loss in as many November internationals after last-gasp 22-24 and 37-42 reverses against New Zealand and Australia.

England wrap up their 2024 at home to Japan next weekend, but beating the Cherry Blossoms is unlikely to ease the pressure on the Red Rose brigade, who have a tough start to next year’s Six Nations against champions Ireland before playing France.

AFP Sport looks at some of the key issues facing England coach Steve Borthwick and his players.

Leadership

England have lately been found wanting in the final quarter, failing to close out games against the All Blacks and the Wallabies, while on Saturday they were unable to capitalise on the Springboks being a man down when Gerhard Steenekamp was sin-binned with 12 minutes remaining.

One reason to appoint a captain is so he can provide leadership in tough situations.

Yet England skipper Jamie George, who plays in the physically demanding position of hooker, is routinely replaced early in the second half of games, as happened against South Africa.

“I cannot get my head around why you would take your captain off in the 50th minute?,” said Matt Dawson, England’s 2003 World Cup-winning scrumhalf.

George, meanwhile, defended the England set-up by saying: “I think you look at the team that was on at the end, there was plenty of leaders in that team.

“I think every player, if you speak to every player, they would always want to play every moment of every game.”

He added: “The hooker jersey is an 80-minute performance across two players.”

Leaky defence

England have conceded 12 tries in three Tests this month, with the Springboks running in four at Twickenham on Saturday, including a double for electric wing Cheslin Kolbe.

They missed 25 tackles against South Africa and 35 against New Zealand, with those figures a clear sign of their defensive woes.

England’s cause has been hampered by defence guru Felix Jones quitting just months after joining Borthwick’s staff, having helped South Africa win the 2019 and 2023 World Cups.

In his absence, England have looked uncertain in deploying Jones’s famed ‘blitz defence’, with players not holding their positions in a seeming lack of faith in their team-mates.

England’s ruck defence has also been a problem, with scrum-half Grant Williams the latest opponent to exploit this vulnerability when bursting between prop Ellis Genge and lock George Martin to score the Springboks’ opening try on Saturday.

Smith needs support

A flyhalf is often dubbed “the conductor of the orchestra”, so important is the No.10 to initiating attacks.

But England’s Marcus Smith has also appeared to be the Red Rose equivalent of a concert soloist as well in recent times.

The 25-year-old Harlequins playmaker enjoyed a superb start against the Springboks, his dummied drop-goal and slick pass to Henry Slade creating the first try of the match for Ollie Sleightholme inside four minutes.

England, however, have been without influential scrum-half Alex Mitchell due to injury this month and Smith is being asked to do too much in attack, with the fly-half in need of greater creative support, be it in midfield or from the back three.