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Danny Care errors cost England in narrow South Africa defeat Danny Care errors cost England in narrow South Africa defeat
(about 1 hour later)
Error-prone England suffered a fifth straight loss for the first time since 2006 as South Africa extended their supremacy over their hosts with a 31-28 victory in the QBE International at Twickenham. England’s coaches spent the week talking about decision-making, execution and ballhandling, but the players must have had their headphones on. This was another muddled display from the World Cup hosts, a mixture of forward solidity and backline profligacy. The Springboks did not offer much with the ball in hand, but they did not have to.
Danny Care had a 50th Test to forget as his two errors - an intercepted pass and a poor box kick - allowed Jan Serfontein and Cobus Reinach to score, giving the Springboks a 20-6 lead a minute into the second half. When South Africa took the lead after 11 minutes, England had lost the ball in contact on four occasions: first when they had deceived South Africa in the Springboks’ 22, by setting up for a rolling maul, only for Danny Care to launch a midfield move that resulted in Kyle Eastmond stepping away from Jean de Villiers but losing the ball when De Villiers caught him up; then when Billy Vunipola, twice, and Dave Attwood carelessly lost possession.
England took full advantage of Victor Matfield’s sin-binning with tries in quick succession from prop David Wilson and replacement number eight Ben Morgan, but Schalk Burger touched down to give the Springboks a slender advantage. England were proficient in the lineout, throwing to Attwood, Courtney Lawes and Tom Wood in the first three, with South Africa not working out where the ball was going. However, as against the All Blacks, the problem was not winning possession, but making productive use of it. There was an anger about their approach in the opening half, but it only highlighted the weaknesses they had spoken about eliminating.
Pat Lambie’s drop goal - taking his points tally to 16 - extended the Springboks’ lead and England remained without a win over South Africa in 12 attempts despite Brad Barritt’s 79th-minute score. South Africa were content to feed off their hosts’ numerous errors, and their opening penalty was a typical example of English largesse. When Owen Farrell picked up the ball near his own line, he thought about using Mike Brown to switch direction, not that anything appeared to be on, but the full-back was in front of him and Farrell kept on running. As he approached his 22, he did not, as expected, kick long, but slipped the ball to Anthony Watson, having invited an inside run. The wing was as consternated as he was bemused and, after being wrapped by the second-row Eban Etzebeth, he was turned over.
Willie le Roux and Bryan Habana attacked down the left, but when Cobus Reinach was unable to collect an ankle-height pass, South Africa were awarded a penalty that Pat Lambie turned into three points – but the next gift they received was worth more. Danny Care delayed his pass from a ruck on the halfway line long enough for Jan Serfontein to set himself for the intercept and, when he received the ball, he had an unopposed 50-metre run to the line.
England’s first attack ended when Attwood froze when galloping into South Africa’s 22 after Vunipola’s quickly taken penalty. There was a moment when Watson was free on the right, but by the time the second-row trusted his hands the space had been taken, and England soon conceded a turnover.
It took them 28 minutes to muster their first points, Farrell kicking a penalty after Duane Vermuelen had failed to roll away after making a tackle, and the South Africa No8 was responsible for Farrell’s second penalty just before half-time.
Lambie’s second penalty had earlier extended South Africa’s lead, and they went into the break 13-6 up without having fired an attacking shot. That changed 47 seconds into the second period when Lambie’s chip was collected by Le Roux, who ran into England’s 22 and committed Brown and Vunipola, before freeing the scrum-half Reinach with a pass out of the back of his hand – an act totally out of keeping with what had gone on before.
England were stung into an immediate response and, when Victor Matfield was sent to the sin-bin for collapsing a maul from a lineout England had opted for rather than a kick at goal, Chris Robshaw decided to go for another throw, and the home side drove on a diagonal line for more than 20 metres. South Africa were in disarray, unsure where the ball was, and the prop David Wilson used the tidal wave to roll over the line.
Vunipola had just left the field after his least impressive international and within three minutes his replacement, Ben Morgan, had brought England level, albeit after an inexcusable mistake by the officials.
Habana had planted his left foot in touch before catching a poor Farrell kick, but he was deemed to have put his foot down after taking the ball, a ruling that a TV replay showed was as questionable as England’s handling. However, the referee, Steve Walsh, did not ask for a ruling from the television match official, despite being urged to do so by De Villiers.
England rolled the lineout and kept rolling. Morgan scored close to the posts and Farrell’s conversion made it 20-20.
South Africa had not lost to England in 11 matches – a run stretching back to 2006 – and, at the point they looked to have cracked, they composed themselves. They forced two attacking lineouts, rather than going for the posts, and, from the second, the flanker Schalk Burger scored in the right corner.
England, despite the close final scoreline, were never likely winners after Burger’s try. Dylan Hartley was sent to the sin-bin on the hour for trampling on Vermeulen, who had slowed down England’s ball at the breakdown, and Lambie kicked the penalty to extend his side’s lead to eight points.
Farrell – who, like Vunipola, had failed to make any impression on the game – was taken off after 64 minutes. His replacement, George Ford, got more out of his backs and brought his side to within five points with a penalty 12 minutes from time. South Africa used another driving lineout to take play through 15 phases before moving into position for Lambie to drop a goal.
England drew level on tries 76 seconds from time, when Brad Barritt finished off a series of attacks, but he scored in the right corner and Ford was unable to hurry with the conversion, which he missed.
There were 18 seconds left when South Africa took the restart, enough time for England to end the game, as they had started it, with a knock-on.