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Mon 17 Nov 2014 | 12:39
South Africa aim to up the intensity after another win over England

23
Comments

Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has lauded his team's 31-28 victory over England in the wet weather of Twickenham on Saturday. The much needed win stretches their unbeaten run against England to 12 matches, dating back to November 2006.

The fifth consecutive win at Twickenham holds the Springboks in good stead heading into a Rugby World Cup year whereby the tournament will be held in the UK. While their loss against Ireland a week prior was dissappointing, Meyer was proud of the three-try effort in the rain.

"I'm very proud of the guys – it was a clinical performance and we played tactically very well in the conditions," said Meyer. "Even though it was wet and the ball was quite slippery, we still scored three tries, while there could've been a fourth.

Jan Serfontein scored with an intercept, then just after halftime Cobus Reinach crossed after a brilliant bit of play by Pat Lambie and fullback Willie Le Roux. Man of the Match Schalk Burger also crossed for a well constructed try off the back of a maul, despite being down to just 7 forwards.

"I also thought the players did very well to keep their composure and take back the lead after England scored two quick tries early in the second half," Meyer said of England's excellent comeback, which brought them level at 20-20 after two quick, powerfully taken tries.

Burger, whose comeback from illness and injury culminated in a start for the Springboks, has now been released from the squad and flew back to South Africa yesterday.

"A decision was taken prior to the tour that Schalk will be released from the squad on Sunday," said Meyer ahead of the upcoming Test against Italy in Padova. "We still have good depth at loose forward and can also look at bringing in reinforcements if necessary."

He added that the challenge now is to build on this performance and keep lifting the intensity.

England coach Stuart Lancaster said that he is well aware of England's five successive defeats.

"I think as a coach you accept that if you win the players get the credit and, if you lose, the coach gets the flak," he said. "It's been a tough run against two world-class teams, but we need a win."

credit: England Rugby

Posted By: Grant Constable

23 Comments

  • 7:19 AM 21/11/2014

    I would have Watson, Nowell (why has everyone forgotten about Nowell as he had a great rbs 6?!) or even Wade instead of Yarde. But I agree with Foden being on the wing. Why would u drop may? I agree, but I would like to know what u think.

  • corrie
    7:31 AM 20/11/2014

    That line out call was a travesty. I also find it ridiculous how England pull a maul down and then SA gets a warning. That line out Victor pulled down should have been the warning not the card.

    Gripes with the REF aside I actually enjoyed the game. It was a good spectacle but then again I was rooting for the boks so maybe I'm prejudice.

  • drg
    4:25 PM 19/11/2014

    I don't think it's right to bring in countries/nationalities into this whiteafrican:

    "(and outside of England most commentators seem to agree that it was the right decision)"

    Anyone that has a rugby brain; whether they're English or their eldest foes - any of the celts! would know Hartley isn't exactly boiling over with brains...

  • 7:53 AM 19/11/2014

    For the 20mins he played, england were dominating. It might not be really really exciting to watch england at the moment, but I'm really looking forward to the injured comming back and.....spicing up the team.
    As for the moment, I would play these guys against Samoa:
    Same 1-7, morgan in 8.
    9 Youngs, 10 Ford, 12 Burrell (but too mate he's picked 36) 13 Barritt, 14 watson and 15 brown.

    11 I would drop May. Ok he scored a good try against the A.Blacks which was just pure speed (but still fair play) but he still had a shiiiit game! He got smashed in attack, like he always does (anyone remember when he got dumped twice during the six nations against....ITALY!!) when he takes the ball in, he gets smashed back. So I would start Nowell as he was solid during the 6 nations. (Watson 11 and Nowell 14). Also Attwood had a good break and the boks but he SHOULD have passed way before to Watson.

  • 7:36 AM 19/11/2014

    People seem to forget that England have injuries. There's probably ten people who have just read the first line of my comment and thought 'another injury excuse'. And won't read the rest.... Tuff luck for them :D People say Farrell is shit. And also people say Barritt played when we beat new zealand in 2012...so did Farrell. Farrell has had some great games for England, and you don't become a bad player over night. As a team doesn't become a bad tezm over night. But you don't drop everyone and change everything. People also said Cipriani should be picked over farrell before the qbe's started....that's bollocks. Farrell, is number one 10. Until Ford or Myler/Cip start and prove they're world class, Farrell should still be in the squad. BUT I do agree that Farrell hasn't been great these last two games in attack (in defence he has been solid, escpecially against the All blacks!) but then again, Care takes a step before passing so defence has more time, Farrell has less and also Barrit isn't exactly an immense centre in attack. Neither is 36. So you can't say Farrell is at fault for englands attack being sonshite. Tell you what you take out Soony bill williams and Savea from the All blacks and Whitelock, Retallick, Kaino and Franks (englands equivalents for me are, Tuilagi, Burrell, launcbry, parling, cole and corbs) and look...the All blacks almost lost to Scotland! New zealand vs scotland was an All blacks b team almost. And that's what england are having to play with now. (It's more like half and a team and half a b ok...). But to only lose by 3 points against the top 2 in the world isn't that bad I thunk.

