The Springboks outscored England two tries to 1, wing Kurt-Lee Arendse and veteran lock Eben Etzebeth each crossing, with fly-half Damian Willemse touchdown two drop-goals.
Springboks vs England in Twickenham. Picture: Twitter/@Springboks
TWICKENHAM – World champions South Africa ended 2022 on a excessive with a convincing 27-13 win over England at Twickenham on Saturday.
The Springboks outscored England two tries to 1, wing Kurt-Lee Arendse and veteran lock Eben Etzebeth each crossing, with fly-half Damian Willemse touchdown two drop-goals.
South Africa held out regardless of taking part in the final 20 minutes a person down after Thomas du Toit was despatched off for a excessive sort out on Luke Cowan-Dickie.
It was a deserved win with the Springboks, simply as that they had performed in overwhelming England 32-12 within the 2019 World Cup remaining, dominant on the scrum and extra artistic in assault.
England, who had come from 19 factors down late on to grab a shocking 25-25 with New Zealand final week, then reduce South Africa’s result in 14 factors 9 minutes from time when alternative again Henry Slade went over for a transformed strive.
But the Springboks held agency for his or her second victory in 4 Autumn Nations Series matches as they ended the calendar yr with 9 wins from 14 Tests forward of their 2023 international title defence in France.
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“It is not that much of a difference but we are just seeing opportunities which we didn’t in the past.”
By distinction, the outcome meant England had received simply one in every of their November matches to complete the yr with simply 5 victories from 12 Tests — their worst annual return since 2008.
“We are disappointed we didn’t play how we wanted to,” stated England coach Eddie Jones.
“It took until the game had gone to start playing how we wanted to.”
DIDN’T LAND A SHOT
But the veteran Australian coach, additionally accountable for his native Wallabies’ defeat by England within the 2003 World Cup remaining, insisted there was time for his present aspect to “rise to the occasion” in France.
“We didn’t land a shot like we wanted to today (Saturday),” he added.
“You have to win contests. We didn’t win the air or the set-piece so it’s hard to get in the game.”
South Africa’s victory was all of the extra spectacular as they had been lacking a number of gamers for a Test going down exterior World Rugby’s worldwide window following their 63-21 thrashing of Italy final week.
The Springboks had suffered defeats by Ireland and France in the course of the Autumn marketing campaign — with director of rugby Rassie Erasmus receiving a two-game matchday ban following his social media posts concerning refereeing selections after these losses.
South Africa’s Faf de Klerk was off beam with an early penalty whereas, much more surprisingly, England captain Owen Farrell missed two of his first three efforts after succeeding with all 15 of his earlier goal-kicks this month.
South Africa’s territorial dominance was rewarded when Willemse landed a 30-metre drop-goal simply after the half-hour mark and barely 60 seconds later the Springboks had a strive.
England fly-half Marcus Smith’s clearing kick was safely gathered in his personal 22 by Willemse, who evaded the duvet earlier than discovering full-back Willie le Roux on his inside.
Le Roux launched Arendse, sprinting up on his exterior, the wing rushing previous Smith for a seventh strive in seven Tests.
De Klerk missed the conversion however South Africa had been 14-3 forward on the interval when the scrum-half landed a penalty.
Willemse caught England chilly with a second drop-goal a minute into the second half, once more from 30 metres.
Farrell landed a penalty just for a contemporary infringement to see England’s Tom Curry sin-binned minutes later.
South Africa received possession from the close-range line-out and lock Etzebeth was pushed over for a strive between the posts within the forty ninth minute that De Klerk transformed to place the Springboks 24-6 forward.
The diminutive De Klerk punished England’s indiscipline once more with an excellent penalty from simply contained in the half-way line.
Du Toit then noticed purple and Slade scored a well-worked strive transformed by Farrell however it was all too late for England.