A performance that finally gave English fans hope for a brighter future. The results may not be going their way, but this fifth consecutive defeat only tells a small part of the story in this gripping match. While the world champions emerged victorious, it was also a day when Steve Borthwick's team answered several tough questions about their capabilities and tactical approach. If all Test matches were this intense and mesmerizing, there would be no need for half-baked schemes to attract new rugby fans. The lightning-fast Marcus Smith once again orchestrated England's attacks, but it was the even smaller Cheslin Kolbe who stole the show with two brilliantly executed tries, securing the win for the world's top-ranked team.
When faced with adversity, this England side tends to respond with vigor. Here, another inspiring example was seen, with Sam Underhill playing like a man possessed and Freddie Steward proving why he was recalled for this match. With the elusive Smith once again masterfully controlling the game, this was undoubtedly the home side's best performance of the autumn. However, they were still undone by a couple of missed tackles. First, Damien de Allende broke through Ben Earl to penetrate the English midfield defense, and then the outstanding Kolbe outpaced Ollie Sleightholme to score the try that gave the Boks the lead.
There was no shame in this performance. From the moment the pre-match fireworks, lights, and lasers ended, England was fully engaged, aiming to dazzle with the ball whenever possible. Barely three minutes in, Smith shaped to attempt a drop-goal but instead darted left, expertly linking with Henry Slade to send the predatory Sleightholme over. This bold decision energized the team, especially one trying to end a long losing streak. The only downside was that it immediately woke up South Africa, who leveled the score within the first 12 minutes. Grant Williams, not your typical one-paced scrum-half, burst past Ellis Genge and George Martin, then beautifully sidestepped the final defender, Steward.
Within five minutes, another blow struck. First, Jack van Poortvliet and then Smith were charged down inside the home 22, and with the ball staying in goal, Pieter-Steph du Toit finished it off. These Boks can be formidable with and without the ball. A thrilling contest was just beginning. With advantage being played for English offside close to their line, Manie Libbok took advantage of the free ball to float a cross kick to Kolbe's wing, with predictably quick-witted consequences. Kolbe's ability to sidestep defenders in tight spaces was once again on display.
England, however, was determined to keep playing and was rewarded within four minutes when Underhill, back in the starting XV in place of the injured Tom Curry and clearly on a mission, drove unstoppably over from close range. Smith's conversion reduced the gap to just two points with half an hour of a breathless game not yet complete. South Africa had also already lost the influential Ox Nché, complicating their usual second-half “Bomb Squad” bench strategy. England was also less than broken-hearted to see Libbok push a long-range penalty narrowly wide a minute prior to the interval and would definitely have settled for a 17-19 deficit before kick-off.
The question was whether they could stay in the game long enough to put real pressure on a Bok team who grow ever more steely in the closing stages of games. The visitors did not have a 7-1 monster munch of a bench this time but, perversely, that made them even trickier all-court opponents, with the experience of Handré Pollard and Lukhanyo Am on tap if required. And, when required they can play ball with the best of them. Had Aphelele Fassi’s final pass not drifted forward they would have scored another brilliant try through a flying Kurt-Lee Arendse within three minutes of the restart and a game which might have floated away from England was back in the balance.
A key turnover close to his own line from Earl also helped to keep England in it and, after Tommy Freeman had claimed a mighty high ball at the other end, it seemed his side had scored again with a long Smith pass creating enough space for Slade to go over. The celebrations, though, were again rudely interrupted, this time by a head-high roll by Maro Itoje on Malcolm Marx. Smith was at least able to slot a penalty to put his side ahead 20-19 with just under half an hour remaining. No one in the stadium, even so, was about to write off the Boks, even when Will Stuart and the recently-arrived Cowan-Dickie combined to earn the kind of scrum penalty that every front-row forward craves.
Sure enough, Pollard kicked a trademark long penalty, bouncing it over off the crossbar for added effect, to put his team back in front approaching the closing furlongs. And then came the flashing finish of Kolbe, a familiar English nemesis. It felt like the final thrust and, despite the sin-binning of Gerhard Steenekamp, so it proved.
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