    And who ever thinks tom wood isn't good enough should watch him for 80mins. Record the match, and watch hime, even for just 20mins you will see the tackles, rucks and lineouts he wins and does. He is an athlete, as is Lawes. Also Lawes coming of against the all blacks weakened the team big time. I'm not saying yiu couldn't have taken him of, but for the 20mins

  • drg
    7:16 PM 18/11/2014

    I think a lot of the England support is coming from predictions based on what has happened to date.

    Take Scotland for instance. They played a blindingly good game against Arg, slacked off a bit in the 2nd half but they played with a totally different tempo that their many past outings. With that in mind people started to become curious about what they could do against the AB's. Don't get me wrong, I think a lot of people had a sly smile with a hope of something interesting, but their heads AND hearts were telling them it was going to be a big loss. But somehow Scotland appeared be able to hold their own against the AB team on the day; again playing with that improved tempo and rugby brain.

    So I think the majority of people are looking at what England are producing well at the moment and thinking that the only way is up. Of course, this is all presuming they do go up and again presuming all the other teams remain at their current level. But I do think England has had a history of coming in on shaky ground, yet coming out on very firm ground.

    Either way, like the above with the Scots vs NZ, people have a quiet little 'feeling' even though everything else is telling them their mad for thinking about it. We'll all see if/when the time comes.

  • vladimir
    2:18 PM 18/11/2014

    If forgot to mention a big big 8, especially at the base of the scrum.

  • jimmy23
    11:30 AM 18/11/2014

    I agree with what you say about McCaw, when he infringes it's something along the lines of 'hands in the ruck' or something. While it is frustrating at times I don't join this "McCaw is a cheat" crowd cause if any other countries had a player like that I'm willing to bet they'd turn a blind eye to it, I know I probably would. However Hartley's infringing consists of stamping, biting, swearing at the ref, giving away 3 penalties in a row in a kickable position (Wales game this year). Neither smart or subtle.
    Although I didn't initially I agree with the yellow, if he hadn't clearly slapped the guy first THEN stamped it could have looked like an accident but after that it was pretty obvious he stamped on purpose. Again it's a shame when you consider the good work he does when he's not being a moron, that's the only reason I suspect Lancaster continues to pick him. Though surely his patience with Hartley is wearing thin now.

  • whiteafrican
    10:06 AM 18/11/2014

    You're right (it should have been a Bok lineout) BUT Walsh correctly applied the laws as they stand. The current IRB approach is that the touch line is the Touch Judge's call, except in the final phase before a try, where questions can be referred to the TMO. Walsh could not refer the Youch Judge's decision to the TMO (despite de Villiers' requests) because he is not permitted to do so. There's a really good analysis of the issue on Rugby365 this week.

    As for England, I guess it's because their last 10 outings against each of the Boks and the All Blacks reads as follows:
    Played: 20
    Won: 1
    Drawn: 1
    Lost: 18
    They've won just 1 of their last 15 games against the All Blacks and lost the last five on the bounce. Considering the ABs recent travel itinerary in the weeks before arriving in the UK (SA, Australia, NZ, USA, UK) and the fact that England were at home and the Coles yellow card, if England still can't beat them, what hope do they have at the World Cup when the All Blacks have been in the country for a month and had several pool games to warm up and acclimatise? (Same goes for the Boks, although the time difference is less of a factor where they're concerned)

    I'm not saying England can't win, but it doesn't look likely.

  • whiteafrican
    9:57 AM 18/11/2014

    @Jimmy23 - To your last point, I am entirely sympathetic. If I was an England fan I would be bitterly disappointed to have to watch yet again as Dylan Hartley's indiscipline costs his team any chance of winning an otherwise close match.

    The cardinal rule of discipline in modern rugby is not "Obey the laws" but rather, "You're going to have to break the laws at some point, so be smart about it and pick your moments." Hartley seems ethier unwilling or unable to learn this.

