The Soap Dodgers – onwards and upwards
Or if you’re referring to the England scrum, backwards and upwards. The less said about last weekend the better. We were beaten by a better team who showed more drive up front and more idea in the backline. Any other result would have been a travesty and just papered over the massive cracks that are appearing in Borthwick’s selection policy and game strategy. South Africa were made to work bloody hard for their win against a very good Scottish team but they will have benefitted from a tough workout. Rassie has such depth in his squad that any team he puts out will be a handful. So where does that leave us with this weekend’s match up? Up shit creek methinks, but I live in hope.
THE TEAMS
England: Steward; Freeman, Lawrence, Slade, Sleightholme; M Smith, van Poortvliet; Genge, George (capt), Stuart, Itoje, Martin, Cunningham-South, Underhill, Earl.
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Baxter, Cole, Isiekwe, Dombrandt, Randall, Ford, Roebuck.
Sleightholme’s and Underhill’s selection were on the cards following the injuries to Curry and Feyi-Waboso. Steward comes in for Furbank, solid under the high ball but not the attacking threat that Furbank offers. Mind you, Furbank like a few of his teammates, hasn’t done that much in the two games played so far. Spencer drops out of the squad replaced by van Portvliet (JVP) with Randall on the bench. I can’t say that any of Borthwick’s #9s are standouts and his choice of replacements remains a mystery to me.
South Africa: Fassi; Kolbe, Kriel, De Allende, Arendse; Libbok, Williams; Nche, Mbonambi, Loux, Etzebeth, Snyman, Kolisi (capt), Du Toit, Wiese.
Replacements: Marx, Steenekamp, Koch, Louw, Smith, Reinach, Pollard, An.
South Africa have made 12 changes to the team that beat Scotland, including the entire backline. The only players who will start both games are the prop Ox Nché, hooker Bongi Mbonambi, and lock Eben Etzebeth. Erasmus selected Manie Libbok at fly-half and went for a 5/3 split on the bench instead of stacking it with six or seven forwards. It’s the same arrangement he used in the semi-final anticipating that Borthwick will employ the kick/pressure tactics that nearly got the SDs into the RWC final.
PREDICTION
Hard to see anything other than a comfortable win for the Bokke. Williams, the new 9, is lightning quick I have a feeling that with Libbok as the starting 10, the Bokke will be running more. Borthwick’s decision to bring Steward back to counter Pollard’s kicking could well backfire. With Borthwick sticking to basically the same bunch of replacements who did sweet FA last time out, it says it all really. I hate to say it but the SDs could be on a 20+ beating.
THE MATCH
England 20 South Africa 29
The relative closeness of the scores doesn’t reflect how out of touch this England side is. The Bokke didn’t have to get out of third gear to win the match. England started positively with Marcus Smith making a nice break to set up a score for Sleightholme which he converted. 7-0. The Bokke came straight back. Arendse did well to take a high kick and the ball is worked to Williams who burst through two would be England tacklers, wrongfoots Steward and dots down for the try. That guy has some toe. Libbok converts and it’s 7-7. An entertaining start from both teams and things looks promising.
On the 15 min mark following a strong run by Steward, the Bokke offend and Smith kicks the penalty and England lead 10-7. The lead is, however, short lived. Not for the first time JVP has a kick charged down. England scramble and get the ball to Smith who under a lot of pressure also has his kick charged down by PSDT who follows up and touches down. The conversion is missed and it’s 10-12.
Eben doing what he does best.
The Bokke comeback continues and a great crossfield kick by Libbok sets up Cheslin Kolbe. The wing steps inside Steward and the Boks have their third try which Libbok converts. Kolbe is world class. It’s 10-19. England return fire. Martin drives to within 5 metres of the Bokke line. Itoje is tackled, the ball is popped up to Underhill and he’s in. Smith converts and England close the gap. 17-19. As half time approaches Freeman knocks on 5m from the Bokke line. England are then penalised at the scrum and the Boks clear. They squander their last attack and its oranges. Five tries isn’t bad and the game has been entertaining. England are just about managing to stay in contention but need to step up their play in certain areas. The Bokke on the other hand are in cruise mode. Let’s see what the second half brings.
The second half starts and the Boks look to have scored a fine try from Arendse. However, Fassi’s pass is ruled forward so the try is overturned. The roles are then reversed. Slade looks to have crossed for a score but Itoje is penalised for a neck roll and the try doesn’t count. We finally have a score as the Boks are penalised for obstructing the chaser. Smith kicks the penalty and England are ahead 20-19.
England’s gathering of restarts has been poor and the next one is no exception. They make a dog’s breakfast of it and JVP knocks on. The Bokke then have a scrum but are penalised for collapsing. That’s the first scrum penalty to England in an area where the Boks have been dominant.
England have been having real problems at the breakdown. Stuart is penalised on the half way line. Pollard who is on for Libbok lines up the kick that hits the crossbar and goes over. 20-22.
The aerial battle continues unabated and with little effect. England attack with the ball for a change but after several phases they give away a penalty for holding. Disappointing for England but strong defence from the Boks. The deadlock is broken with 15 mins to go. De Allende bursts through two tacklers before feeding Kolbe. The wing steps past Sleightholme and scores his second of the afternoon and the Boks fourth. Pollard converts to make it 20-29. It looks all over bar the shouting.
Cheslin Kolbe is some player. Makes it look so easy.
It’s a frantic final minutes with England looking for a break. They get a line out 5m out from the Boks try line. Earl dives over to score but Cowan-Dickies throw is as bent as a dogs hind leg. What a waste. The clock runs down and it’s all over.
SUMMARY
Not as bad as my prediction but without having to work too hard the Boks ease to a win and Englands Autumn series takes another nose dive. Coming of the back of narrow defeats with leads blown they again struggle in the final quarter. We were good in places but generally outplayed across the park. Our scrum and line out was a mess. We take the ball into contact but support is non existent and we either concede a turnover or give away a penalty. We had opportunities to attack but did we take them, no we didn’t. Borthwicks cunning plan to kick to try and pressurise the opposition into errors just doesn’t work. South Africa are top of the ladder so a win was to be expected. They did what they do so well with power upfront and behind. They play a very good all round game and when you have class wings like Kolbe and Arendse against you it’s just asking for trouble and so it proved. Talking of which Cheslin Kolbe is my MOTM but his teammate PSDT a close second putting in another big shift. For England only Marcus Smith and Underhill really stood up. As for the rest, JVPs return was not that great. The blitz defence was caught out again and our tackling was poor. There has to be more that just kicking as an attack plan because it’s just not working. Back to the drawing board Steve. Are the knives sharpening at HQ. He has Sweeney complete confidence which is a bit of a worry.
Never mind my son there’s alway Japan
