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England v South Africa (Sat) England 23-21 South Africa
(about 10 hours later)
England go into Saturday's encounter against South Africa staring at a record-breaking eighth defeat in a row following the defeat by Argentina. Phil Vickery's try with seven minutes left helped England beat South Africa at Twickenham and avoid the ignominy of a record eighth successive defeat.
Under-pressure head coach Andy Robinson has made seven changes, with Josh Lewsey, Mark Cueto, Mathew Tait and Peter Richards coming into the backs. Trailing 18-6 early in the second half, and 21-13 after an hour, Andy Goode's penalty brought them close before fellow replacement Vickery scored.
In the pack Andrew Sheridan, Tom Palmer and Joe Worsley are handed starts. Goode converted to put England in front and they held out - to huge relief.
South Africa coach Jake White has made six changes, including recalling tough-tackling fly-half Butch James. South Africa scored tries through Butch James and Akona Ndungane but Mark Cueto's try ignited a late fightback.
Saturday's defeat by Argentina saw England equal their worst-ever run of seven consecutive defeats. onClick="javascript:launchAVConsoleStory('6161850'); return false;" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/video_and_audio/help_guide/4304501.stm">Interview: England coach Andy Robinson onClick="javascript:launchAVConsoleStory('6161872'); return false;" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/video_and_audio/help_guide/4304501.stm">Interview: England captain Martin Corry
Despite calls for his head Robinson has escaped the axe but defeat by a second-string South Africa side does not bear thinking about for the coach. If that score owed a good deal to fortune, after Goode lost the ball over the line, head coach Andy Robinson will take much from England's spirit in the last half-hour, even if their play continued to lack precision or penetration.
"We need to combine the attacking play we showed against New Zealand with the best defensive aspects of the Argentina game," he said. They got off to an ideal start with a well-struck Charlie Hodgson penalty in the second minute, but Martin Corry immediately surrendered the initiative.
There has been a lot of soul searching going on, and we have had a good look at ourselves England prop Phil Vickery 606: DEBATE class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A17485905">Still not a great performance by England NR class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/606/default.stm">606: Have your say
"This is the first of five England versus South Africa Tests between now and the World Cup next year, and obviously they are targeting these next two games as the key area in their tour. The England captain promised beforehand his side would "make it physical", but he was lucky to escape a yellow card for a crude late hit on Springboks fly-half James, who picked himself up to level the scores.
"They have made it clear they will play route-one, and quite honestly, these games are simply no place for the faint-hearted." Hodgson missed a further penalty chance and South Africa should have taken the lead in the 13th minute when Jean de Villiers intercepted a Hodgson pass on his own 22.
Robinson has altered his half-back combination, with Peter Richards replacing Shaun Perry, while 20-year-old Newcastle flyer Tait is handed the outside centre berth. The centre was hauled into touch by a thundering tackle from England full-back Josh Lewsey, but with Pierre Spies on his inside in support, it should have been a try.
Iain Balshaw's withdrawal means Lewsey, originally named on the wing, moves to full-back, with Cohen coming back into the side. England responded with the impressive Tom Palmer stealing a Springboks line-out and then winning his own, South Africa conceding a penalty that Hodgson landed for a 6-3 lead.
Robinson has also rejigged his back row, with captain Martin Corry playing in his favoured number eight slot after two weeks at blind-side flanker, while Pat Sanderson moves round to the open-side. Lewsey's tackle on De Villiers was one of several timely interventions
England have called up fit-again prop Phil Vickery, who wins a place on the bench almost a year to the day since he last pulled on an England shirt. But the hosts, already split open by Ndungane's burst through the midfield channel, proceeded to surrender their slim advantage with some woeful kicking.
Vickery, who has only recently started playing again after a third back operation, said the England squad were determined to halt their losing streak. First Cueto failed to find touch, then Lewsey's poor punt found Steyn, who landed a superb drop-goal from 45m.
"There has been a lot of soul searching going on, and we have had a good look at ourselves," said the 30-year-old World Cup winner. Lewsey partially atoned with a second try-saving tackle, this time on Steyn, but then conceded a penalty for holding on at the tackle after another backline move failed to click.
For our World Cup plans it's important that we increase our depth Jake White Steyn missed on that occasion but another poor kick put South Africa back on the attack, and De Villiers' run and off-load sent over James, who converted for a 13-6 lead.
"There have been some pretty honest conversations taking place, and everyone is just looking forward to going out there on Saturday. James missed another long-range penalty with the last kick of the half, by which time Hodgson had departed with an ankle injury, replaced by Goode.
"The preparation and the intensity has been there, and rightly so, because last weekend was hugely disappointing for everyone." class="" href="/sport1/hi/rugby_union/6162040.stm">England v South Africa match statistics
South Africa have left a number of big names at home and go into the match on the back of a comprehensive 32-15 defeat by Ireland. Things got worse from an England perspective on the resumption when a delicate James chip to the line was plundered by Ndungane for an 18-6 lead.
Experienced players such as Schalk Burger, Victor Matfield, Percy Montgomery and Os du Randt are missing from the tourists' experimental squad. The visitors lost De Villiers to the sin-bin for killing the ball, and England did take advantage - albeit fortuituously - when Goode lost the ball over the line, but it fell backwards and Cueto pounced.
Coach White is facing calls for his dismissal from three provincial unions but is refusing to stand down. Goode's conversion made it 13-18, but James stretched the Springboks' lead with another penalty before being replaced by Andre Pretorius.
"I can't worry about those sort of things," White told The Star newspaper. Another Goode penalty with 12 minutes left gave England hope, and Vickery barged his way over after a desperate assult on the Springboks' line.
"I have a job to do on the field. We have a new batch of players here with us and for our World Cup plans it's important that we increase our depth." Goode's conversion put England in front but they still had seven minutes to hold out.
White has made six changes with Akona Ndungane, Wynand Olivier and Butch James coming into the backs, while Jacques Cronje, Johann Muller and BJ Botha are handed starts up front. The tension reached breaking point before referee Steve Walsh blew his whistle, and Twickenham breathed a collective sigh of relief.
England: Lewsey; Cueto, Tait, Noon, Cohen; Hodgson, Richards; Sheridan, Chuter, White, Palmer, Kay, Worsley, Sanderson, Corry.Replacements: Mears, Vickery, Jones, Moody, Perry, Goode, Flood.England: Lewsey; Cueto, Tait, Noon, Cohen; Hodgson, Richards; Sheridan, Chuter, White, Palmer, Kay, Worsley, Sanderson, Corry.Replacements: Mears, Vickery, Jones, Moody, Perry, Goode, Flood.
South Africa: Steyn; Ndungane, Olivier, De Villiers, Habana; James, Januarie; Van der Linde, Smit (capt), Botha, Ackermann, Muller, Spies, Rossouw, Cronje.Replacements: Ralepelle, Carstens, Van den Berg, Lobberts, Pienaar, A Pretorius, Fortuin.South Africa: Steyn; Ndungane, Olivier, De Villiers, Habana; James, Januarie; Van der Linde, Smit (capt), Botha, Ackermann, Muller, Spies, Rossouw, Cronje.Replacements: Ralepelle, Carstens, Van den Berg, Lobberts, Pienaar, A Pretorius, Fortuin.