ENGLAND’S STUNNING START IS UNDONE IN AN EPIC
ENGLAND slumped to a fourth successive Test defeat for the first time since 2014 after throwing away a 21-point lead in a mesmerising, bewildering, pulsating classic at Ellis Park.
Eddie Jones’ side briefly touched the stars, before being brought back down to earth.
The visitors were 24-3 up after 17 minutes. They scored three scorching tries — by Mike Brown, Elliot Daly and Owen Farrell — and played heavenly rugby as George Ford pulled the strings and the home defence was led a merry dance, only to unravel alarmingly when they appeared in total control of this series opener.
A brace of tries by debutant wing S’Busiso Nkosi ignited the South African fightback and, once they were under the cosh, England could not turn the tables again. They belatedly rallied as Maro Itoje and Jonny May touched down, but it was too little, too late.
While they could take heart from the majesty of their early attacking play, the stark fact is that this was another defeat to add to their Six Nations losses against Scotland, France and Ireland — not to mention a nine-try rout at the hands of the Barbarians last month.
The England management must lift the shattered squad before next Saturday’s second Test — at high altitude in Bloemfontein, before the finale in Cape Town. And they must do so knowing that South Africa will improve and grow in belief on the back of this.
England head coach Jones said: ‘It was a game we could have won. I’ve never seen a better 20 minutes by a visiting side at Ellis Park but our next 60 was a mixture of inconsistency, lack of discipline.
‘We had a penalty count of 17-4 against us and it’s hard to win any Test match. I’m proud of the effort but we need to fix the discipline.’
Going into this, the consensus was that the weakened home team were there for the taking, despite England having a long casualty list of their own. Instead, it turned into an epic triumph for new head coach Rassie Erasmus, in his first home Test, along with Siya Kolisi, the country’s first black captain who was acclaimed by the crowd.
There was an irony in the fact that the Boks were inspired by the feats of their recalled backs from the Aviva Premiership. Sale scrum-half Faf de Klerk was named man of the match after his try-scoring human dynamo impression. Wasps full-back Willie le Roux was another tryscorer and another top performer.
It all began so hearteningly for those seeking evidence of an end to England’s mini-slump. Ford showed class in orchestrating an electric spell of pressure and points, after Daly’s second-minute penalty, from 61 metres out.
Strike one came when May was sent clear down the right flank and he passed inside to Henry Slade, who crashed into the Bok 22. From the ruck, Ford and Farrell combined to release Brown, who burst through to score. Farrell converted and England’s lead was into double figures.
Strike two saw Brown make ground in midfield before Ford put May through with a shortrange pass and the wing sent the ball out left for Daly to race over. Farrell converted again.
Strike three was sparked by a long pass from Ford, allowing Slade to gallop into open space down the right and transfer the ball back in-field so Farrell could canter under the posts. The skipper added the extras again and the tourists were 24-3 up before the end of the first quarter.
But, after three strikes, it turned out the Boks were not out. Far from it. England had merely poked the bear. Erasmus’ men finally came to life and the visitors gifted the hosts a host of penalties. Handre Pollard kicked three of them, creating a platform for a try spree.
De Klerk sniped over for the first in the 20th minute. Three more followed before the break through Nkosi’s double and Le Roux’s single effort.
Farrell struck another penalty but after break, the Boks continued to dominate. Mako Vunipola was sin-binned for a late charge on De Klerk and, in his absence, Aphiwe Dyantyi scored in the left corner to make it 39-27.
But there was a sudden, belated riposte as Itoje stretched over a ruck to score, before May delivered a solo masterpiece — storming out of his own half and slaloming through the home defence to score a wonder try.
England finished how they started, with a demonstration of attacking brilliance. But they lost. Again.