Inside two matches, England’s autumn has turned from hopeful to one thing just a little extra agonising as they put together to welcome two-time reigning World Cup champions South Africa to Twickenham on Saturday.
It has been a troublesome couple of weeks for Steve Borthwick’s facet. They’ve suffered a pair of painfully late defeats to New Zealand and Australia, leaving remaining clashes in opposition to the Springboks and Eddie Jones’ Japan for them to salvage their collection.
So what now for England? And what menace do South Africa pose in what guarantees to be an exciting match?
Right here is every part it’s essential know.
Soar to:
Key particulars | Type information | Workforce information | Key questions
Key particulars:
When: Saturday, Nov. 16 at 5.40 p.m. UK (4.40 a.m. Sunday AEST)
The place: Allianz Stadium Twickenham, London
watch: TNT Sports activities/ discovery+
Officers: Referee: Andrew Brace.
Assistant Referee 1: Chris Busby
Assistant Referee 2: Eoghan Cross
TMO: Ben Whitehouse
Type information
As all nice groups do, South Africa have prevented the shape hunch that may come following success after profitable the Rugby World Cup in France final yr. With Rassie Erasmus returning to the function of head coach, the facet had been all the time going to be pushed to innovate, keep hungry and enhance.
They drew their two-match collection at dwelling in opposition to Eire in July — shedding the second Check by only a level — earlier than occurring to win the Rugby Championship in commanding trend, beating New Zealand and Australia twice every, earlier than avenging a one-point defeat to Argentina with a 48-7 thrashing in Nelspruit per week later to win the trophy.
This autumn, their efficiency has been as imperious as ever. They received their first Check of the autumn 32-15 in opposition to Scotland in Edinburgh. All of it provides to an air of invincibility about them, which they are going to carry by the gates of Twickenham.
Erasmus has proved he’s ready to shake issues up, and his use of seven forwards and one again on the bench — referred to as the “bomb squad”– strikes worry into any facet.
In the meantime, England are determined for a win in any means form or type. The dramatic Six Nations victory over Eire in March proved that the facet may match the very best on the planet beneath Steve Borthwick. Nevertheless, England have struggled to make additional strides.
Their solely win since then has come in opposition to Japan. Two promising performances in New Zealand in July ended with slim defeats in what has turn into an more and more worrying development this month.
Beginning lineups:
England: Ellis Genge, Jamie George (captain), Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, George Martin, Chandler Cunningham-South, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl, Jack van Poortvliet, Marcus Smith, Ollie Sleightholme, Henry Slade, Ollie Lawrence, Tommy Freeman, Freddie Steward.
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Fin Baxter, Dan Cole, Nick Isiekwe, Alex Dombrandt, Harry Randall, George Ford, Tom Roebuck.
South Africa: Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Wilco Louw, Eben Etzebeth, Rg Snyman, Siya Kolisi (captain), Pieter-Steph Du Toit, Jasper Wiese, Grant Williams, Maine Libbok, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian De Allende, Jesse Kriel, Cheslin Kolbe, Aphelele Fassi.
Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenkamp, Vincent Koch, Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach, Handre Pollard, Lukhanyo Am.
Workforce information:
Put together for an aerial battle. Borthwick has opted to make 4 modifications for Saturday’s Check, together with dropping Ben Spencer and George Furbank for Jack van Poortvliet and Freddie Steward, respectively.
Ollie Sleightholme and Sam Underhill have additionally been handed beginning locations amid the absences of Tom Curry and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who’re each sidelined after sustaining head accidents in opposition to Australia.
In the meantime, Erasmus has gone with a much bigger shakeup as he makes 12 modifications. He has parked the notorious 7-1 cut up on the bench, as a substitute favouring a 5-3 cut up for this one.
Manie Libbok was chosen at fly-half after being rested final weekend.
Wilco Louw will play his first take a look at match since 2021 after returning to the Springbok set-up as a late harm call-up for this month’s tour.
“The turnaround between the Scotland and England exams is brief, so we needed to be good in our choice to allow us to discipline a contemporary squad with solely six days between two powerful take a look at matches,” stated Erasmus in an announcement naming the workforce.
“It clearly has a knock-on in impact within the sense that we have made 12 modifications to the beginning lineup, however we have now been rotating our squad all season.”
Key questions:
What influence will the Springboks’ “bomb squad” have?
The considered a number of gargantuan South African forwards approaching across the 50-minute mark is sufficient to rattle any workforce. Whereas he has solely chosen 5 forwards on the bench this week, the way in which Erasmus makes use of his bench has been a game-changer within the sport, making them robust within the closing quarter simply because the opposition is fatiguing mentally and bodily. It’ll additionally put stress on England’s bench to make their mark.
The England forwards face an enormous problem this week. Search for large performances from Chandler Cunningham-South — who has been spectacular up to now this collection — and Ben Earl, who has been recognized to step up in large video games.
Something however a near-flawless efficiency from the ahead pack will make it extraordinarily powerful to get a outcome.
What is going to Steve Borthwick do with Marcus Smith?
You get the sensation Borthwick is approaching a crossroads in the case of his electrical fly-half.
There have been audible groans from the group when George Ford was about to return off the bench in opposition to Australia, not due to Ford, however as a result of they thought Smith was about to return off. He stayed on and was moved to fullback, however the urge for food to maintain Smith at No. 10 is rising, particularly as he has been in implausible type this November, enjoying a big function in most of his facet’s significant assaults.
What would defeat do to England?
Had England overwhelmed New Zealand or Australia, any potential defeat to the Springboks may have been taken on the chin. In spite of everything, They’re the very best facet on the planet and back-to-back World Cup winners.
Nevertheless, whereas they don’t seem to be fairly in must-win territory, a defeat would ramp up the stress on Borthwick. It will depart England with only one Check remaining to salvage their collection.
They’re nonetheless adapting to their new “blitz defence” system and getting used to new voices on the teaching employees. Nevertheless, there’ll come a degree when defeats turn into tougher to endure. A victory over the Springboks would change the narrative round England, however it’s a tall order.
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