At the same time the legendary Muhammad Ali was being laid to rest‚ the South Africa A side was being buried by the England Saxons in Bloemfontein on Friday night. In the early stages of the game Johan Ackermann’s charges showed a similar fighting spirit to “The Greatest”‚ but lost some firepower in the middle stages of the match where the visiting English side capitalised.Ackermann’s side started the match at a high tempo‚ looking promising in the way they attacked.While most eyes going into the match were on how flyhalf Garth April would fare‚ it was his halfback partner‚ scrumhalf Nic Groom who stole the show in the early exchanges of the game.The nippy scrumhalf was instrumental in spearheading numerous attacks by the home side‚ but unfortunately his efforts failed to bare any fruits as he lacked potent finishing from the blitz attacks he launched.The Saxons started the game with a bit of jitters.It was within the first five minutes that the visitors had an error-ridden phase in their play. This was summed up by both wingers on either side of the field dropping the ball at crucial moments when the Saxons could have built opportunities for an early lead.It was April’s boot that got the scoreboard moving for the first time in the game when he slotted in a 48-metre penalty in the ninth minute. That was all the home side would get from their opponents in the first 40 minutes.From the 15th minute of the game the Saxons’ nerves had settled‚ and the visitors began to dominate‚ although the SA A side also had opportunities which they failed to capitalise on.Prop Alec Hepburn gave the English the lead in the 16th minute when he scored the opening try of the match.That was followed by two more five-pointers from winger Semesa Rokoduguni and scrumhalf Dan Robson‚ as well as the boot of pivot Danny Cipriani‚ which gave the visitors a 3-22 lead at half-time.The SA A side admitted to not utilising their opportunities in the first half despite having enjoyed the bulk of the attack and possession in the first 40 minutes.“We’ve been playing most of the rugby‚ but not making use of the ball‚” Groom admitted at the break.Ackermann was clear in the dressing room during the break.“I told the guys that we have to react‚ retain and make use of the ball‚” he said.“The opportunities were there in the first 10 minutes‚ but in that last 20 minutes [of the first half] the turnover ball killed us. The body language showed that we had given up.”The SA A side forged a fight back in the second half.A plethora of changes seven minutes into the second half paid off immediately when substitute flyhalf Francois Brummer had an immediate impact‚ scoring the SA side’s first try with his first touch of the match.Replacement scrumhalf Piet van Zyl and starting flanker Sikhumbuzo Notshe added further five-pointers.This was not enough as the home side lost some concentration in the closing stages and allowed the English back into the game with centre Ollie Devoto putting in the final nail in the coffin moments before the final whistle.Ackermann’s side will hope to square the series when the two sides meet again next week in George.South Africa A (3) 24England Saxons (22) 32 - TMG Digital..