Late missed effort: Owen Farrell
Related links
Teams
Also see
England put in a spirited performance to deny the Boks a series whitewash as the two sides played out a 14-14 draw in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
Owen Farrell did have a chance to snatch victory for the visitors but missed terribly to the left with a drop-goal from 35 metres out as the June series ended 2-0 to the side wearing green and gold.
But there were plenty of positives for England to take home as this was a much-improved effort against a team that went backwards from Jo'burg. One being Thomas Waldrom, Tom Johnson and Danny Care's performances on the tour finale.
It was evident that England were fired up for this final Test as they looked to salvage something from what has been a tough and physical June. They managed to transfer that fire into points too early on as good phase play led to Toby Flood opening the scoring from the tee on two minutes.
Morne Steyn did respond five minutes later when England infringed at a ruck before the visitors illustrated their intent at the other end soon after. Care was the main man making the noise in his comeback game on the Test stage as he chose to tap a penalty quickly and burrowed over from close range. Care's decision was a bold statement but one that paid off as England continued to keep the passionate supporters at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium quiet.
Flood missed the extras and that proved to be his last act of the game on twelve minutes as he struggled to shake off a niggling issue. England's loss of their fly-half was cushioned by the fact the tourists had started much better than last week, assuming an 8-3 advantage.
However, they would not score again in the first-half as when lock Tom Palmer slowed down possession at a ruck, Steyn stepped up to bring the Boks back to within one point. He would strike again on 28 minutes when Stuart Lancaster's outfit was caught offside to begin a long spell of home attacks. England stood firm though and it was clear their steeliness was causing frustration to their hosts, who were missing Willem Alberts and Frans Steyn.
Lancaster would have been pleased with the pride being shown by his players in their last game of the season, but maybe not with Dylan Hartley six minutes after Owen Farrell had pushed England back in front from the tee. Hartley was carded for slowing down the play.
Those ten minutes approaching the hour mark were always going to be critical in the game but it was to be once Hartley returned that South Africa had their moment. Following a series of runners testing the English defensive line five metres out, Ruan Pienaar moved the ball out where JP Pietersen was waiting to dive over for back-to-back tries in this series. Steyn missed the conversion which meant the scoreline was 14-11 with fifteen minutes to go.
Farrell did tie things up to set up a nail-biting finish which saw South Africa knock at the door before England survived and launched their own final throw of the dice for victory. However, Farrell's attempted match-winning drop-goal with the last kick of the game failed miserably.
Man-of-the-match: Mentions for the work that Gio Aplon, Marcell Coetzee and Tom Johnson got through, but England's Danny Care announced his return to the Test scene with a fine 80-minute effort. He was busy and most definitely got the better of Francois Hougaard.
Moment-of-the-match: It may seem harsh to single out a player but England lost something when Toby Flood was forced off with an injury. Owen Farrell kicked too much and thus cut down the threat the visitors had posed early on, which saw them score eight points.
Villain-of-the-match: The disappointing result for South Africa. How dare they take down the mood on absent Springbok centre Francois Steyn's big wedding day. A toast to 2-0?
The scorers:
For South Africa:
Try: Pietersen
Pen: Steyn 3
For England:
Tries: Care
Pen: Flood, Farrell 2
South Africa: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jean de Villiers (c), 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Jacques Potgieter, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Juandre 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 Ryan Kankowski, 20 Ruan Pienaar, 21 Elton Jantjies, 22 Bjorn Basson.
England: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Manusamoa Tuilagi, 11 Ben Foden, 10 Toby Flood, 9 Danny Care, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 James Haskell, 6 Tom Johnson, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Tom Palmer, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Dylan Hartley (c), 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Lee Mears, 17 Paul Doran Jones, 18 Mouritz Botha, 19 Phil Dowson, 20 Lee Dickson, 21 Owen Farrell, 22 Brad Barritt.
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), John Lacey (Ireland)
By Adam Kyriacou
Comments
rugby_rockstar says...
Shame we lost Flood so early. Farrel didn't do much at all. We got lucky that youngs had a blinder from a solo point of view, but that can be coached against so don't expect it to happen every match. I still think Dickson is our best nine becasue his service means the likes of tuilagi and Joseff will get time on the ball. Youngs sucks all the life out of our outside backs.
Posted 14:04 18th July 2012
TheTruthHurts says...
