England end barren run by beating South Africa at wet Newlands

England ended a five-Test losing streak with a controlled performance at a slippery Newlands yesterday to save some face and take their first win in South Africa since 2000.

An ill-disciplined Springboks conceded 15 penalties to England’s six and with the field position and scoreboard momentum they gained, the visitors were able to take something from this tour with a handy 25-10 win.

Centre Owen Farrell gave a flawless kicking display with six successful penalty kicks and a conversion for a 20-point haul, and wing Johnny May scored England’s first-ever try against the Springboks at Newlands to kill the contest eight minutes from time.

Without territory and possession the Boks simply had no answer to England’s much more clinical ability to play the conditions.

The Boks were behind on the scoreboard from the outset and briefly held the lead for two minutes after centre Jesse Kriel pounced on a well-weighted kick by fullback Warrick Gelant early in the second half.

The sight of three flailing Impi, in the pre-match festivities was a clear signal of the treacherous conditions, which were always going to be a leveller in the match.

Considering how wet it was underfoot, both sides managed the elements admirably but it was a match that would always come down to who made the least mistakes.

England’s players are much more well-versed in soaking, cold conditions and after a strong start by the Boks that kept England pinned back for the opening exchanges, the visitors grew into the match.

Although it was a tight, attritional battle, England managed to create occasional space more effectively than the home team. May carried on his form of the first two Test by making in roads into Bok territory. Initially he couldn’t finish because finding the final pass on a surface resembling an ice-rink, was nearly impossible. But he had the telling say.

Two of the six penalties the Springboks conceded in the first half resulted in points from the boot of Farrell. The Boks were also let off the hook when England fullback Elliot Daly kicked a penalty dead instead of setting up a lineout close to the Bok.

All things considered, going into the break 6-3 down after flyhalf Elton Jantjies landed a penalty on the stroke of halftime, was a good outcome for the Boks in the opening 40 minutes.

Jantjies, who has never brought his Super Rugby form to the Test arena, struggled to give his side shape in a match that couldn’t be further from a habitat he thrives in.

He twice knocked on kicks under relatively little pressure and always looked uncomfortable in the conditions and was withdrawn on the hour.

Most of the tactical kicking was left to scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, who was reasonably accurate with his up-and-unders but both he and Jantjies are left-footed and the Boks were occasionally penned without a right-footed kicking option.

The set pieces were finely balanced throughout but England openside Tom Curry was a menace at the breakdown and edged that battle leaving the Boks looking to their heavy hitters to give them momentum.

Locks Franco Mostert and RG Snyman and flank Pieter-Steph du Toit ran willingly into contact and were met with fierce resistance on the gain line while No 8 Nathan Hughes was England’s battering ram-in-chief.

The big men all but neutralised each other in a contest that turned on fine margins. And with Farrell driving his team around the park with accuracy and Jantjies doing the exact opposite, there was only going to be one winner.

Scorers:
South Africa – Try: Jesse Kriel. Conversion: Elton Jantjies. Penalty: Jantjies.
England – Try: Johnny May. Conversion: Owen Farrell. Penalties: Farrell (7).
South Africa 10 (3) England 25 (6)