England a Nation of Losers

That’s the very punchy heading on Martin Leggett’s email:

“How can we create a national sports team to be proud of when we can’t even watch them playing on our national broadcaster and help them generate revenue for investing in the sport? Not even the sponsor of the RFU is a British Company! I’m English but live in Australia where people are honest and open about our failures if our national teams don’t win! Get rid of Borthwick and find someone who knows how to win!”

“As Springbok fan I feel pretty good about that one,” adds Jonah Sack.

“We really click every — what — 3 or 4 games? But that’s our game, seemingly. The rest of them are hard yakka punctuated by moments of brilliance. I can live with that.”

Playing below par and still winning just about every game. How every other team in the world would love to have this problem.

All the chat in the media room as we wait for the coaches and captains is saying largely the same thing along these lines:

Mike and/or Sue Richards, have found what they/she/he thinks is the reason for this result:

“The Springboks kept Marcus out of the game in the last quarter and England fell apart once again. With him running the show, there is always hope. A few changes needed for the 6 Nations.”

True enough. Smith seemingly ran out of puff. Fair play to him. I thought he was outstanding.

Freddie Steward speaks to the BBC:

“Frustration. We had a lot of opportunities to get points on the board and come back into that game.

“We were close again but we didn’t get over the line and we have to get the results. You cannot fault the effort but we didn’t have enough today and credit to South Africa, they shut the game out well.

“Our discipline cost us. We talked about keeping our penalty count down in the week. We gave too many away and it cost us.

“South Africa bring physicality everywhere on the pitch and particularly at the breakdown. We were a bit lethargic there at times and it cost us.

“We showed to ourselves and hopefully the fans that we are not far away, it was a solid performance but we just didn’t have enough to get back in the game. Their tries came from our errors but we will regroup and come back stronger.”

Is Borthwick in trouble?

YES! says Brendan Mcconnell:

“That’s 5 losses in a row for England, with a few baffling decisions from Borthwick. Is it fair to ask if it’s just not working with him in charge? He’s been there a while so can’t say it’s bedding in issues”

As the rain falls over Twickenham, Andre Thomas sees a silver lining:

“Still Japan next to save us from total embarrassment. An opportunity to paper over the cracks”

Keep the comments coming. I’m off to make the pressers. Will pick them up when in about 10 mins once I find my place.

“It was agonising for a Bok fan,” says Martin Rollo.

“How do they keep winning when they’re outplayed like that? And so many penalties.”

Honestly, I don’t know. Is that a sign of a great team or a lucky one? Is there a difference?

“A lack of cohesion,” says Courtney Lawes. Perhaps, but that was actually a decent show from England. They just couldn’t get over the line when on top.

But that’s five losses in a row for England, their worst run for six years.

“Poor judgement lack of skills in critical areas and killer instinct”

That’s the damning report from reader Andrew Thomas.

I genuinely can’t believe England lost this by 9 points.

80th min: England win another penalty on the ground. No matter the result, they have bossed the breakdown. Smith kicks it out. But they won’t have time to win it. Still, they can leave with pride if they score from this line-out.

79th min: Smith takes a high Reinach box and chooses to run it back before he is hammered by Kwagga Smith. England on the back foot have to kick from their own 22 and Marx will throw from English territory.

78th min: Pollard goes into the pocket but misses the drop-goal. They won’t mind. After absorbing pressure from that line-out inside England’s 22, they just want to play the rest of the game this side of the park.

76th min: England don’t roll away after making a tackle and South Africa have a chance to put this game to bed. Oh no, but they don’t point to poles within range. Pollard kicks to the corner. Interesting…

Five minutes to go. This has been breathless. England have – by far – been the better team. But South Africa’s defence, Pollard’s composure and moments of magic means South Africa are nine up. They’ll get us going again with a line-out in England’s half.

75th min: England win it back from South Africa’s line-out. They come again. Reinach makes a read and then Koch makes a steal. My word, these South Africans are so ruthless on defence. How have England not scored? Pollard clears over half-way.

73rd min: England win the line-out and get the maul rumbling. Now down the hands but Am, on for de Allende, makes a perfect read in midfield and then a firm hit on Lawrence who is isolated and then turned over. penalty for South Africa so Pollard can clear to half-way.

