Frustrated England look for response against Springboks

Prop Joe Marler has urged England to use the anger caused by Saturday’s collapse to New Zealand to fuel their backlash against South Africa. The 2015 World Cup hosts took a deserved 14-11 lead into the interval of the Test only to be comprehensively outplayed in a second half affected by monsoon-like conditions, as the All Blacks ran out 24-21 winners. Marler was scathing of a performance that resulted in a fifth successive defeat to the All Blacks and has demanded an emphatic response when South Africa visit Twickenham this weekend. “Our levels of frustration are high and the game review was very honest. I can’t really use the words that I’d like to use,” the Harlequins captain said. “We knew what we had to do in that second half. We spoke about it at halftime. And then we came out and did the opposite. Now we expect a reaction from ourselves. “We’ll take the frustration into this weekend. It’s important to use that frustration to spur us on that little bit more.” England have not beaten South Africa in 11 matches dating back to 2006 with their best performance a 14-14 draw in Port Elizabeth two years ago. Marler made the first of his 23 Test appearances against the Springboks and they left a lasting impression, but the loosehead refuses to be cowed by them or any of

“South Africa as a nation stand very tall and proud”

the southern hemisphere heavyweights. “The 2012 tour was a baptism of fire for some of us. Physicality is part and parcel of their culture,” Marler said. “Against every international team you’ve got to be physical otherwise you’re going to get pumped, but South Africa as a nation stand very tall and proud.”

Joe Marler