Ding, ding!: It's Round Two
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South Africa have drawn first blood and will be hungry to wrap up the series with another win over England in Jo'burg on Saturday.
If you thought last weekend's clash was brutal, just wait for the next 80 minutes as these two sides were just getting warmed up.
It's a must-win for the battered and bruised visitors as they attempt to end an eight-match losing streak against the Springboks in order to level proceedings and set up a series decider on June 23.
It's been 12 long years since the English last managed to beat the men in green and gold on their home patch and the challenge is expected to get even tougher as the series moves from sea level of Durban to the Highveld.
The Springboks' limited preparation after only coming together as a squad a week ago will also no longer be a factor. Bok coach Heyneke Meyer has had another week to impress his game-plan on the team and they will be better for it.
It just goes to show how important it was for Stuart Lancaster's troops to beat the undercooked Boks (featuring four new caps as well as a new lock combination) in order to take that all-important 1-0 lead in the series.
Now the English are playing for survival at the fortress of South African rugby, Ellis Park, where the Boks won their first world cup and are just about unbeatable.
But it's not all doom and gloom for the visitors.
In the first 40 minutes in Durban, Lancaster's men more than held their own and for a time the home side were rattled. The half-time score of 6-6 will also give England cause for optimism, but the trick now is to push on for the entire 80 minutes and combat the surge of power from the massive Springbok pack that killed off any chance of the tourists claiming victory.
England also need to find more rhythm on attack. With the exception of Ben Foden's late try, they hardly troubled the Springbok tacklers. Changes to their backline are set to add more attacking sense with a new fly-half, centre combination, wing and full-back lining up in the City of Gold. In fact, only two players - right wing Chris Ashton and scrum-half Ben Youngs - stay where they started at Kings Park.
Their hope will be to move the ball around more, creating holes on the outside and trying to move the Bok pack around the field until the openings come.
Lancaster's change of tactics has put the Boks on high alert, but Meyer - having had more days to prepare - will no doubt have a few tricks up his sleave too and has already fired a warning that the hosts weren't even close to being at their best last time out.
"This team is not even five per cent toward where I want them to be," said Meyer.
"It is important that we lift our standards this weekend."
And that can mean only one thing: England are in trouble.
Ones to watch:
For South Africa: There's one change in South Africa's starting XV, which sees young utility back Pat Lambie step in for the crocked Zane Kirchner. The baby-faced Bok made a good second-half appearance off the bench last weekend and now has the ideal opportunity to cement the full-back spot as his own.
For England: England need to unlock South Africa's well drilled defence and the creativity of Jonathan Joseph could be the missing key required. The London Irish centre will make his first start in Johannesburg when he comes in for the injured Brad Barritt - although Manu Tuilagi will shuffle across to inside centre. The 21-year-old came off the bench for a brief cameo in Durban, but he will now be given the chance to impress as England look to add a cutting edge to their backline.
Head to head: Morne Steyn v Toby Flood. Steyn's accuracy and distance from the tee normally punishes any indiscipline, but he had a rare off-day in Durban. However, South Africa's goal-kicking ace is closer to home this week on the Highveld, where he will be looking to make amends with a flawless kicking performance...and perhaps another try? Steyn's opposite number Flood - starting for the first time since the 2011 World Cup quarter-final loss to France - faces the biggest test of his game management in England colours. The recalled Leicester star has ousted 20-year-old Owen Farrell from the pivotal role, and gets an opportunity to unleash some frustrating periods on the sidelines against the Boks.
Recent results:
2011: South Africa won 22-17 in Durban
2010: South Africa won 21-11 in London
2008: South Africa won 42-6 in London
2007: South Africa won 15-6 in Paris
2007: South Africa won 36-0 in Paris
2007: South Africa won 55-22 in Pretoria
2007: South Africa won 58-10 in Bloemfontein
2006: South Africa won 25-14 in London
2006: England won 23-21 in London
2004: England won 32-16 in London
2003: England won 25-6 in Perth
2002: England won 53-3 in London
Prediction: England might not be the same team this weekend, but they still need to lift their game if they are to stand a chance. Having been together longer, South Africa now have less excuses if they lose. But luckily for them, we don't see that happening with the added benefit of altitude playing to their advantage. It makes the home side even stronger favourites this week than it did last week and that is the level of challenge facing England. South Africa to win by seven points.
The teams:
South Africa: 15 Pat Lambie, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jean de Villiers, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 François Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Juandré Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Werner Kruger, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Keegan Daniel, 20 Ruan Pienaar, 21 Wynand Olivier, 22 Bjorn Basson.
