Match action
SO much for a 3-0 series win. England crashed to their fourth consecutive defeat against a South African side that recovered from a disastrous start to rediscover their pride at Ellis Park and prove that in their truly interracial Rainbow side can be a force in the game.
No-one illustrated this better than S’Busiso Nkosi, the young Sharks wing who crowned his debut with a sparkling double as South Africa came back from the dead with a five try surge, the last of them coming 16 minutes from time when he almost fumbled but kept control to dot it down, putting South Africa in the clear at 39-27.
It came after England had been reduced to 14 men when Mako Vunipola was sin-binned for a late barge on Faf de Klerk, one of 12 penalties which cooked England’s chances to a crisp.
Indiscipline is now a huge issue for Eddie Jones, and it played into the hands of De Klerk who buzzed around like a blond bluebottle to drive South Africa over the line.
Although England raised a late gallop with a try by Maro Itoje after he reached over the back of Bok captain Siya Kolisi at a ruck to plant it down, it was South Africa’s first black captain who had the last laugh.
With his opposite number Owen Farrell missing the pressure conversion, at 39-32 adrift it was a bridge too far, and when a late Pollard penalty made it 42-32 the game was up, and even a spectacular solo try by Jonny May could not bring it back.
Mid-way through the first-half, with the crowd mute in stunned disbelief, England appeared to have this opening Test in the bag.
After a start that Red Rose coaches and teams dream of on the high veld they led 24-3, and frankly it looked like men against boys.
South Africa’s new Rainbow warriors looked out of their depth as they were outmanoeuvred with an ease that suggested England were on their way to a record win against the Springboks.
The first warning shot that England meant business came when, with only two minutes on the clock, Elliot Daly was handed the ball as South Africa infringed ten metres inside the England half. His phenomenal strike never looked like missing as it took wing in the thin air to give his side the lead – and that was just the start.
No sooner had the match restarted than May was given too much room by the Springboks and raced into the home half before slipping the ball to Youngs on his inside. When the Leicester scrum-half was eventually snared England set up a couple of rucks and went again, with crisp handling by Ford and Farrell giving Brown a scent of the line.
It was enough as he stepped out of Pollard’s tackle and shoved off De Allende to drill over the line, and with Farrell converting the tourists were 10-0 up with the game barely underway.
Although a Pollard penalty got South Africa off the mark worse was to follow for new coach Rassie Erasmus and his side. A patient, accurate multiphase England build up saw Ford’s delayed pass put May through the gap and his well-timed pass found Daly in full stride and he ripped clear to score, Farrell converting for a 17-3 lead.
England were not done, and their first quarter masterclass finished with Ford’s long pass setting May free down the right flank before his inside pass sent Farrell racing in untouched for try number three.
No sooner had the England captain converted his own try than we witnessed one of the most remarkable Test match swings in history. It was as if someone had flicked the switch and England’s power supply – not to mention tactical savvy – was instantly turned off.
It was as if the altitude had suddenly got to Farrell and his side, starving them of oxygen not just to the legs but to the brain. From the restart the South Africans mounted their first coherent attack of the game with the ball moved wide to Nkosi, who decided to test Daly’s resolve by trying to run over him.
Daly stopped him in his tracks but at the ruck on the English line, Itoje was caught napping and De Klerk nipped past him and rode Youngs’ tackle to ground the ball onehanded.
With Pollard missing the conversion there appeared to be no need to hit the panic button, but that soon changed when Nkosi scored his first try following an England defensive blunder.
When Henry Slade failed
to fell the powerful De Allende his quick pass saw Nkosi thread a grubber into the England in-goal, and although Daly appeared to have it covered he dived over the top of the ball failing to get downward pressure and the Springbok followed up for one of the softest tries he will score at this level.
Pollard converted from the touchline to make it 24-15, and South Africa had wind in their sails. With England starting to hand out penalties and the Springboks upping the tempo and going wide it was the tourists who looked vulnerable.
The home side took full advantage with De Klerk’s swift service sending Le Roux spearing down the left flank, delaying his pass before releasing Aphiwe Dyantyi. As the cover closed he found Nkosi on his inside and his overhand pass put his fellow wing over for his second try of the evening.
When Pollard nailed the extras from the touchline England’s lead had been slashed to 24-22, and immediately after it Eddie Jones made one of his early interventions by hauling off lock Nick Isiekwe and replacing him with Kiwi import Brad Shields, normally a blindside flanker.
It was not enough to stem the Springbok flow and with England coughing up penalties like a slot machine the hosts took advantage when Le Roux blasted between Daly and Brown to score just before the interval.
Pollard converted to give them the lead for the first time at 29-24.
England managed to claw back to 29-27 on the stroke of half-time with a Farrell penalty, but by then the momentum shift was entirely with South Africa – and now England travel to Bloemfontein to try to save the series against young opponents who are brimful of confidence. It will be a tough task.