72nd min: South Africa can’t win clean ball off the scrum and England win another penalty on the ground after a ball carrier is isolated. Smith to the corner again.

71st min: Cowan-Dickie dummy throws at the line-out so it’s a free kick for South Africa! What a let off! Pollard clears. England ball but Randall drops it off the back of the line-out! Another let off! England just couldn’t make that pressure count.

71st min: England get so close after their maul wins the arm wrestle. Another penalty against South Africa. That’s 10 in this half alone. Short carries from England take them close. Dombrandt then Cole. How much closer can they get? They can’t keep the move alive but have the penalty advantage so Smith nudges to the corner. Another shot from the line-out, this time five out/

68th min: South Africa steal the ball after an England spill in contact and Kolbe’ raking kick takes it over half-way. England looking a little rushed now. South Africa’s defence is growing.

67th min: Another penalty against South Africa and they’ll get a team warning for repeated infringements. Collapsing the maul this time. Smith kicks to touch. England get the line-out inside the Boks’ 22. They have to score here you feel.

65th min: England have a line-out inside their own half after Kolbe causes trouble for Smith under a high ball and then toes ahead a grubber that bobbles out. Has momentum swing? Well, England have a penalty and now a line-out on half-way.

62nd min: Marx with a monster steal inside his own 22. England kept it narrow after clean line-out ball but the Boks defence held. Pollard clears to touch just inside his own half.

61st min: This is so incredibly tight. Both teams going to the skies, seeking territory and a kind bounce. Steward is taken out in the air by Kolbe who always had his eyes on the ball. So it’s a penalty, not a card. Kwagga Smith is on for Wiese. Reinach on for Williams.. Randall replaces van Poortvliet. Slade will kick to touch. That is an excellent boot. England with the line-out about 10 m out.

58th min: South Africa win a penalty on the ground. This has morphed into a really niggly affair. Pollard, on the half-way line and with an angle adding a bit more, asks to take a shot at goal.

57th min: Kick tennis ends with Pollard claiming a high ball under pressure. But England are bossing the territory battle. Smith has it on a string.

55th min: Etzebeth gets high to disrupt England’s line-out and forces a knock-on. But he played the man in the air so it’s actually an England penalty. They go march into SA’s half with another raking nudge from Smith.

54th min: England win the scrum penalty! Everything is going their way! What a massive win that is inside their own 22. Smith clears to touch. South Africa need to find an extra gear. It’s all England right now.

53rd min: England lead 20-19 (for the reader who just asked).

53rd min: England spill the ball after the restart so South Africa have a scrum inside the 22. It’s not quite the elite front row. Can they eke a penalty or at least get go-forward?

50th min: South Africa lose their line-out and England are winning the contact now. Lawrence bounces Etzebeth, no easy feat! Then Smith kicks high and Pollard catches but doesn’t mark it. Why didn’t he mark it!? Soon after England get a penalty after an obstruction from Boks as they blocked the chasers.

Both teams have had tries scratched off for marginal calls.

49th min: Itoje neck rolled Marx as he went to clear him out so it’s no try! So many twists in this narrative. SA get the penalty on their own line. Wow, what a let off for the Springboks! Boos ring out but that is the right decision.

Oh but hang on! They’re looking at something. Will this be chalked off?

48th min: England’s maul makes ground but soon stalls. They’re pushed back beyond the 22 so Smith lifts a high kick that Freeman claims. They’re five from the line now…

46th min: Another penalty won on the ground by England after Kolbe gathered a high box. Sleightholme this time. Smith chooses to kick to the corner rather than at poles as Swing Low rings out. Libbok and Mbonambi are replaced by Pollard and Marx.

45th min: Earl makes a big steal inside his 22 after South Africa’s line-out was secured. England win the penalty and Smith can hoof a relieving kick into touch.

42nd min: NO TRY! They feel that Fassi’s pass to Arendse, who ran in about 40 metres before sliding in the corner, had drifted forward. That was close. Still, they had the advantage so Libbok kicks to the corner. Well, not the corner, that was a poor nudge. They’re on the 22.

They’re checking. Fassi’s final pass to Arendse was marginal.

Arendse scores! But is this forward?

42nd min: SA win the restart and Wiese and then Mbonambi charge over the gainline. They have a penalty advantage so de Allende kicks a nothing chip that is easily marked. But the advantage was over. Much to his surprise. So England get the ball back cheaply and can hoof it clear.