England: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Manusamoa Tuilagi, 11 David Strettle, 10 Toby Flood, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Chris Robshaw (c), 6 Tom Johnson, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Mouritz Botha, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Dylan Hartley, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Lee Mears, 17 Alex Corbisiero, 18 Tom Palmer, 19 Thomas Waldrom, 20 Lee Dickson, 21 Owen Farrell, 22 Alex Goode.
Date: Saturday, June 16
Kick-off: 17:00 (16:00 BST, 15:00 GMT)
Venue: Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Steve Walsh (Australia), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Television match official: Iain Ramage (Scotland)
By Dave Morris
Comments
JayStarr says...
I'm finding it really hilarious to see everyone throwing the altitude factor around for this game...
Am I the only one seeing the joke?
A couple of weeks ago the selfsame altitude factor would've been used by the SA media and players in Super Rugby to say why the Stormers and Sharks would struggle in the last 20 minutes if they had to play the Lions or Bulls on the Highveld...
Now, by some miracle, a Springbok team made up of 8 Sharks and 3 Stormers (i.e. most of the team), who has spent most of their time at sea level over the last few weeks, is CURED..! Just because they are now playing for the Springboks! This is nothing short of a medical marvel..!
What nonsense. Moving up to altitude will affect the Springboks just as much as England in this game. Maybe that is why HM loaded his bench with Bulls...
The only way that the altitude will benefit the Boks is that Morné will feel more at home with his kicking - and between him and Francois Steyn they'll be kicking that ball for miles.
I'm really interested to see what England try and do this week - if they really try and move the ball more and how that works out for them (whether the Boks' defense will hold through the phases, whether their size will count against them, etc.) But I also really can't see what England can do this week to actually beat the Boks. For a team who was that uncohesive and rusty last week, they sure won convincingly - if Francois Steyn tackled a little harder to prevent that try and Morné Steyn put his those missed kicks over, it would've been a hiding on the score board...
I can only see the Springboks playing better this weekend - and by the sounds coming from their camp, it also sounds like they are far more confident and hungry than last week... So unless England raises their game significantly, they might be be embarrassed this Saturday.
Posted 18:08 15th June 2012
benski says...
@jonesy2... A considered and balanced post as always.
Posted 17:45 15th June 2012
APV1 says...
@ objetive - que?!
Posted 16:52 15th June 2012
fattysock says...
@Markpat
FYI, when DC can't kick, we give it to Dagg now.
Posted 16:17 15th June 2012
fattysock says...
"objetive says...
Let me clarify: BEFORE coaching and admin structures come into play, based on raw out and out talent, SA has the best pool of players in the world. "
I don't really understand your point. Are you saying that all your 6 yr olds are better than any other country's 6 yr olds? If you want to look at the raw talent BEFORE coaching, then that's about the age you'll be looking at.
"Rather, accept SA does but that NZ and Aus (in particular) are best at honing what talents they have into the best they can be. "
Why do we have to do that? Will it make you feel better at night if next time you lose we say "I know we won, but really we only won because of the off-field problems"? South Africa also has a much larger player base than NZ or Aus, so you should (statistically) have more talent coming through.
It's not the rest of the world's fault that you guys have internal problems. What do you want us to do about it? Give you the WC because it's tough on you?
Get over yourself. All countries have problems. NZ has less players due to population, Aus has to compete with AFL and League for players and fans. England has to put up with a VERY long season in (generally) sh"tty conditions that make running rugby difficult, plus have to fight with football for talent at youth levels.
Posted 16:16 15th June 2012
new_j4a says...
@jonesy2 says..."england weak in all areas. boks by heaps" you make so many ignorant predictions (do you remember the Sco vs Oz prediction you made?), that eventually you will be right....even a blind chicken eventually pecks a bit of corn. I hope that you are right with this game, but it is by no means as clear cut as you think.
Posted 16:12 15th June 2012
fattysock says...
@SharkyZulu - Joseph is also the current coach of the Highlanders... doing a pretty fine job of it, too.
@APV1 - he was capped (wiki says 20 tests, and 30 games in total - but that the pommes would most likely remember him for a rather ill-judged stamp... ).
Posted 16:03 15th June 2012
letsgoboks says...
For the boks - intensity from the beginning. That's what broke England in the first match. Direct, hard, powerful rugby. I just wish we hadn't let that last try in as it doesn't give a true reflection of what happened. Everyone who says our bench is not as good as last week have not been watching the super rugby. They are class. If the boys can do some damage in the first half a guy like Basson is capable of a couple of tries if he gets to run free. Adriaan Strauss is so underrated its upsetting.
