England’s heartbreak amid fifth-straight defeat a week after last gasp Wallabies victory
Cheslin Kolbe scored two tries as world champions South Africa inflicted yet more November international misery upon England with a 29-20 win at Twickenham on Saturday.
Watch selected NRL, AFL, SSN games plus every F1 qualifying session and race live in 4K on Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.
The wing struck in both halves as the Springboks condemned Steve Borthwick’s men to a fifth defeat in a row and third this month following last-gasp 24-22 and 42-37 losses at home to New Zealand and Australia.
South Africa led 19-17 at the break after an open first half featuring five tries, with Grant Williams, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Kolbe all crossing for the Springboks.
Ollie Sleightholme and Sam Underhill went over for England in their first meeting with South Africa since the Springboks’ dramatic 16-15 World Cup semi-final win in France last year.
An exchange of penalties between England fly-half Marcus Smith and Handre Pollard left the Springboks 22-20 ahead going into the final quarter before Kolbe struck again in the 63rd minute.
South Africa replacement Gerhard Steenekamp was yellow-carded five minutes later but the Springboks saw the game out as they won key turnovers against an ill-disciplined England.
“You cannot fault the effort but we didn’t have enough today and credit to South Africa, they shut the game out well,” England full-back Freddie Steward told the BBC.
“Our discipline cost us. We talked about keeping our penalty count down in the week. We gave too many away and it cost us.” Such is South Africa’s strength in depth, they made 12 changes to the team that started last week’s 32-15 win over Scotland as Siya Kolisi, who came off the bench in Edinburgh, returned to captain the team.
Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus had warned his side would face a “desperate” England and they proved his point with a try inside four minutes to the delight of an 81,910 crowd.
Smith dummied a drop-goal and went wide before sending in Sleightholme, fresh from two tries off the bench against Australia, in the wing’s first Test start.
In-form fly-half Smith then made light of a tricky conversion. South Africa, however, soon levelled at 7-7 when scrum-half Williams, exploiting England’s suspect ruck defence, burst between prop Ellis Genge and lock George Martin before side-stepping Steward for a superb solo try, with Manie Libbok adding the extras.
Smith’s penalty edged England ahead but South Africa had their second try in the 17th minute.
Eben Etzebeth charged down Jack van Poortvliet’s box-kick, with Smith retrieving possession only for his kick to be charged down in turn by Du Toit before the flanker dived on the loose ball for a try. Libbok’s conversion from out wide hit the post.
The Springboks soon had another try when fly-half Libbok’s pinpoint cross-kick found Kolbe, who then side-stepped Steward in typical style with Libbok adding the extras.
England, to their credit, cut the deficit to two points when Underhill powered over from a close-range ruck for a 27th-minute try converted by Smith.
The Springboks thought they had their fourth try early in the second half but wing Kurt-Lee Arendse’s effort was ruled out on review for a forward pass by full-back Aphelele Fassi.
It was a similar story for England, with Henry Slade’s try disallowed after Maro Itoje’s illegal neck roll in the build-up.
Smith, however, edged England a point ahead at 20-19 in the 51st minute with a simple penalty only for replacement stand-off Pollard to land a monster penalty from just inside half-way that bounced off the crossbar.
England spent much of the second half deep in South Africa territory yet it was the Springboks who went two scores in front.
Damian de Allende powered his way past Ben Earl and Slade before the ball was worked to Kolbe, also a try-scorer in South Africa’s 2019 World Cup final win over England.
Pollard converted Kolbe’s 18th try in 39 Tests and the Springboks had the cushion of a nine-point lead.
South Africa finish their 2024 against Wales in Cardiff next week, when England will try to salvage a sliver of pride against a Japan team coached by former Red Rose boss Eddie Jones.
