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How England can beat South Africa – Andy Goode
By Andy Goode
England are rightly significant underdogs against South Africa but they were four years ago as well against New Zealand in the semi-final and they have to believe an equally special performance is within them.
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A lot of the talk this week has been about what happened in the final in 2019 against the Springboks and how England underperformed but I think it’s the semi-final everyone should be harking back to and remembering how they upset the odds.
Of course, that England side had lost just two games all year and looked in better shape than this one to the outside world but they’d had a bad period in 2018 and weren’t expected to overturn the All Blacks, far from it.
That performance in Yokohama remains probably the best from an England team over the past couple of decades and there have maybe been too many comparisons back to that day in this four-year cycle but now is the time to draw on the memories of that victory over New Zealand.
As many as 13 of today’s match day 23 played in that one and the muscle memory is there to do it again, with youth and potentially game-changing impacts from the likes of Ben Earl, George Martin, Freddie Steward and others to add into the mix now as well.
The problem is there are plenty of South Africans still knocking around who were there four years ago as well and they have gone from strength to strength. Nobody is under any illusions as to the size of the task but England have to believe they have another Yokohama-esque semi-final in them.
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There are major differences in style between the 2019 All Blacks and 2023 Springboks and the game plan won’t be the same but England have to bring a level of physicality that we haven’t seen from them before they even get started with tactics.
Steve Borthwick’s team selection reflects that, particularly with Martin coming in for Ollie Chessum, who hasn’t done much wrong. They’re both of a similar physical stature but you definitely get a bit more dominance in collisions from Martin, whereas Chessum excels in other areas.
The set piece fell apart in the final in Japan and that has to be on point and then the likes of Earl and Tom Curry will have to have a hell of a day at the breakdown and be allowed to by Ben O’Keeffe.
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Joe Marler was a part of that struggling England scrum, albeit off the bench four years ago, and I think the decision to start him has as much to do with the impact of others coming on in the second half as anything else.
We’ve seen it from South Africa for years with the ‘bomb squad’ or replacements sometimes better than the players they’re coming on for and the expectation will be that Ellis Genge is more destructive than ever when he does enter the field.
I do think that is where the Springboks could have the biggest edge though. Their starting XV is better on paper as well but, while it may not be the stereotypical forward-heavy bomb squad, the ability to bring the scrummaging power of Ox Nche, the size of RG Snyman, the work rate of Kwagga Smith, the organisation of Faf de Klerk, the game management and kicking of Handre Pollard and the nous of Willie le Roux on is ridiculous.
Ollie Lawrence has made big impacts off the bench in attack and defence during this tournament and Billy Vunipola, Danny Care and George Ford have experience in abundance and no lack of quality but there is a gulf.
We know England are going to kick the leather off the ball and that’s the right thing to do against South Africa but they have to be smart with their kicking game as anything even slightly loose and Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Damian Willemse will tear them to shreds.
As usual, Borthwick will want his men to rack up the kicking metes and win the territory battle, whilst utilising the boot to give his forwards as much of a breather as possible, but we should see more contestable kicks than ever.
Kolbe and Arendse have shown themselves to be more than adept aerially, and the Boks certainly got the better of France in the air last week, but they are still giving up a number of inches against the likes of Steward and Jonny May.
We’ll never know whether Marcus Smith would have started had it not been for his concussion and I’d like to think that Steward would have come in for May on the wing instead had the Quins man been fit but the reality is this may well have been the side Borthwick would’ve picked anyway.
Now the chosen ones have to go out and put in the sort of 80-minute performance we haven’t seen from them in a long time. They beat the Boks a couple of years ago at Twickenham and Ireland have shown them the template for how to do it at this tournament so it obviously isn’t beyond the realms of possibility by any means.
South Africa had the oldest squad going into this tournament, while England had the most caps, and experience counts at major tournaments. Both have around 900 caps in their starting XV and there is almost nothing to choose between them in the experience stakes.
England need to draw on the positive experience of their semi-final four years ago though, rather than the disappointment of the final, and you just never know what might happen.
It could be the last meaningful game at a World Cup and maybe even in an England shirt for the likes of Jamie George, Dan Cole, Courtney Lawes, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell, Elliot Daly, Kyle Sinckler, May, Marler, Care, Ford, Vunipola and desperate men are dangerous.