@JayStarr, where are your anti Australian comments now scumbucket!??? All the mud slinging you do about how Oz don't deserve to be #2 in the rankings and how rubbish they were against Wales etc etc.... 3 - 0 baby yeah!!! Too bad your beloved Boks couldn't win their series in the same fashion, next time best to keep your putrid trap shut before slagging off other teams, you know glass houses and all that!
Posted 13:01 27th June 2012
APV1 says...
Anyone seen any posts from gazzabok recently? I'd like to know if he's paid up, or whether he's a charity-cheating scumbag...
"gazzabok says...
The English are delusional. That was't a competition once the Boks settled into the game.
Boks will win by 20+ tomorrow. If not, note this comment and I will donate 10 quid to Wooden Spoon.
Posted 13:12 15th June 2012"
I'm going to keep harassing the threads until they pay up. Firstly one shouldn't make such statements if you're not willing to put your money where your mouth is.
Then there's the matter of doing a (very worthwhile) charity out of promised funds. Added to which, another poster and I have agreed to match the £10 pledge once it's been paid, so gazzabok is potentially doing them out of even more, based on a flippant comment.
I have no doubt that gazzabok can afford to spare £10 and I'd like to know that they've paid up.
Ed - can you help track down the elusive gazzabok, as I've not seen any posts from them since their pledge? Thanks!
Posted 10:07 27th June 2012
Carpelone says...
letsgoboks
So the English won today with Italy.... Good one.
Posted 23:18 24th June 2012
boksmashoffice says...
We have the forwads to give the backs quick ball. Its up to the backs coach to get some creativity in there. I would settle for Muir over Loubsher. Maybe poach wayne smith would be great (one can dream)
Posted 22:57 24th June 2012
makemehappy says...
Meyer definitely needs to take a harder look at the squad. Clear problems at 9 and 10, Olivier is simply a Super 15 player and no more and the Beast and the back up prop and hooker aren't good enough. Backrow isn't perfect, but of course we note the injuries.
Posted 17:01 24th June 2012
carpelone says...
lyndonmac
Finally a good post from a Kiwi. I share your views entirely, the management of NZ is more prone to make emerge and nurture young talents. Altitude should not favour SA though, since the majority of the Boks should be from Cape Town and Durban.
safehands
When Lambie got invoved in the backline plays in the second test, Boks' backline looked menacing, suggesting that some of the problems could be solved by a different fly-half. Steyn truly affects the overall attacking potential of the Boks. If not on song from the tee, why to retain him?
Posted 16:38 24th June 2012
carpelone says...
jonesy2
Go back to the primary school before posting again. I tried to make sense out of your posts but you wasted my time. I suppose that milking sheep is way too demanding for your brain.
Posted 16:30 24th June 2012
letsgoboks says...
Ha - its like English football... if they draw its considered a win :p
Posted 11:25 24th June 2012
letsgoboks says...
I don't know why everyone is so surprised... This is typical SA mentality.
Get the job done with the first 2 tests then just show up at the third test to run around for a few minutes not really giving a sh*t. It grates me big time.
RUTHELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sort yourselves out BOKS FFS!
Posted 11:09 24th June 2012
philipjfry says...
@jonesy2: Springbokkers? Are you stoned?
Posted 09:43 24th June 2012
rugbyphile says...
Heyneke Meyer==go and coach the Bulls at Loftus--stop putting their 23 rd rate players in the SA team. Steyn has kicked poorly the whole series and even at his best has not much to offer in the rest of his game. The biggest problem with SA is that they play as individuals--no backing up each other.
I din't think De Villiers and Olivier said anything to each other the whole game--Aplon ran from the back with never a thought of finding someone to pass to--Potgieter the same--and as for taking off Bismarck with about a 3rd of the game to go-!! --what a strange strange move .
Posted 09:35 24th June 2012
anotherfarce says...
@brands
A silly statement like that doesn't really deserve a response, NZ to put 50 on the boks!!!
I think your getting carried away on your meds, I will remind you of this post in august!!
Posted 08:50 24th June 2012
ruggaluva says...
What a listless uninspiring match.... both teams were subpar and to be honest England were better and deserved the win - SA should have been made to pay for such a lack of passion and such terrible selection. Marcel coetzee and aplon did however make some effort. What was most surprising though was that the blueprint for the game had actually already been sucessfully laid out the night before in the JWC where the young boks played the perfect tactics for the inclement weather...why our game plan was so lacking was beyond me.
its time to make some space for a few youngsters.... Serfontein, goosen ( pollard too), kolisi, kitshoff et al
Posted 08:47 24th June 2012
lyndonmac says...