    Take a counter-example. Everyone (outside NZ) rages about how much McCaw crosses the line, but after 136 caps he only has two yellows and no reds because he is very smart and knows when he can infringe and when he cannot. Now compare Hartely, who is not smart and decides to stand/stamp (depending on your view) on an opponent right in front of the ref. Can you imagine McCaw or de Villiers taking this sort of crazy risk?

    It really doesn't matter if it was harsh of Walsh to card Hartley (and outside of England most commentators seem to agree that it was the right decision). What matters is that it was absurd for Lancaster to persist in picking a player whose indiscipline has already cost him two Lions tours and who clearly lacks the sense and self-control to be smart and pick his moments.

  • katman
    7:23 AM 18/11/2014

    Second England rolling maul try (Morgan?) should never have happened, as it was supposed to be a Bok lineout 40m up the field. Habana's foot was very clearly on the ground before he caught the ball. Ref should have checked. Other than that, good, tough old-fashioned game. Most enjoyable. I also don't see why so many are writing England off. They're looking like World Cup semi-finalists to me.

  • ak-nz
    5:38 AM 18/11/2014

    Honestly, half my enjoyment coming to this board is seeing some of your comments. Classic.

  • 45678
    11:04 PM 17/11/2014

    Morgan, Dickson and ford would have sorted a lot of the problems out for England. Morgan was easily the stand out player when he came on. We need more speed from the base of rucks and care doesn't mix it up enough and when a kicking 10 kicks so poorly, they can only be dropped

  • 45678
    11:01 PM 17/11/2014

    No excuse for Hartley this time, but I do question the sense of robshaw asking Walsh for the tmo to check sa player holding a leg in the same ruck. Robshaw was more vocal this week, but there are times to just shut up.

  • jimmy23
    10:23 PM 17/11/2014

    Can't implement your game plan without a big 8

  • danknapp
    9:47 PM 17/11/2014

    That's all very well and good, but they won't get anywhere without a big 8.

  • misterdavid
    7:15 PM 17/11/2014

    Not to mention a big 8.

  • reality
    7:14 PM 17/11/2014

    Nice one Dylan! Always putting the team first.

  • i_bleed_green_and_gold
    6:54 PM 17/11/2014

    It was a bit of a strange Bok performance. We should never have let England back into that game the way we did. I thought we had a great opportunity to do a lot more than we did. Lambie is a good fly half but he has frequently missed touch or botched the penalty towards the end of the game. could not believe we gave away a free attacking 5 m line-out. Glad he got a full game in though. We got steamrolled at the mall even with 1 player down that does not make sense.
    Thought the 2nd England try was really harsh given the line out call was wrong. Habana "i think" has a has a lot of experience so does not seem likely to catch the ball and then put his foot out- not sure why the touch judge did not take a second look.
    a positives for us at least; despite a charge down and some high passes, reinach had a pretty good game both defensively and offensively.

  • jimmy23
    5:50 PM 17/11/2014

    Incredibly frustrating as an England fan, same old problems as always. Stupid errors when it matters, had 2 visits to the 22 in the final 10 mins and we messed up both of them with a turnover and a botched line out. While what South Africa did wasn't exactly pretty (bar the 2nd try which was awesome) they did what needed to be done to win, credit to them.
    There can't be any justifiable reason to have Farrell starting again next week, I've not been as put off by him as others have been (2012 All Blacks game showed what happens when he plays well) but apart from goal kicking and a couple of decent hits he's offered hardly anything these past two games.
    As the comments above have mentioned the backs seem to be hardly involved, which is a shame when you consider who we have in the back line. For all his pragmatism, I feel that Farrell's simplicity is the problem. Unless if the ball got kicked to them I don't really recall any of our back 3 getting the ball, but when Ford came on it all changed and the backs actually got involved. He needs to start not only against Samoa but Australia as well, he's basically 2nd in the pecking order and he has barely any experience.
    Morgan is far more effective than Vunipola at the moment and bloody Hartley needs to stop being an idiot, it out shadows all the good work he actually does.

  • vladimir
    5:10 PM 17/11/2014

    Looks like England is moving back to its traditional strategies: big pack with a big 8, a 10-kicking points, big 8, and as a back line big crash-ball centres.

  • finedisregard
    3:44 PM 17/11/2014

    Nice to see the English use the maul as a weapon, unfortunately the England backs don't look like they have any ideas of what to do with ball.

  • facepalm
    3:39 PM 17/11/2014

    The Hask to start next week? I'm not entirely sure what Tom Wood is adding to the team.

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