MISFITS EDGE IT
England so relieved to be given a late let-off
MISFITS 1-0 Monsters. This was the day when England’s outcasts and offcuts got one over on the mighty Springboks.
A day when the likes of Ben Moon, Harry Williams and Mark Wilson — ‘Sorry, who?’ asked the South Africans — won their fight against Malcolm Marx, Eben Etzebeth and Duane Vermeulen.
It was a guts and glory victory… with an almighty slice of luck.
Owen Farrell kicked nine of England’s 12 points but he almost cost his side the game in the final play. Eddie Jones was already celebrating when referee Angus Gardner called on his touch judge to review a high shot on Andre Esterhuizen.
Celebrations ceased and Twickenham fell into a silent slow motion.
‘Arm wrapped… no penalty,’ confirmed the official.
Delight for England, disbelief for their opponents. The misfits had pulled a fast one.
South Africa bossed the game for almost an hour, but England absorbed their heavy punches before landing their own blows in the final quarter.
The Springboks’ points haul did not reflect their early superiority.
England did not launch a single attack into the South African 22 in the first-half, yet they trailed just 8-6 at half time. Never has the Twickenham crowd been so grateful for a two-point deficit.
Maro Itoje conceded three penalties and was yellow carded inside 15 minutes, while the back three were hounded by high balls from Handre Pollard.
At the scrum, Steven Kitshoff overpowered Kyle Sinckler but England stuck in.
Damian de Allende, the midfielder, ran over people while Sibusio Nkosi, the magician, ran around them.
Handling errors in the red zone undermined the visitors’ territorial dominance and Marx’s erratic lineout throws were left of centre.
‘Super proud,’ said Jones (below), before his attention turned to next week’s Test against the All Blacks. ‘When you get stuck in those arm wrestles, something’s got to give. We had a lot of new guys who hung in. ‘We’ve got New Zealand next. Can’t wait, mate. They’re all sitting in the Lensbury drinking cups of tea, maybe having some scones, saying: “Oh we’ll take these guys”. We can’t wait to get them.’ Jones will be sweating on a potential citing for Farrell, who cancelled out Pollard’s early penalty and won the goal kicking battle. The Boks had 79 per cent of the territory inside the first half an hour. The score? 3-3. Wilson and Itoje made 13 tackles each. But their opponents only mustered one try all game, when Sibusiso Nkosi scored down the right after Dylan Hartley and Brad Shields slipped off tackles.
Cameras panned to Faf de Klerk in the crowd. Politics ruled the scrum-half out of this match and the visitors could have been home and dry with his wriggly finishing ability close to the line.
Instead, England rode their luck and South Africa fluffed their chances. Jones was off the hook. Win or bust? Jones claimed otherwise after picking up his second victory in eight games.
‘Why is it always the most important game?’ he bristled. ‘Because you want to sack me? You’re going to do it at some stage.
‘It was a good Test match. We’re happy, they’re not so happy.’
Moon was brought on at half-time to shore up the scrum, before Tom Curry limped off minutes later to bring about an early debut for Zach Mercer.
‘Curry’s on crutches,’ confirmed the coach. ‘Will he be fit next week? We’ll just wait and see. You never know… New Zealand does funny things to you.’
Rarely have England delved so deep into their reserves but, out of nowhere, after 51 minutes, they were in front.
Growing in confidence, De Allende was guilty of overplaying and conceded a penalty for a breakdown infringement. Elliot Daly lined up the kick from 46 metres and, for the first time, England had the lead.
Jamie George replaced Hartley and Chris Ashton was introduced after 64 minutes for his first appearance since 2014. Ashton made an immediate impact, but it was unfashionable substitutes who made the difference.
Pollard had snatched back the lead with a penalty, but Williams, George and Moon snatched a scrum penalty in the 73rd minute.
Farrell struck the kick perfectly from wide out left, before losing his cool in the final play.
He waited in anticipation before pumping his arm in relief when Gardner delivered his verdict. England had hung on, but only just.