3:32 Owen Farrell kicked nine points as England beat South Africa but was fortunate to escape sanction late on
The last meeting between these nations was tight and attritional, with more of the same predicted on Saturday.
South Africa left Twickenham frustrated at losing a game they had dominated for large spells. They took England’s inexperienced scrum apart in the first half, while Maro Itoje spent 10 minutes in the bin as the front five consistently coughed up penalties.
Yet that dominance was not reflected on the scoreboard. The Springboks only led 8-6 at the interval thanks to Sbu Nkosi’s 34th-minute try as a host of other scoring opportunities went begging.
England made them pay for their profligacy, Elliot Daly booming over a long-range penalty before Owen Farrell slotted the decisive kick with seven minutes remaining.
Handre Pollard had a late chance to win it but his penalty shaved the post and South African frustrations reached boiling point on the final play when Farrell escaped punishment for an apparent no-arms tackle on Andre Esterhuizen.
June 2018: England blow series
5:15 England squandered a 21-point lead to lose the first Test at Ellis Park
Twice England let substantial leads slip as they blew the chance of a first series win in South Africa.
Leading 24-3 after 20 minutes of the first Test at Ellis Park, England were 29-27 down by half-time as the Springboks came roaring back into a helter-skelter contest.
Mako Vunipola’s sin-binning put the game behind England as South Africa capitalised one minute after his departure with their fifth try, giving new coach Rassie Erasmus and new captain Siya Kolisi their first win.
5:42 England slipped to another defeat in Bloemfontein despite leading 12-0 early on
Lessons were not learned as England suffered another collapse a week later in Bloemfontein.
Up 12-0 after 13 minutes, they didn’t score again as an ill-disciplined display handed the series to South Africa, who ran out 23-12 winners.
3:48 England ended a disappointing series with victory in Cape Town
With just pride to play for in the third Test in Cape Town, Danny Cipriani was handed his first Test start in almost a decade.
The fly-half’s brilliant crossfield kick for Jonny May’s try, which clinched a 25-10 victory, was the highlight of an error-strewn contest played in tough conditions.
2018 South Africa vs England series
1st Test: South Africa 42-39 England
2nd Test: South Africa 23-12 England
3rd Test: South Africa 10-25 England
Cipriani looked to have done enough to force his way into Eddie Jones’ thinking. Or so we thought…
November 2016: England 37-21 South Africa
2:52 Jonny May is mobbed after scoring the first of England’s four tries
Having won six games in a row against South Africa between 2000 and 2006, England then endured a 12-match winless streak against the Springboks, which included that gut-wrenching World Cup final loss in 2007.
After a decade of defeats, England finally got one over South Africa as they claimed their 11th successive Test win under Eddie Jones.
Four players who have been key during the World Cup in Japan all crossed for tries – Jonny May, Courtney Lawes, George Ford and Owen Farrell.
It marked the start of a turbulent month for South Africa. They lost to Italy for the first time and ended a disastrous year with a defeat to Wales in Cardiff.
Sourse: skysports.com
