Key events
4th min: The scrum holds and Smith cross-kicks and finds an edge. That forces Kolbe fields but his kick skews off his boot so England have the throw inside SA’s 22. They win it before Kolisi unfurls a monster tackle. SA’s defence is immense but England still have it inside the 22….
2nd min: Kolbe knocks on on half-way after van Poortvliet box kicks. I think this is a sign of things to come. But how will England’s scrum hold?
1st min: Smith kicks off and du Toit gathers. Swing Low rings out and Steward takes his first high kick of the night. England set up inside their half after van Poortvliet fumbles backwards.
The anthems are done. They’re stripping the banners and flags off the park. The players are getting into position after one final huddle. We’re almost there.
My word, I’m buzzing for this! Should be a belter!
Habana and Lawes are both backing England!
I’m staggered. There’s every chance I’ll have to eat my words but I think South Africa win this by a full length.
We’ll find out shortly.
Just as they did last night, TNT tee us up with a Theodore Roosevelt speech:
It’s not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or when the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worth cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.
There are fireworks, there are lasers, a house version of Seal’s Kiss From a Rose is belting around the ground!
They’ve spared no expense tonight! Twickenham is rocking!
Courtney Lawes, Bryan Habana and Ugo Monye – just the 250 Test caps between them – are chewing the fat over England’s rush defence.
Australia found too many holes in the midfield last week and the edge too frequently. They have to be tighter today.
Aphelele Fassi is fielding a lot of high balls in the warm-up.
His battle with Freddie Steward for control of the skies could be decisive.
Ugo Monye is backing England’s full-back to come good and argues that his inclusion improve’s the team’s attack and defence.
South Africa team
It’s no Bomb Squad, as Erasmus has selected a bench with the standard five forwards and three backs, but it’s still a 23 that can go nuclear.
Siya Kolisi returns to skipper the side alongside a glut of superstar names who were rested for the win over Scotland.
Cheslin Kolbe on the wing, Pieter-Steph du Toit in the back row, Manie Libbok running the show at 10.
It’s an impressive cohort and England will need to be at their best to beat these Bokke.
South Africa: Fassi; Kolbe, Kriel, De Allende, Arendse; Libbok, Williams; Nche, Mbonambi, W Louw, Etzebeth, Snyman, Kolisi (capt), Du Toit, Wiese.
Replacements: Marx, Steenekamp, Koch, E Louw, Smith, Reinach, Pollard, Am.
England team
Four changes from the side that lost in the dying seconds a week ago.
Freddie Steward returns from the cold to marshal the backfield, perhaps a sign of England’s intent to kick the leather off the ball.
Entrusted with those box-kicking duties will be Jack van Poortvliet as Ben Spencer drops out of the 23 entirely.
Sam Underhill comes in for for Tom Curry, who is recovering from a concussion. Northampton’s try-machine Ollie Sleightholme wins his first start.
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.
South Africa have been on the charm offensive this Autumn.
Rassie Erasmus told Gerard Meager that his “Springboks aren’t the bad guys” of world rugby.
But, before their comofrtable win over Scotland, Michael Aylwin wasn’t buying it.
But who needs a strategy to win hearts and minds when you have the most likable prop in your ranks. I said back in October that Ox Nche should at least get a look in for World Rugby’s player of the year award. Gerard agrees with me.
“Good luck South Africa!”
Says Ruth Edwards, proudly of Welsh stock. Guess the anybody-but-England mantra still resonates.
Preamble
Daniel Gallan
All signs point to a blowout by the Boks. The double World Cup champions saunter into south-west London having claimed the Rugby Championship earlier in the year and a week after spanking Scotland by 17 points without leaving second gear.
England, by contrast, have developed a knack of losing tight games with six of their last eight fixtures going the way of the opposition. Steve Borthwick says he’s not under pressure, but he unquestionably is. A drubbing, as most expect, will compound matters.
But funny things happen when these teams meet each other. At the World Cup last year, England played a near perfect game and almost pulled off an almighty upset. Four years earlier, South Africa defied the bookies to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.
The point is that form goes out the window and the ‘favourites’ tag can weigh heavy in these titanic encounters rich with history and dripping with narrative.
Ignore conventional wisdom, throw logic out this window. This is a Test between two proud nations at one of the sport’s grandest arenas. Epic is a word used often. It’s appropriate here.
Kick-off at 5:40pm.
Teams and more updates to follow.