Libbok to get us going again….

As the players run out Jeremy Boyce clears his lungs:

Hi Daniel

England ‘til I die and all that, but you have to suffer for your beliefs, eh ?

We are suffering badly at the moment (but, ho-ho, not as much as the Welsh, all things are relative), and the weight of expectation is heavy. We have all the means and more at our disposal but somehow find ways of making the least of them rather than the most. Over-loaded with previous failure baggage ? Over-thinking ? Over-reliance on Stat-ball ? Overlooked the fact that other people are quite good at rugby too ? Didn’t rugby happen because of an over-enthusiastic gesture by a football player, freeing his mind and seeing a possibility ? Rugby seems to be over-complicated now, and every rule-tweek makes it worse. For me, the rot set in when they allowed lifting at line outs. What was wrong with “see who can jump highest.” ? If rugby is suffering it is because it has over-complicated itself and is almost impossible to understand now for players, referees, and spectators alike. Keep It Simple Stupid.

As for the rush defence, it’s a great tactic but you have to be perfect every time. We owe that to USA Football, Joe Montana, Dan Marino and all the others constantly rushed, but if they got their pass away it was worth it for the TD. High risk. Good TV.

I agree. Underhill makes my England team every time:

Steward has been a beast in the backfield. He’s looked so assured under the high ball.

“Good man Freddie. Norfolk’s finest,” says Tom Mc.

“Ever backwards under Borthwick,” says Andrew Thomas.

“I guess when you have only one world class player ie Smith he can only play with what he has with the rest journey men only I’m afraid. Southern Hemisphere gap is as wide as it ever was kind regards.”

Well, the gap right now is only two points. And England have every reason to believe that they could win this.

Marcus Smith is having a blinder. Yet again. What a player he is.

David Hilmy (a Scot, as far as I can tell) says that the Quins 10 is the key to England’s chances of a win:

If England are to be successful, it will be dependent upon Marcus Smith, he needs to stay in the game- of course everyone likes to blame the coaches when their team loses (or in Scotland’s case this morning, win yet still have detractors who behave like England football supporters!) but for England’s sake I hope Borthwick doesn’t go with what appears to be a pre-meditated sub policy for the fly-half around the 60-70 minute mark instead of making that and other subs based upon what is actually happening on the pitch.

40th min: Libbok has the distance but drifts it wide. Still, they’ll have the line-out after a clearing kick from England finds touch.

38th min: Snyman wins the line-out and Libbok then dinks a kick over the onrushing defence. Freeman wins it but Wiese is in quick to make the steal. Libbok will attempt a shot at goal from the halfway.

37th min: Another scrum penalty for South Africa. Libbok clears and Sa will have the throw 10 m inside their own half.

36th min: More kick tennis but this time Steward takes it clean and charges ahead. It’s a great counter. he toes a grubber forward and gives Freeman something to chase. He almost gets there but Libbok is covering. Freeman times his run perfectly but spills itn under pressure. Good gain for England though. South Africa have to scrum without the Ox five metres from their own line.

34th min: A bit of kick tennis ends with Kolbe launching a bomb over half-way. England win the line-out and van Poortvliet boxes. This time it lands for South Africa and Mbonambi takes it into contact before Fassi hoists one high that Steward claims.

33rd min: Smith is some player. Once again he’s running everything and England look dangerous when they have the ball. There are some big hits but England’s centres now have go forward ball. Earl carrying well. Lawrence kicks but it’s too long. England will at least get the goal line drop out back at them. Nche is limping off. he doesn’t look in good shape.

32nd min: Williams snipes and finds space through the forwards clustered for the line-out. He has support on his inside but can’t get the off-load away. England swarm the breakdown and come up with the steal from Underhill after a bit hit from Freeman. Fassi drops a high ball but rather than a scrum it’s an England line-out on half-way.

30th min: South Africa win the scrum penalty. In other news, water is wet. Libbok hoofs it clear of half-way.

29th min: England’s attack looks good. Smith keeps finding Underhill against the grain. But Lawrence is drilled by the much smaller Arendse on SA’s 22 and spills in contact. Scrum to the Boks. Both teams take a breather. They deserve it. This has been breathless.