Nobody is expecting them to win, my heart says England by a couple but my head says South Africa by 15, and that combined with a concoction of desperation, experience and nous means the dream of another performance for the ages like the one at this stage of the tournament against the All Blacks four years ago is still alive.
I hope that Ireland have a great game against NZ next week in the final…..o wait🤭
Happy to be in the final 😁😁😁
The International spotlight and sanctions were a major part of emancipation according to all neutral observers and Nelson Mandela himself. Rugby Union itself was a bulwark of white supremacy and had a despicable history. So if a SA attacks Irish rugby history I will point this out and tell the arrogant twat to STFU.
Stop boasting about your ‘great Rugby history’. Its not great, far fucking from it.
👍 almost managed it but jesus that’s a boring way to play rubgy. Yawn.
No we would not have gone another 50 years and it had nothing to do with economics. If a small fraction of white people had their way it would have gone another 50 years regardless of who did what. So banter and sledge but stay out of our history and by all means give offence but give it to the person who offended you and not a whole bloody nation or you going to have a go at the Germans or the Jews next. How about the romans…..they were bad. How about the Americans or maybe the spanish?
The poster in question has repeatedly insulted and belittled other rugby nations and their history.
The International boycott was supported by Nelson Mandela, but you say it did fuck all?
Every one knows the economic, cultural and sporting boycott made a massive difference and I am proud to say that thanks to brave supermarket workers in Dublin refusing to touch SA products the Irish Government enacted a complete ban on SA products to Ireland.
Nelson Mandela later told the small group of workers that their stand had helped him to keep going during his time in prison. It is clear a big selling point for part of the white population was an end to boycotts and isolation. Mandela was clearly greatful tohis international supporters but according to you they did nothing, it was white SA and a purely ‘concientious’ referendum in ‘92? Are you serious? You would have gone another 50 years but for International spotlight and condemnation.
Get ta fuck.
So SA supporters acting arrogant, supremacist or condescending to other countries and their rugby histories should really remember that their rugby history used to be 1000 worse than anyone else’s on this planet. Quite simple, stop being condesendant and arrogant based on rugby history. Don’t throw stones when you live in a glasshouse.
Talk rugby all you want. Sledge and banter all you want but like I said stay the fuck out of things you know nothing about. You think it is derogatory to say someones rugby team are crap? The Springboks were crap 2016/17 and all you guys took a swipe. You call us all sorts of names. Call us boring one dimentional and a load of other shit. What do we do? We go and win a world cup to prove you wrong. If you can dish it you should be able to take it yes? And you know fuckall about SA history and pat yourself on the back because you boycotted us and held your protests. You did nothing. Why do you think there was a referendum in 92? The majority of white people were fed up of being told that one human life was worth more than another. We really did not give a shit and still dont givr a shit what you think.
An antagonizing bot. But why…?
Headline from SA vs England World Cup ………cricket
“Utter demolition. South Africa complete a mauling. This wasn't a chase, it was a lot of squirming and whimpering” Omen of things to come?
Never seen so many articles about how to beat South Africa. How Scotland can beat South Africa. How England can beat South Africa. How Ireland can beat South Africa. Don’t remember a single article about how anyone can beat a different team than South Africa. You NH press need to get over your beef with SA and embrace us the way you embrace NZ and Oz.
HOW TO BEAT AUSTRALIA
Organise a fixture on or after 1/1/2000.
- Finn Lees, RugbyGuru
Nigel. Stop it.
I wonder what label I’ll get once I hit 1000 comments?
Imma gonna use 200 comments on this dumbfuck Turdmouth and find out.
Good man Apartheid Ian.
SA are kryptonite for England it's like rock-paper-scissors.. England are rock and South Africa are a bigger, harder rock.
England fan here. I lift heavy weights in the gym and the warm up sets are always horrible. However, when I get to the working sets proper fear kicks in and it gets better. By comparison England, on the weaker side of the draw, have not yet gone passed the warm up sets (no disrespect intended). And that is Englands only chance - proper fear gives them something extra.
