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'They've got to get rid of one of those two': Ex-Springbok Schalk Burger on England's problems

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Former Springbok flanker Schalk Burger has questioned England’s selections in the wake of South Africa’s 27-13 win at Twickenham.

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Eddie Jones’ side struggled to get going against a rampant defensive line that continued to put pressure on England’s playmakers, falling behind by 27-6 before putting together a late try for Henry Slade.

England’s attack was haphazard at times and lacked the timing and precision to combat an aggressive Springboks’ defence system.

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Ex-Springbok Burger believes they did not get the balance right to deal with what South Africa would throw at them.

“Where I think England missed a trick playing against us,” Burger said on SuperSport’s post-match show.

“When you’ve got Marcus Smith and then you’ve got a playmaker outside of him in Owen Farrell, you can’t play through 12 against the Boks.

“Our line speed is too fast. You saw it in the beginning, even when they’ve got numbers on the outside you saw Farrell going ‘we’re on, we’ve got it’, when he did that little tap on and it went forward.

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“We don’t get flustered by that because we are going up and we are going to get them.”

England have tried to rebuild the 10-12 axis around the Harlequins No 10 and the experienced Farrell after giving up on George Ford.

During the Ford-Farrell era under Eddie Jones’ early stewardship, there were times where Farrell would start at No 10 with a strong ball carrying midfielder at 12 to combat physical sides.

Burger called on England to drop one of the two out of the side and move Manu Tuilagi into inside centre the next time they face the Springboks.

“For me, if they want to take on the Boks, and remove the issues on attack, they’ve got to get rid of one of those playmakers,” he said.

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“You’ve got to bring Manu Tuilagi in one closer, you’ve got to punch these tight spaces, use Manu as a ball carrier first and also use a dummy runner to split and tighten the Boks up.

“Then your ball player can come in on the next phase when they are short on numbers.”

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Comments

7 Comments
B
Brian 708 days ago

He's absolutely right about Two 10s playing alongside each other, especially when Farrell at 12 is a liability in the tackle and tualagi is a force of nature who can meet force with force

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Flankly 709 days ago

Conventional wisdom says that if you match the Boks physicality for 85 minutes, and target the set pieces then the win is in sight. Unfortunately England did not match the Boks intensity today, but they also saw the early evidence of much more exciting patterns in the SA attack. The SA try on their right wing deserves some review and analysis. Why was Willemse up against two props (that would never end well), and with the 15 caught out on the kick chase, why was the cover defense (9, 10, 12) so disorganized and ineffective. The Boks showed some exciting things but the English approach to defending it seemed surprisingly ponderous. The other surprise was the inability to capitalize on the 1 man advantage, from the red card. For me that is striking, and it does suggest that Schalk Burger is right about their core 10/12 axis.

j
johan 709 days ago

Your comment Makes no sense.

j
johan 709 days ago

I hope you (Ben Smith) realise that you will have to show the Springboks a lot more respect after your comments last week.

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RedWarrior 14 minutes ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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G
GS 1 hour ago
Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?

The key is realising this AB side is not what they are now but what they will be in 2025/26.


You can already see a Power bench forming, and I would highlight that people watch the AB XV game vs Munster and watch Fabian Holland - he, in the next 24 months, will be WC and bring some huge physicality to the team.


Then, aligned with Peter Lakai, probably at 7, another WC talent, the AB pack by 2026 will probably both be starting and on the bench - be rated as No 1 or 2 packs in the world.


Then, there is the usual WC talent around the backline, and the missing link is Mo'unga. Unlike in last year's WC, the coming forward pack for the ABs, is similar to the Bok pack, It will be packed full of power, and the key to this is a realitively young pack.


So I think we will lose to Ireland and France in the coming weeks, but watch out as this pack builds into - I mean, look at the tight five and loose forwards that are coming for the ABs - De Groot, Lomax, Williams, Tosi, Taylor, Ofa T, Samson T, Aumua, Patrick T, Barrett, Vai, Fabian H, Setiti, Lakai, Savea, Frizzell (understand they are attempting to get him and Mo'unga back), Blackadder, Papalii and bar Barrett, Savea, Patrick T, Taylor - pretty young in international terms.


Huge front row starting and on bench, Power locks and usual class in loose forwards - only missing ingredient is a WC 10 and with Mo'unga back probably in 2026, these ABs are trending in a very healthy direction.

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