England - building. This is good for them. They were the better team out of all the NH teams last weekend. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Farrell has the makings of a great leader. Don't build him up and bash him like all your young players. Nuture him.
I also don't buy into this whole idea of the Boks having one game plan. We have some great running backs. And we score tries though them. England have not got more flair than us, the media just tell us they do.
Posted 15:16 15th June 2012
objetive says...
Dolgun: You have missed my point entirely. Reid and DC are better than their SA opposites but only, or mainly, because they have been coached better than them, and enjoyed a better administration. If all other factors were equal, SA would dominate NZ (as they did in the pre-professional era where coaching was less of a factor and it was more about innate strength and skill).
Posted 15:15 15th June 2012
SACanuck says...
This Bok team with the current coaching team seem to be saying all the right things and doing them as well. If they they play like they did in the 2nd half last week they will win by 10+ as Steyn wil not miss many kicks this week, and the Poms are going to see many high bombs raining down, just before they get hit by Habana and a few of his friends
Posted 15:11 15th June 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
Carpelone: Loose head world 15: Tongauiha or Woodcock. But the Zimbabwean beast fights for 3rd with Jenkins and the odd Georgian/Romanian/Argi. It's a funny old position where the top4 teams regularly don't have best in world. Steyn V Carter... Selection not your thing then.
Potato; oh no no no, I ripple with muscle, whereas your name sounds like a lardy blob of pasta.
Posted 15:07 15th June 2012
quietbrit says...
The prediction is fair - Boks by 7. There is however a lot of swing in this one - I can see the boks running away by 20 or England by 5 depending on how things go, both sides will be better and if one side clicks and the other doesn't...
Posted 14:32 15th June 2012
bokbevok says...
Great to see lambie at 15, I think this gives boks a lot more on attack. Lambie I believe has a great rugby brain and joins back line at pace and angles to creat major threat to opposition. Don,t get me wrong as I thought kirschner was awesome last time out especially under high ball and clearance kicks.
Spies ummmmm but hey with so much go forward in 2nd half changes to forwards were always unlikely.
As for habana go feller really excited seeing you with ball in hand again and so hungry for work- lend spies some of that please.
Bokke all the way,
Posted 14:10 15th June 2012
jonesy2 says...
england weak in all areas. boks by heaps
Posted 13:16 15th June 2012
heathy says...
@ objective. I'm not sure what point you are making and the relevence of it really to all this but hey ho.
@jestnation. Don't worry. Tuilagi distribution skills are not the best but he can be effective. 12 is the place where he can cause most threat if used properly. Not always as a battering ran with an offload but as a dummy runner to straighten up a defence.
I don't think we will win this one as SA will be better and have experience at altitude. As I repeat, our best chance was last week. However, we did compete last week until it all started to change and SA had the better bench especially in the scrum. IF we can just keep in the game and not let it get away from us then this will be good experience for the team. The team is pretty much brand new and SA have some great players still around. They are a lot further on than we are and if we keep going, we will compete in the World Cup. That ultimately is the aim. SA are very one dimentional and physical. We have to match them in this area and come up with a more open game to counter. SA don't throw it around. They work on set pieces and kicks with chasing wingers. We all know how they play and they are very good at it. If you make SA think and move things around then they are all at sea. That is if we can maintain a physical match up. We are not there yet so we will lose. Keep it within 10 and we would have done well at this stage of the teams development.
Posted 13:14 15th June 2012
Carpelone says...
Capedcrusader
Would you be so kind to articulate more your thoughts or would it be asking too much for those few neurons of you?
Posted 13:10 15th June 2012
dolgun says...
obletive...I think you're starting to believe your own media hype. "SA has the best players in the world" yeah right. So Spies is better than Reid and Steyn is better than DC??? Whatever.
Would like England to win this but just can't see it happening.
Posted 12:50 15th June 2012
Carpelone says...
ArmchairGeneral
When the Boks managed to beat regularly the ABs (2009), then somebody changed the rule, to allow the breakdown become that dogs' breakfast in which McCaw prospers.
At the moment, I see that the Beast, BdP and Frans Steyn would make the world fifteen, but hopefully other players are coming up.
Since you admittedly are an Armchair potato, you would know what playing aganst a SA back row means. We have traditionally one of the best mix in this department.
Posted 12:49 15th June 2012
Capedcrusader says...
@carpelone
What a load of tripe
Posted 12:43 15th June 2012
Trinats2 says...
objetive:
What sport are you talking about ? or what are you smoking ?
SA 15 - 15 England
Posted 12:34 15th June 2012