However, to continue with the gym comparison; what is required is the equivalent of suddenly pulling a PB that is 20% higher than your last. Nearly impossible.
Good luck England, I hope you find something and shock us all.
Good luck, may the best team win
As an SA fan good luck, am looking forward to game, always exciting. Can only hope for another great game of rugby, and of course from mys side, an SA win! But best team on day always win and we don’t yet know who that will be
SA will not be 100%. NZ were tired last night (and dealt with it well). Same SA team as against France.
Eng need intensity and single mindedness of the Arg performance with improved execution all around the pitch.
No matter what SA say they BELIEVE they are going to win.
If England are winning a tight match and they get into 100% annoy/sledge mode and start to believe…they can do it.
Best of luck to England (Irish supporter). We saw a hint of their intensity capabilities against Argentina.
Pipe down you there in the back. The real contenders are playing now. For places in the final. You Missed your chances. Now shush please.
Nobody else bar NZ/SA can comment?
At least we are not contending for honorable rugby reasons.
Why weren’t you contending in ‘87 or ‘91?
Did I hurt your feelings?
Who is Nigel? are you ok?
You should stop this charade Nigel.
England will also need to score the most points to beat the springboks.
I’ve been a little worried, as SA supporter, of this game, England do have good players. Farrell has shown to be a world class flyhalf, they have really good outside backs and pretty good loose forwards. Their tight five are their weakness though. As the day has progressed and game has come closer I’m getting more and more confident.Every article writing up England’s chances are full of if’s could’s, should’s, maybe’s and all sorts of Monty Python type referrals to past glories. No one, not even their own fans, have any belief this team can win unless there is a tear in the universe and they produce a display that is brought on by some mysterious external force, or a ghost of the past. The next article is going to be about sprinkling magic stardust on players before the game and dusting their boots with super powers. I think the writing is on the wall, Springboks to win by twenty
As an England fan; listening to multiple interviews where England front rows have spoken about scrum penalty KPI’s/targets I have no faith. You need proper passion and fire to beat SA. Not favourable data to add to a graph.
Twenty would be nice Ben. I sure hope so because on paper the boks should beat England soundly.
If the Boks do beat England soundly, I’d still like to see a tight contest in some areas to help prep the boys for NZ.
England will kick a lot. So will NZ. So a strong/safe showing under the high ball and kick and chase. Defence out wide - shutting wide attacks down convincingly. Strong contesting of lineouts.
I don’t believe this myself - but it seems as though the pundits believe England (and I would imagine NZ) are fitter than the Boks. The boks may not have been tested as much with fitness against the French as they may playing England and NZ. The Ireland loss.
This is one area I will give to the English, so the Boks will need to be fast around the pitch today. Good cardio prep for next week. If they win of course.
Boks by 7. Close but never in doubt.
If boasting and arrogance was worth points you SAs and NZers would win every world cup.
One thing is for certain - Andy will be complaining about the referee afterwards.
So true.
And Turlough/Nigel will have a small nugget in his underpants for days to come.
Says the person who was convinced Ireland would win the World Cup. If the so called rugby expert had watched every Kiwi pool game he would have seen the ABs growing in confidence and those easy games reminded them how skilful they are. Peaking. Eng not a chance.
NZ needed a 100% against Ireland and for Ireland to be below par after playing 2 top 5 teams in their previous 2 matches. NZ had a new defense developed over a year specifically for Ireland, that ireland did not see until that match, Joe Smidth was a coach and the match occurred early in the Knock out stages where Ireland would also have to overcome their knock out history . Even still the match went down to the last play in the NZ 22. Foster knew Ireland were a better team, that’s why he said you don’t have to be the better team to win a rugby match. Even with everything in NZs favour they still beat NZ 6-7 Times out of 10. They got their once in a rugby lifetime performance, Arron Smith said so. Goode was correct.
NZ will need more than your boasting to beat the Boks who tore you a new one in London.
Can't wait for that first scrum of this contest. You can't change your game plan over night and although England will know what is coming does not mean they can stop it. They hardly ever posed a threat to any teams as their opponents were so dismal. that quirky Marler is going to feel like the earth comes down on him
Too excited.
Let’s hope ref knows what happens in a scrum
Yip, what you said.