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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| England 23-21 South Africa | England 23-21 South Africa |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Goode converted to put England in front and they held out - to huge relief. | Goode converted to put England in front and they held out - to huge relief. |
| South Africa scored tries through Butch James and Akona Ndungane but Mark Cueto's try ignited a late fightback. | South Africa scored tries through Butch James and Akona Ndungane but Mark Cueto's try ignited a late fightback. |
| Interview: England coach Andy Robinson Interview: England captain Martin Corry Interview: South Africa coach Jake White | Interview: England coach Andy Robinson Interview: England captain Martin Corry Interview: South Africa coach Jake White |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 606: DEBATE Still not a great performance by England NR 606: Have your say | 606: DEBATE Still not a great performance by England NR 606: Have your say |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Lewsey's tackle on De Villiers was one of several timely interventions | Lewsey's tackle on De Villiers was one of several timely interventions |
| But the hosts, already split open by Ndungane's burst through the midfield channel, proceeded to surrender their slim advantage with some woeful kicking. | But the hosts, already split open by Ndungane's burst through the midfield channel, proceeded to surrender their slim advantage with some woeful kicking. |
| First Cueto failed to find touch, then Lewsey's poor punt found Steyn, who landed a superb drop-goal from 45m. | First Cueto failed to find touch, then Lewsey's poor punt found Steyn, who landed a superb drop-goal from 45m. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| England v South Africa match statistics | England v South Africa match statistics |
| 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. | 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. |
| The visitors lost De Villiers to the sin-bin for killing the ball, and England did take advantage - albeit fortuitously - when Goode lost the ball over the line, but it fell backwards and Cueto pounced. | |
| Goode's conversion made it 13-18, but James stretched the Springboks' lead with another penalty before being replaced by Andre Pretorius. | Goode's conversion made it 13-18, but James stretched the Springboks' lead with another penalty before being replaced by Andre Pretorius. |
| Another Goode penalty with 12 minutes left gave England hope, and Vickery barged his way over after a desperate assault on the Springboks' line. | |
| Goode's conversion put England in front but they still had seven minutes to hold out. | Goode's conversion put England in front but they still had seven minutes to hold out. |
| The tension reached breaking point before referee Steve Walsh blew his whistle, and Twickenham breathed a collective sigh of relief. | 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. |