SOUTH AFRICA COMPLETED an unbeaten tour of Europe with a 16-15 victory over England at Twickenham on Saturday that did more damage to the hosts’ hopes of a top four seeding at next month’s World Cup draw.
Springbok flanker Willem Alberts’ try — the only one of the match — early in the second half proved the decisive score in a rainswept match.
But with the hosts trailing 16-12 and only two minutes left, England captain Chris Robshaw — criticised for running kickable penalties during last week’s defeat by Australia — told replacement fly-half Owen Farrell to go for goal rather than opt for an attacking line-out that could have led to a try.
But while Farrell landed the kick, it meant England, fifth in the world rankings, were still a point behind.
South Africa, second in the world standings, then ran down the clock to extend their unbeaten streak against England to 11 Tests.
“From that last penalty, I thought we would have a chance to get down the other end and put over a drop-goal,” Robshaw told Sky Sports.
“You have to take every game as it comes and they were giving away plenty of penalties and we thought we might get another chance,” the flanker added.
England coach Stuart Lancaster defended his captain by saying: “You can understand why anyone makes any decision but games are not won or lost on any one decision, we lost control in the middle third of the game.”
England, who suffered a frustrating 14-14 draw with the Springboks in Port Elizabeth in June, made six changes from the side beaten 20-14 by Australia last weekend.
Mike Brown came in for left wing Charlie Sharples and Ben Youngs started at scrum-half in place of Danny Care.
Lock Joe Launchbury was given a first Test start as Wasps team-mate Tom Palmer made way and a rejigged back-row saw the return of No 8 Ben Morgan and flanker Tom Wood while fit-again Alex Corbisiero was in at loose-head prop.
South Africa, by contrast, were unchanged from the team that beat Scotland 21-10 last week, with the Springboks having started their tour with a 16-12 win over Ireland.
An attritional first half finished with South Africa 9-6 ahead after Springbok fly-half Pat Lambie kicked three penalties from as many attempts while his England counterpart, Toby Flood, landed two from four.
England’s changed pack was more competitive in the scrum and loose than against the Wallabies, although the Springboks had the edge in the line-out.
It was no surprise, given the first half, that South Africa kicked a close-range penalty to touch early in the second period and it was from the set-piece that they grabbed a try.
After a catch and drive, South Africa lost the ball but Ben Youngs’s attempted fly-hack clear rebounded off Springbok wing JP Pietersen.
Wood knocked-on the loose ball and Alberts plunged over the line for a try confirmed by the television match official.
Lambie converted and South Africa were two scores ahead at 16-6.
England threatened when centre Manu Tuilagi counter-attacked from inside his own half and found Chris Ashton in support.
But Ashton’s pass to fellow wing Brown was a poor one and allowed the Springbok defence time to regroup.
Just after the hour, South Africa conceded a ruck penalty and Farrell, on as a replacement for Flood, landed the 30 metre goal-kick to cut the Springboks’ advantage to 16-9.
England pressed for the converted try that would have tied the scores but several knock-ons spoilt promising positions.
They clawed back ground when Farrell kicked a penalty with eight minutes left.
But it was all to no avail, with England still to beat one of the ‘big three’ under Lancaster ahead of next week’s Twickenham international against world champions New Zealand.
