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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| England 14-25 South Africa | England 14-25 South Africa |
| (1 day later) | |
| Coach Andy Robinson's future looks increasingly bleak after his struggling England side slumped to their eighth defeat in nine games on Saturday. | Coach Andy Robinson's future looks increasingly bleak after his struggling England side slumped to their eighth defeat in nine games on Saturday. |
| A Mark Cueto try and three Andy Goode penalties saw the world champions hold a 14-3 advantage after 30 minutes. | A Mark Cueto try and three Andy Goode penalties saw the world champions hold a 14-3 advantage after 30 minutes. |
| But South Africa led 16-14 at the break after two Andre Pretorius penalties and a barrelling CJ van der Linde try. | But South Africa led 16-14 at the break after two Andre Pretorius penalties and a barrelling CJ van der Linde try. |
| After the interval Pretorius, who had landed a first-half drop-goal, slotted three more to clinch victory. | After the interval Pretorius, who had landed a first-half drop-goal, slotted three more to clinch victory. |
| Interview: England coach Andy Robinson Interview: South Africa coach Jake White | Interview: England coach Andy Robinson Interview: South Africa coach Jake White |
| It had all started so well for England, who were looking to add to their 23-21 win over South Africa last weekend. | It had all started so well for England, who were looking to add to their 23-21 win over South Africa last weekend. |
| 606: DEBATE This is the darkest hour in English rugby LH 606: Have your say | 606: DEBATE This is the darkest hour in English rugby LH 606: Have your say |
| They started much better than the Boks, who rested a number of first choice players for this tour, with three Goode penalties helping England into a 9-3 lead. | They started much better than the Boks, who rested a number of first choice players for this tour, with three Goode penalties helping England into a 9-3 lead. |
| They looked sharp, the ball zipping down the line and giving Newcastle centre Mathew Tait several chances to take on the defence. | They looked sharp, the ball zipping down the line and giving Newcastle centre Mathew Tait several chances to take on the defence. |
| One fine pass from the 20-year-old put Ben Cohen in space, but the Northampton winger was hauled down. | One fine pass from the 20-year-old put Ben Cohen in space, but the Northampton winger was hauled down. |
| England eventually created a chance for Goode to drop at goal, but he hooked the ball wide. | England eventually created a chance for Goode to drop at goal, but he hooked the ball wide. |
| It took South Africa 26 minutes to mount their first serious attack, a knock-on halting a promising move started by a Ricky Januarie break. | It took South Africa 26 minutes to mount their first serious attack, a knock-on halting a promising move started by a Ricky Januarie break. |
| And England made their dominance count after half an hour when Cueto was awarded a try. | And England made their dominance count after half an hour when Cueto was awarded a try. |
| Tait just failed to force his way over from a Goode cross-kick, but Cueto was on hand to pick up and go over, although he appeared to lose the ball in the act of scoring. | |
| That was as good as it got for England, Goode's failure to land the conversion signalling the way the rest of the match was to go. | That was as good as it got for England, Goode's failure to land the conversion signalling the way the rest of the match was to go. |
| England's previously impressive discipline suddenly deserted them, enabling the Boks to trim the gap to 14-9 with two penalties. | England's previously impressive discipline suddenly deserted them, enabling the Boks to trim the gap to 14-9 with two penalties. |
| And the visitors took the lead on the stroke of half-time when giant prop Van der Linde brushed aside Josh Lewsey's attempted hit as he rampaged over the line. | And the visitors took the lead on the stroke of half-time when giant prop Van der Linde brushed aside Josh Lewsey's attempted hit as he rampaged over the line. |
| Pretorius slotted the conversion to give the Boks a two-point advantage. | Pretorius slotted the conversion to give the Boks a two-point advantage. |
| South Africa extended their lead to five points after 48 minutes when Pretorius landed a drop goal. | South Africa extended their lead to five points after 48 minutes when Pretorius landed a drop goal. |
| England were given the chance to get back in the game just before the hour mark, but Goode failed with two penalty attempts. | England were given the chance to get back in the game just before the hour mark, but Goode failed with two penalty attempts. |
| Cueto then spilled the ball over the line after spectacularly taking a Goode cross-kick, but that seemed to be England's only real mode of attack. | Cueto then spilled the ball over the line after spectacularly taking a Goode cross-kick, but that seemed to be England's only real mode of attack. |
| After hooker Lee Mears had been held up just short of the line, a promising attack fizzled out when Goode attempted yet another cross-kick and the ball fell harmlessly to Francois Steyn. | After hooker Lee Mears had been held up just short of the line, a promising attack fizzled out when Goode attempted yet another cross-kick and the ball fell harmlessly to Francois Steyn. |
| England looked increasingly short of inspiration on the field and they seemed equally clueless off it, with the decision to bring on young fly-half Toby Flood with just three minutes to go particularly baffling. | England looked increasingly short of inspiration on the field and they seemed equally clueless off it, with the decision to bring on young fly-half Toby Flood with just three minutes to go particularly baffling. |
| He had no chance to influence the game, and two further drop goals from Pretorius guided South Africa home and left Robinson's reign as England boss hanging by a thread. | He had no chance to influence the game, and two further drop goals from Pretorius guided South Africa home and left Robinson's reign as England boss hanging by a thread. |
| England: Lewsey; Cueto, Tait, Noon, Cohen; Goode, Richards; Vickery, Mears, White, Palmer, Jones, Worsley, Sanderson, Corry.Replacements: Chuter, Payne, Kay, Moody, Perry, Flood, Van Gisbergen. | England: Lewsey; Cueto, Tait, Noon, Cohen; Goode, Richards; Vickery, Mears, White, Palmer, Jones, Worsley, Sanderson, Corry.Replacements: Chuter, Payne, Kay, Moody, Perry, Flood, Van Gisbergen. |
| South Africa: Steyn; Ndungane, Olivier, De Villiers, Habana; Pretorius, Januarie; Van der Linde, Smit (capt), Botha, Ackermann, Muller, Floors, Smith, Rossouw.Replacements: Ralepelle, Carstens, Van den Berg, Britz, Pienaar, J Pretorius, Fortuin. | South Africa: Steyn; Ndungane, Olivier, De Villiers, Habana; Pretorius, Januarie; Van der Linde, Smit (capt), Botha, Ackermann, Muller, Floors, Smith, Rossouw.Replacements: Ralepelle, Carstens, Van den Berg, Britz, Pienaar, J Pretorius, Fortuin. |
| Referee: Alan Lewis. | Referee: Alan Lewis. |