2016 Rugby Union Internationals results

England 37-21 South Africa

England (20) 37
Tries: May, Lawes, Ford, Farrell Cons: Farrell 4 Pens: Farrell 2, Daly
South Africa (9) 21
Tries: Goosen, Le Roux Con: Combrinck Pens: Lambie 2 Drop-goal: Lambie

England defeated the Springboks for the first time since 2006, as Eddie Jones’ side made it 10 wins out of 10 under the new manager. Jones was pleased with England’s Autumn Internationals victory against South Africa but said he was more impressed with the game’s final score than his side’s performance against the Boks. On Saturday, November 19th, England will next host Fiji in a massive match at Twickenham Stadium.

Both captains commented after the match. "There's plenty to work on, so that keeps us grounded. We conceded six penalties in the opening 20 minutes and that isn't good enough. But we're very happy to get that monkey off our back and I'm very proud of our guys," said England captain Dylan Hartley. "It was a very tough game, they were tactically very good and we couldn't deal with the high ball. We just couldn't put any pressure on the England team and we felt it the whole game. We'll have a hard look at ourselves on Monday and we'll fight back," said Boks skipper Adriaan Strauss.

“We have got to get better,” said England manager Jones. “We are nowhere near good enough at the moment. Overall it was a pass mark and we have to improve against Fiji next weekend. Fiji is an important game for us and I have a good idea who is going to be selected. It won’t be a case of giving caps to all those who did not play today.” Jones was missing several key players who were crucial to England’s grand slam success and in the down under series whitewash of Australia. In addition the wet playing surface was hazardous.

“We have always had depth in England and it is about having players with more ambition,” added Jones. “We have provided three of the six players nominated for the world player of the year and we want everyone to be top-class. Once we had overcome a difficult first 20 minutes against South Africa, when they really came at us physically, we did some good things, although it was disappointing to concede a soft try at the end. England had lost 12 matches to South Africa. However England captain Dylan Hartley said there would be no celebrating as they prepare for the second of their four autumn internationals games at Twickenham against Fiji.

“We have plenty to work on,” said Hartley. “We pride ourselves on our discipline and it was not good enough in the first half. We also made a number of errors and it will all keep us grounded. It has been 10 years since we last beat South Africa, so we have that monkey off our back.” Second-row Joe Launchbury made his debut Six Nations start for England since their opening match against Scotland in February. Launchbury played with excellence and was named the man of the match. “We did not get out of the blocks as quickly as we wanted but I am delighted with the win,” said Launchbury. “We fought back and had a good period in the middle of the match. Our playmakers kicked well and that is what won us the game.”

England have come a long way under Jones’ leadership from a year ago when host nation England were knocked out of the World Cup 2015 at the group stage, However they did manage to soundly defeat Fiji in the tournament.

Next England go head-to-head with Fiji. Fiji is looking for revenge after having lost 35-11 to England at the World Cup in 2015. Fiji’s goal is to improve on last year’s World Cup performance against England with the help of their line-up that includes three Olympic gold-medalists. Fiji opened their three-match tour of Europe with a bad-weather match against the Barbarians on a rainy night in Belfast. Fiji were defeated 40-7. Fiji’s Montpellier wing Nemani Nadolo said England will have a harder time. “We tried out a few new combinations and the weather played a big part,” said Nadolo. “We have to go back to basics and work out what is best for us. England is a big game and we will be rolling for it.”

The Fijians faced England on the opening night of last year’s tournament losing 35-11. Thirteen of that starting line-up have arrived in the UK for the tournament including Racing 92 lock Leone Nakawara, one of the rugby sevens winners at the Rio Olympics. The other two Olympians are Toulon wing Josua Tuisova, “the Human Bulldozer”, and utility back Vatemo Ravouvou, who is one of four players from the victorious sevens squad who is making the transition to the full game under the supervision of the Fiji head coach, John McKee. “Playing the Barbarians was the ideal build-up to the game against England,” said McKee. “We have been looking to change a few things in our game and we had a training camp in France before leaving for Belfast. We worked hard on some key, specific skills, and what is important for the players is that they are able to execute them under pressure in the intensity and pace of a Test match.”

“What pleases me is that we have been able to pick a very strong squad for our tour to Europe and we have included some local players who have performed well this year. We know where we need to improve and our aim is to build on our performances in the World Cup, starting with England who are currently ranked No 2 in the world. One of our strengths is the pride the players have in representing their country and that pulls the team together.” Fiji won this year’s Pacific Nations Cup.

South Africa’s head coach, Allister Coetzee, suffered his side’s sixth defeat of the year, but was impressed with his men’s grit and perseverance. “We made a lot of mistakes and lost the contest in the air,” said Coetzee. “England’s half-backs played superbly and what we can take out of the match is that we never gave up. Any team that does that loses its aura, but we kept going.”

England v South Africa Squads
England
M Brown (Harlequins); M Yarde (Harlequins), E Daly (Wasps), O Farrell (Saracens),J May (Gloucester); G Ford (Bath), B Youngs (Leicester); M Vunipola (Saracens), D Hartley (Northampton, capt), D Cole (Leicester), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes(Northampton), C Robshaw (Harlequins), T Wood (Northampton), B Vunipola(Saracens). Subs J George (Saracens), J Marler (Harlequins), K Sinckler (Harlequins), D Attwood (Bath Rugby), N Hughes (Wasps), D Care (Harlequins), B Te’o (Worcester), J Joseph (Bath).
South Africa
W le Roux (Eagles); R Combrinck (Lions), F Venter (Cheetahs), D de Allende (Western Province), JP Pietersen (Leicester); P Lambie (Sharks), R Paige (Bulls); T Mtawarira (Sharks), A Strauss (Bulls, capt), V Koch (Saracens), E Etzebeth (Western Province), L de Jager (Bulls), W Alberts (Stade Français), P du Toit (Western Province), W Whiteley (Hurricanes). Subs B Mbonambi (Western Province), S Kitshoff (Bordeaux), L Adriaanse (Sharks), F Mostert (Rams), N Carr (Western Province), F de Klerk (Lions), J Goosen (Racing 92), L Mapoe (Spears)

Autumn Internationals Results, Scores

Saturday 12th November 2016
Italy 10-68 New Zealand
Scotland 22-23 Australia
England 37-21 South Africa
France 52-8 Samoa
Wales 24-20 Argentina
Ireland 52-21 Canada

Friday 11th November 2016
Barbarians 40-7 Fiji

2016 Autumn Internationals Tickets

November 19
England v Fiji Tickets Twickenham Stadium
France v Australia Tickets Stade de France Paris
Ireland v New Zealand Tickets Aviva Stadium Dublin
Scotland v Argentina Tickets Murrayfield Stadium Edinburgh
Wales v Japan Tickets Millenium Stadium Cardiff

November 26
England v Argentina Tickets Twickenham Stadium
France v New Zealand Tickets Stade de France Paris
Ireland v Australia Tickets Aviva Stadium Dublin
Scotland v Georgia Tickets TBD - SCOTLAND
Wales v South Africa Tickets Millenium Stadium Cardiff

December 3
England v Australia Tickets Twickenham Stadium