Preview: South Africa v England
JUNE INTERNATIONALS: If the second Test in this June’s series between South Africa and visiting England is even nearly as good as the first Test up at Ellis Park, it will be a memorable match.
That first Test in Johannesburg was brilliant – the energy, skill, commitment, spirit of adventure of the players, producing a wonderful occasion – as did the first Test in 1955 at the same ground.
That time the British & Irish Lions won, this time the Springboks won.
In 1955 the second Test at Newlands was a great occasion for the home fans, as Tom van Vollenhoven swept over for a hat-trick of tries.
But then back on the Highveld, there was that ungenerous affair which the Lions won 9-6.
Bloemfontein will produce the same sort of playing conditions that Johannesburg did last week – a firm and excellent playing surface, crisp weather and an enthusiastic crowd filled with hope by last week’s victory.
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There are few changes to the sides, which means they have last week’s match to build on with confidence.
The two sets of backs are the same but each has two changes in the forwards.
For South Africa, action man Pieter-Stef du Toit (25 years old and 34 caps) comes onto the flank for Jean-Luc du Preez and in the front row, Frans Malherbe (27 years old and 17 caps) replaces Wilco Louw.
For England, Joe Launchbury (27, 52 caps) comes back from injury to play at lock. Brad Shields comes in on the flank in the place of experienced Chris Robshaw – a 32-year-old, 65 capped player replaced by a 27-year-old, one-cap player, a New Zealander who actually played a match in England in 2011 as a Barbarian.
Shields does intend to play for Wasps in the future, but his rugby experience has been all New Zealand and Super Rugby.
Robshaw, England born and educated, captained England 43 times till unseated by a New Zealander, Dylan Hartley.
Now he loses his place to a New Zealander, who has not really played in England, but is robust and good in the line-outs.
Let’s hope it is a match to watch. It could just be that there will nearly four dozen heroes at Free State Stadium on Saturday evening.
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Players to watch:
For South Africa: Beast. Tendai Mtawarira, a flank who came from Peterhouse in Marandellas to the Sharks and is now playing his 100th Test as a Springbok prop. The adulation and warmth that he gets from South African fans are richly deserved. In the first Test, it was Willie Le Roux, Duane Vermeulen and, above all, Francois de Klerk who caught the Springbok eye, but the ones who could sparkle this time are speedy wings Sibusiso Nkosi and Aphiwe Dyantyi, now that their defensive positions are sorted out.
For England: The speedy, try-scoring back three – Elliot Daly, Jonny May and tough Mike Brown. And then there is the captain, Owen Farrell, petulant but clever.
Head to Head: Back Three versus Back Three – Willie le Roux, Sibusiso Nkosi and Aphiwe Dyantyi versus Elliot Daly, Jonny May and Mike Brown. In Johannesburg the South African back three scored four tries to the three of England’s back three. There are lots of skills here. Duane Vermeulen versus Billy Vunipola – big ball-carrier versus big-ball-carrier, devastating tackler versus devastating tackler. Loose forwards versus Loose forwards, men more for carrying than foraging.
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History
England and South Africa have met 39 times since 1906. South Africa have won 24 and England 13 times and two matches have been drawn, including the first one.
Recent Results
2018: South Africa won 42-39, Johannesburg
2016: England won 37-21, London
2014: South Africa won 31-28, London
2012: South Africa and England drew 14-all, Port Elizabeth
2012: South Africa won 36-27, Johannesburg
2012: South Africa won 22-17, Durban
2012: South Africa won 16-15, London
2010: South Africa won 21-11, London
The two teams have met twice before in Bloemfontein. England won 27-22 in 2000 and South Africa won 58-10 in 2007.
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Prediction: A lot depends on the minds of the players. South Africa is one up and may have a sense of relief to beguile them. The Springboks have always been most vulnerable when they believed that they were simply going to win. South Africa is one up with two to play. That means that England knows that, if they win this one, they can win the series, and reverse what happened in 2012. Surely, after the recent past, the Springboks will not be complacent but will feel the momentum with them and win this one by ten points or more.
Teams
South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 RG Snyman, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Armand van der Merwe, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Jean-Luc du Preez, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Jesse Kriel, 23 Warrick Gelant.
England: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Jonny May, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Mike Brown, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Maro Itoje, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Harry Williams, 19 Mark Wilson, 20 Nathan Hughes, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Danny Cipriani, 23 Denny Solomona.
Date: Saturday, 16 June 2018
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 17.00 (16.00 UK time; GMT 15.00)
Expected weather: There may be storms in the Cape but not in the Free State where Saturday is expected to be Highveld sunny and cold – a high of 14°C and a low of -1°C.
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Glen Jackson (New Zealand), Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
By Paul Dobson
@rugby365com
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