Just finished watching my third rugby test in a row (plus one Aussie Rules game for variety) The wife isn't happy but this AB's supporter is.
England I thought were pretty good, and quite a few notches above Wales and the poor old Irish. Regeneration is happening nicely in the Southern Hemisphere teams, and most newbies are performing really well ---- Cane, Romano and Aaron Smith exceptional for NZ, Etzebeth and Strauss real up-and-comers for the Boks.
A bit worried about my second-favourite team the Wobblies, and feel sorry that such a champion young bloke as David Pocock is saddled with such an ordinary, if injury-ravaged team. Yet he still inspires them to win against the Welsh, who could actually have won the series with a few balls bouncing better for them. Sam Warburton the gong for unluckiest man in Test Rugby--- hope the pendulum swings for him soon. Reckon England might be building nicely for the next World Cup in their backyard ---- admittedly a long, long way in the future.
I agree with those Saffas commenting that the Boks are too Bull-centric ---- also that it's odd that more Stormers don't make the team. The Boks must sorely miss Bekker and Burger. But the player depth in S.A. is really good, and I'm not so sure the AB's can stil easily beat the Boks, especially at altitude.
Posted 08:39 24th June 2012
lacroix says...
england are a better side without robshaw.
but they're still a mediocre team, and i'm not sure 'on the rise' is accurate but i guess all things are relative.
ashton continues to be a weakness. waldrom looks promising. haskell was vital. care was excllent but i still think he'll cost a side with moments of insanity - his head goes. like hartley (who is vastly over rated especially by hartley)
Posted 08:36 24th June 2012
Flyman says...
@meldave
I did see the Oz Wales game. Yes, it was also bad, but not as pathetic as Boks & England. The Boks are going to get a couple of serious hidings in the up coming championship. I would not be surprised if the Pumas up the ante as well!
Posted 07:34 24th June 2012
kybone says...
I think some of the posters on here must have a memory of about 5 days! This time last week people were going on about how poor the AB are and that they're suffering from World Cup hangover. Now, 7 days later, they're amazing and would put 50 points on their nearist rivals!
To all SA fans- don't get too upset about this game. As an England fan i've been impressed with your side this series. You've definitely been better than you were at the WC.
As for England, im pretty satisfied really. Before the tour i wanted one win from the three tests. We haven't quite managed it but almost. If this series had been in England i would have hoped we'd win 2 tests so i can accept losing 2 away from home. A lot of people on here have said ' a loss is a loss' and 'how pathetic is it to accept defeats'. But a loss is not just a loss as it depends how you play- Does anyone think that Ireland feel the same way about their defeat this week as they did about the defeat last week?? Of course not. England have been very close in all three games and they've found some new players on this tour. Im happy that Stu is taking us in the right direction.
Posted 07:31 24th June 2012
jonesy2 says...
springbokers!!! what are you doing?! naughty naughty boys not good at all disgracing the tri nations like that haha but seriously way to ruin the cleansweep. this was a club level england side that you should have murdered led by a dirty player that wouldnt get picked at club level. morne steyn has lost it im afraid he is just playing abysmally, im not even quite sure what it is exactly but im assuming he can get back to playing well. i see what all you boks boys were saying about pierre spies he really does play like jane (not cory jane) while looking like tarzan i swear he gets the ball and runs at the defence and you think he is going to smash someone then he stops just before and literally drops to his knees and rolls into gentle contact, everytime. loose forwards were too inexperienced when they should have bossed the english, broussuw not being in the side is shear stupidity. aplon is not quite international standard which i dont like to say because i like him and he has played well for the stormers. at this rate the boks are looking at being above only the argies but there is a long way to go before that and i dont think this is nearly the best boks side
Johnny_Guitar -- mate england are so far behind aus and sa haha theyre behind argentina and wales. clown
Flyman -- sums it up very nicely maybe i should have just said that
Trappedinoz -- see what i wrote to johnny guitar
melkdave-- im guessing youre being sarcastic in your summary
Posted 06:12 24th June 2012
bigb6969 says...
Morne Steyn is a Springbok player I fear, and this is mainly by his historically accurate kicking, and well as out of hand. I don't fear his "all round game" but if he does not kick goals very well I would drop him, because if he keeps this kicking success rate of the last 3 tests he does not have any other weapons to threaten top sides.
Goosen looks the goods, he seems to be able to kick like Steyn at his best and he has some pace and the ability to attack the line, and he is only 19.
Posted 04:22 24th June 2012