Springboks outmuscle England in statement 27-13 win
Sat, Nov 26, 2022
Other News (AP)
LONDON (AP) - South Africa defeated England at Twickenham for the first time in eight years in a 27-13 statement by the world champion on Saturday less than a year from the Rugby World Cup.
England, runner-up to South Africa at the last World Cup but struggling to find itself, bulked up its lineout options and predicted it would have an edge in the scrum. But it was beaten up in both set-pieces as the Springboks manhandled the English pack and suffocated the English backs.
Kurt-Lee Arendse scored a try in a sixth consecutive test and Eben Etzebeth rewarded the forwards with a second-half try. Four goalkicks by Faf de Klerk and two dropped goals by Damian Willemse added the scoreboard pressure that reflected an impressive performance on the field.
"If you want to play against England, you need to be dominant (up front)," coach Jacques Nienaber said. "They dominated us last year so we had something to prove to ourselves. I'm very pleased for the forwards, they laid a great foundation."
South Africa was up 27-6 and down a man after prop Thomas du Toit was sent off when England finally crossed the tryline in the 71st minute through Henry Slade.
That was about the time England started a remarkable comeback against New Zealand from 19 points down to draw their match last weekend.
But South Africa had too much control and memories of losses on its last three visits to Twickenham to let England breathe again.
The Springboks endured narrow losses on their European tour to rankings leaders Ireland and France, but were satisfied with the way they were playing and how they were building to their title defense in France next year.
"Some results didn't go our way (this month) but we always stayed true to who we are, the way we played," captain Siya Kolisi said. "The team is all about effort, physicality and workrate all day long."
England finished the year in deficit - five wins, six defeats and a draw - its worst record in 14 years.
Coach Eddie Jones believed they were progressing.
"Are we moving in the right direction toward the World Cup? I think we are," Jones said. "On results we are not happy but I feel like we are building a really good base to have a really good go at the World Cup, a really good go.
"We didn't fire a shot how we wanted to today. South Africa do things to you that are sometimes difficult to cope with."
England captain Owen Farrell opened with his first missed placekick of the autumn, after 18 straight successes. He got the next one, though, from a scrum penalty in which tighthead Frans Malherbe incredibly twisted Mako Vunipola on to his back. It was a signal of South Africa imposing itself in the scrum.
Farrell missed the posts a second time while de Klerk leveled.
After Willemse's first dropped goal put them in front, the second-choice flyhalf received a kick on his 22 and counterattacked. Willie le Roux supported and Arendse shimmied past Marcus Smith to score.
De Klerk couldn't add the extras but he nailed a penalty kick on halftime after Tom Curry was penalized and England warned for its desperate fouls at the breakdowns.
England reacted during the break by changing the front row and sending on wing Jack Nowell. But England's most dangerous back, Manu Tuilagi, was silenced as he was by New Zealand.
The second half seemed to be deja vu. England's new front row was no better, Willemse slotted a second dropped goal, and Curry was penalized again and yellow-carded.
South Africa struck between the posts after a Damian de Allende charge was finished by Etzebeth. Two more goalkicks by de Klerk had South Africa out of sight at 27-6.
But du Toit spoiled the party when he shoulder-charged the head of Luke Cowan-Dickie and was issued a red card. Le Roux was sacrificed to bring back Malherbe, who gave Will Stuart a rough ride.
England's attempt to flex some muscle at the tryline failed when two throw-ins were stolen and the scrum conceded penalties and was warned for not holding its weight. England's try by Slade had to start from its own half after breaks by Nowell and Farrell.
South Africa finished without de Klerk, who was carted off with a foot injury, and Kolisi, who walked off after a head knock, and England was too sapped to take advantage.
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