Marcus Smith’s penalty in the final minute gave England a dramatic 27-26 over South Africa as they earned some measure of revenge for their World Cup final defeat two years ago.
Francois Steyn looked to have nicked it for South Africa but he was then the guilty party, going in dangerously on Smith to give away the penalty that put England in front for the final time.
The Springboks had fought back valiantly after trailing by 11 points early in the first half, but in the end England’s young guard had just enough to get over the line and complete an Autumn Nations Series clean sweep.
Two years on from the 2019 victory in Yokohama, this was a much more even contest, with England leading 17-12 at half-time thanks to tries from Manu Tuilagi and Freddie Steward.
Handre Pollard’s goal-kicking kept South Africa in touch but he missed a couple of kickable opportunities early in the second half.
He and Elton Jantjies did give South Africa the lead though with a pair of penalties before they were stunned by a Raffi Quirke try from a brilliant first-phase move. With England down to 14 following Will Stuart’s yellow, South Africa hit straight back as Makazole Mapimpi got their only try.
Steyn put South Africa in front but they lost skipper Siya Kolisi to the sin-bin with five minutes to go for a tackle in the air on Joe Marchant.
And with England now a man up, they got the penalty they needed to take the lead and claimed the final restart to see out the game.
For England, without Owen Farrell as Courtney Lawes took over the captaincy, it was a brilliant display to get the better of the world champions.
South Africa’s success in 2019 had been built around a dominant scrum, allowing them to make territory at will and keep the scoreboard ticking over.
If anything, their scrum had looked even more dominant during the Autumn Nations Series, and with England missing both Ellis Genge and top two hookers Luke Cowan-Dickie and Jamie George, the fear must have been of a repeat.
Instead, an early Smith grubber was carried over his own line by Willie le Roux under pressure. From the resulting scrums, South Africa twice went early, conceding free-kick then penalty. England kicked to touch from the second, attacked through the forwards on the left, spread the ball to the right and then when it came back, Tuilagi found himself all alone and showed a winger’s pace to get past Pollard and over in the corner. Smith converted from the touchline and England were 7-0 to the good after as many minutes.
Unfortunately for England, that was Tuilagi’s last contribution, injuring himself in the process of scoring. But England’s scrum was holding up with Test novices Bevan Rodd and Jamie Blamire rising to the challenge. After a Jonny May knock-on had forced a five-metre scrum, Trevor Nyakane was penalised under pressure from Rodd and England were able to clear their lines.
May was caught out at the back soon after, and when he was isolated and pinged for holding on, Pollard got the Springboks on the board.
Again it was the scrum that allowed England to threaten again. Getting a good nudge on just inside the South Africa half, they spread the ball wide where Max Malins, Tuilagi’s replacement, had acres of space. While the covering defence got back, England were up to the line and a phase later Steward used his size to power over. Smith again converted to make it 14-3.
Where England were scoring tries, South Africa relied on the boot of Pollard, but it was ever-reliable, slotting a second penalty after an early drive in the lineout.
England hit straight back through Smith when Eben Etzebeth sealed off, but May then failed to roll and Pollard made it 17-9.
Pollard’s kicking was exceptional from the tee, adding three more after Lawes was caught pulling down a maul.
England almost came back with a third try of the afternoon, space opening up on the right after a loose ball but Damian de Allende did brilliantly to get back and tackle Malins.
A huge tackle from Ox Nche on opposite number Rodd slowed England’s momentum, and Smith pulled a late drop goal attempt wide as the home side led 17-12 at the break.
South Africa finally got the nudge on in the scrum soon after half-time, but it preceded a first miss of the game for Pollard from about 40 metres out.
And soon after they missed their first real try-scoring opportunity. De Allende drew in two men to create an overlap on the right before releasing Kolisi. He carried further but the two-on-one went straight into touch as Jesse Kriel overran his captain.
Pollard’s struggles continued in the second half with another missed shot, pulling it to the left this time after Vincent Koch had earned the penalty.
Despite impressive work from Player of the Match Steward in the air, South Africa were on top and Pollard rediscovered his radar as Sam Underhill infringed at a ruck to make it 17-15 with 25 minutes to go.
South Africa were motoring and almost had their first try when Mapimpi got Malcolm Marx into space on the left. He found Cobus Reinach but England scrambled brilliantly and Kwagga Smith could not collect to get over. South Africa had a kickable shot at goal but turned it down to go to the corner and that looked the wrong call when they were held up over the line. From the goal-line drop-out Steyn tried a long-range drop goal which he pushed to the right.
They were not as generous just after the hour though, Alex Dombrandt straying offside and Jantjies giving the visitors the lead for the first time at 18-17.
Having been under the cosh for the entire half, England struck out of nowhere with their young core to the fore. Off the top of a lineout, Quirke fired the ball wide to Henry Slade who held De Allende before putting Marchant through a gap. He then played the two-on-one to perfection to give Quirke a first Test try on just his second cap. Smith converted to make it 24-18.
England were on a final warning though and lost Stuart to the bin a minute later for coming in at the side at a maul.
With the extra man, South Africa got over for the first time, using their maul to get up to the line before going wide to put Mapimpi over in the corner. Jantjies’ touchline conversion stayed just wide so England remained in the lead by one.
But it did not last long, Steyn knocking over three points from long range after Lawes was isolated. The Springboks lost their captain two minutes later though, misjudging a high ball as he caught Marchant and not the ball.
It proved costly, England getting back into range and forcing the penalty that Smith kicked to seal the win.
