England end 10-year wait against woeful Springboks

The Springboks’ 10-year unbeaten run against England came to a predictable end as they were comfortably beaten 37-21 to slump to their sixth loss of the year.

The home side scored four tries to the two of the hosts while centre Owen Farrell scored 19 points from a try, four conversions and a penalty to steer his side to their 10th win this season and 11th in a row.

The Boks are now on track for their worst season in the professional era with games against Italy and Wales to come in the next two weeks.

At one stage England led 30-9 and only two late tries from replacement flyhalf Johan Goosen and fullback Willie le Roux added some respectability to the score.

Goosen’s 58th minute try was the Boks’ first try in nearly three full games, underlining their impotence on attack in 2016 while they have now conceded 31 tries in 10 Tests.

Flyhalf Pat Lambie gave the Boks a 6-0 lead from a penalty and a drop-goal in the opening 11 minutes but England struck with their first real attack of the match.

Wing Johnny May scored in the corner following a clever move from a lineout that flummoxed the Bok defence with some skip passes and a dummy.

England were up and running and there was no stopping them from there on in.

They won the tactical kicking battle and were able to expose the Boks’ defence on several occasions from turnovers.

Lock Courtney Lawes scored a 37th minute try after Bok wings JP Pietersen and Ruan Combrinck failed to deal with tactical kicks.

After the break England continued to turn the screw and added tries for flyhalf George Ford and Farrell, who both ran off the shoulder of scrumhalf Ben Youngs who twice dummied the unfortunate Pieter-Steph du Toit.

Goosen’s try was the end of a sweeping move while Le Roux’s last minute try was nothing more than a meek consolation for another poor effort.

Scorers:

England:

Tries: Johnny May, Courtney Lawes, George Ford, Owen Farrell.

Conversions: Owen Farrell (4).

Penalties: Farrell, Elliot Daly.

South Africa:

Tries: John Goosen, Willie le Roux.

Conversion: Ruan Combrinck.

Penalties: Pat Lambie (2).

Drop-goal: Lambie.

  - TMG Digital