England 13-27 South Africa: Eddie Jones' men are THUMPED at home to the Springboks as Kurt-Lee Arendse and Eben Etzebeth tries - and three Faf de Flerk penalties - see them run riot at Twickenham... with Thomas du Toit also sent off for visitors

  • England suffered a 27-13 defeat to South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday
  • It was the final match of the Autumn International Series for Eddie Jones' side 
  • They have regularly found ways to come from behind but were unable to here
  • The visitors scored two good tries before Thomas du Toit was sent off later on

England saved their worst ‘til last. Their campaign unravelled faster than a Liz Truss cabinet as they were beaten by 14 men and booed into the New Year. The all-important World Cup year.

According to Thursday’s DCMS hearing, English rugby chiefs have been guilty of ‘failure on an epic scale’. The same can now be said of the national team after their worst 12 months since 2008. Played: 12. Won: 5. Drawn: 1. Lost: 7. An autumn of discontent.

Coming up against the monstrous Springboks, England looked like they were fighting in the wrong division. South Africa were missing star names and had a player sent off after 60 minutes but still they outmuscled their opponents.

England suffered defeat to South Africa in their last match of the Autumn International series

England suffered defeat to South Africa in their last match of the Autumn International series

Eddie Jones' side were second best throughout and rounded off an awful year of results

Eddie Jones' side were second best throughout and rounded off an awful year of results 

England spent just six seconds in South Africa’s 22 in the first half as they started slow again

England spent just six seconds in South Africa’s 22 in the first half as they started slow again

There were no excuses. England have talked of progress but there was no sign of it here. They have had the entire series to fine-tune their combinations but in the dying moments they struggled to simply catch and pass.


So much for Eddie Jones’s comments about lighting up Twickenham. This was as bright as the butt end of a cigarette. They spent just six seconds in South Africa’s 22 in the first half, under clear instructions to hoof the ball into the air. If they were hoping for a game of human chess then it was checkmate to the South Africans from the start.

Freddie Steward’s ribs were left with the imprint of a Bokke shoulder when he claimed the first kick, and moments later he fumbled the second. At no point did England change tac. Lock Jonny Hill played the role of captain calamity as his ill-discipline handed freebies to the tourists, who took full advantage.

It was all spills and no thrills, with the giant South African pack dominating the scrum. Both sets of front rows haggled the referee like tradesmen at a Moroccan flea market but England had the rug pulled from beneath their feet.

South Africa were missing all of their Europe-based players, meaning Faf de Klerk was put in charge of kicking duties. He missed his first after a scrum penalty, but Owen Farrell missed two. The pair eventually found their mark but the game was heavily punctuated by stoppage after stoppage. Alex Coles tackling technique was called out by referee Angus Gardner and England were put on a yellow-card warning after Siya Kolisi was held up over the line.

Owen  Farrell briefly edged England ahead early on despite missing his first kick at goal

Owen  Farrell briefly edged England ahead early on despite missing his first kick at goal

The visitors showed the instinctive sniff of opportunists. Damian Willemse edged the Boks in front with a drop goal and England had no answers. On 33 minutes, the hosts’ kicking played straight into South African hands. Smith launched a soft high-ball into the 22, with his chasers offering little defensive pressure. Willemse stepped around Steward to launch the counterattack, outpacing Jamie George to send clear Willie Le Roux. Lighting up Twickenham in manner that would leave England in awe, Le Roux fed Kurt-Lee Arendse who turned Smith inside out to score a spectacular breakaway try. Boring Springboks? Not quite.

‘It was beautiful,’ gushed his skipper Siya Kolisi.

De Klerk was at his razor-sharp best, taunting England every step of the way. Shaping for a caterpillar kick, he fooled the defence with a deceptive pass and launched a counter attack from his 22. The tourists made their way upfield, before the scrum-half swept back his blonde locks and kicked his side ahead with three more points before the break.

Faf de Klerk was at his unrivalled best, taunting England on the night in a dominant display

Faf de Klerk was at his unrivalled best, taunting England on the night in a dominant display

The loss confirms Eddie Jones' side's worst year since 2008, leaving questions to answer

The loss confirms Eddie Jones' side's worst year since 2008, leaving questions to answer

In an attempt to counter the bomb squad, Eddie Jones changed his entire front-row at half time. But everything was blowing up in English faces, with Willemse kicking another drop goal in the 42nd minute. No doubt Rassie Erasmus will have allowed himself a smile in the confines of his hotel room in Teddington.

Farrell quickly replied with a penalty of his own, before all of England’s work was undone by a brainless penalty by Hill. He foolishly flung De Klerk to see a penalty reversed on England’s 22, with Tom Curry was sin-binned at the subsequent lineout. The Boks kicked for the corner a second time and, after the maul crabbed sideways, Eben Etzebeth scored from close range.

De Klerk edged his side further ahead but England were given a lifeline when replacement prop Thomas du Toit was sent off for a reckless tuck-down shot to the head of Luke Cowan-Dickie. No arguments. England attempted to launch their own lineout but twice they were picked off and turned over. The set piece was blunt.

Kurt-Lee Arendse scored one of two tries as England were booed off by fans at Twickenham

Kurt-Lee Arendse scored one of two tries as England were booed off by fans at Twickenham

Thomas du Toit was sent off for an utterly reckless tuck-down shot with 20 minutes remaining

Thomas du Toit was sent off for an utterly reckless tuck-down shot with 20 minutes remaining

At one stage, South Africa were ordered back into their own 22 after their clearance kick hit the spider cam. Fortune looked like it was beginning to favour the hosts but still they failed to capitalise.

Seven days earlier, England had pulled off a miraculous comeback against the All Blacks. And there were gasps of hope when they scored in the 72nd minute. Jack Nowell broke two tackles to charge out of his 22, earning a penalty. Replacement scrum-half Ben Youngs took it quickly, with Farrell straightening the line before Slade scored the try. Deja-vu? Not quite.

South Africa showed the All Blacks how to close out a game, slowing things down at every opportunity. They brought on an extra forward to maintain their dominance at the scrum, stayed out of the rucks and had rookie winger Canan Moodie sprinting from side to side to cover both wings.

They showed their fighting spirit, hitting England until the final round, when Hill conceded another penalty. Afterwards, Eddie Jones insisted he doesn’t care what people think. He will stumble into 2023 with his hands over his ears but the boos around Twickenham were hard to ignore.