28th min: Van Poortvliet is charged down again by Etzebeth. The big lock is giving him nightmares at the base of the ruck. But Smith launches a counter and England are away. A deep kick finds space but dribbles over the line and Fassie dots down.

24th min: Etzebeth wins the ball in the air and now the Boks can mount an attack. Libbok fires it flat and Kriel takes the contact. But England’s defence is well organised and they win a penalty on the ground. Fassi with an illegal clear. Or Wiese. Or both. Either way, Slade kicks to the corner and England have the line-out inside SA’s 22.

21st min: SA win the line-out and keep it narrow. Snyman, again, finds a half gap. They almost knock-on but keep it. Another penalty is conceded by an Englishman, Stuart on the floor. So Lobbok will nudge to the corner for a driving maul.

19th min: Snyman charges through a half gap after the restart and makes a lot of ground. Then Kolisi. Then Williams. They’re flooding through. Wiese takes it into contact. They have the penalty advantage so Libbok attempts a cross-field kick that can’t find a man. Rather than point to the poles they’ll set up a line-out in the corner.

15th min: Steward makes amends for earlier with a strong counter run from deep. He beats the first tackle and gives his team go forward ball. A strong counter ruck from the Boks looks to have won the ball back but du Toit infringes illegally on the deck, so Smith will get a shot at the poles between the 22 and half-way.

13th min: England get the ball back after the restart and a clever kick in behind finds open ground in the corner. Mbonambi will have to throw five out from his own line.

10th min: SA steal the line-out but can’t set set themselves. Libbok attempts a cross-field kick with his weaker left foot and it actually goes sideways rather than forward. England knock on so the Boks’ have the scrum on their 22. Another kick upfield isn’t monstrous but they win the penalty after Steward took a player out off the ball. Libbok hoofs it into touch for Springboks throw.

8th min: Again England’s scrum works and Earl runs at Libbok. Van Poortvliet kicks high and England win it back after a bobble. Smith rakes a kick into Bok territory and another skewed kick from Kolbe means England win the territory battle. They’re winning everything at the minute.

6th min: SA win a scrappy restart but Williams knock-on at the base of the ruck. England have the scrum feed in their own half.

4th min: The scrum holds and Smith cross-kicks and finds an edge. That forces Kolbe fields but his kick skews off his boot so England have the throw inside SA’s 22. They win it before Kolisi unfurls a monster tackle. SA’s defence is immense but England still have it inside the 22….

2nd min: Kolbe knocks on on half-way after van Poortvliet box kicks. I think this is a sign of things to come. But how will England’s scrum hold?

1st min: Smith kicks off and du Toit gathers. Swing Low rings out and Steward takes his first high kick of the night. England set up inside their half after van Poortvliet fumbles backwards.

The anthems are done. They’re stripping the banners and flags off the park. The players are getting into position after one final huddle. We’re almost there.

My word, I’m buzzing for this! Should be a belter!

Habana and Lawes are both backing England!

I’m staggered. There’s every chance I’ll have to eat my words but I think South Africa win this by a full length.

We’ll find out shortly.

Just as they did last night, TNT tee us up with a Theodore Roosevelt speech:

It’s not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or when the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worth cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.

There are fireworks, there are lasers, a house version of Seal’s Kiss From a Rose is belting around the ground!

They’ve spared no expense tonight! Twickenham is rocking!

Courtney Lawes, Bryan Habana and Ugo Monye – just the 250 Test caps between them – are chewing the fat over England’s rush defence.

Australia found too many holes in the midfield last week and the edge too frequently. They have to be tighter today.

Aphelele Fassi is fielding a lot of high balls in the warm-up.

His battle with Freddie Steward for control of the skies could be decisive.

Ugo Monye is backing England’s full-back to come good and argues that his inclusion improve’s the team’s attack and defence.

South Africa have been on the charm offensive this Autumn.

Rassie Erasmus told Gerard Meager that his “Springboks aren’t the bad guys” of world rugby.

But, before their comofrtable win over Scotland, Michael Aylwin wasn’t buying it.

But who needs a strategy to win hearts and minds when you have the most likable prop in your ranks. I said back in October that Ox Nche should at least get a look in for World Rugby’s player of the year award. Gerard agrees with me.

“Good luck South Africa!”

Says Ruth Edwards, proudly of Welsh stock. Guess the anybody-but-England mantra still resonates.