England v South Africa 20/11/04

England (this NEW England) as major media folk want to call them, take on South Africa "The Rainbow Nation" and Tri Nations Champions this Saturday at Twickenham HQ in the second of the Investec Challenge Autumn Internationals.

Photo copyright of TracyWilko

Having watched England's performance against Canada last weekend, I feel England are really going to have to lift their game otherwise this will be the first defeat for new coach Andy Robinson!

Over the last few years it has been said England have strength in depth!  Well yes we do but we should have blooded some of this strength to the top level long before now and on reflection under Sir Clive Woodward this really did not happen.  So for some players this Investec Challenge Autumn series is rather like a Baptism of Fire, of the big kind!

The 'Bok' will be up for this one, dismissed last weekend by Ireland they will be hurting, plus the chance to take down the Rugby Cup World Champions - well what better incentive could a team have?  Mind you how many of the England players on the field can claim a World Cup medal?  However, that is really not the point, England ARE World Champions and now know what it is like to live constantly with this 'Tag', the hardest part is to live up to it!  All credit to Australia previous World Champions who did and were consistent over the years.

So what of the Springbok?  Coach Jake White has almost single handedly turned around the South African fortunes.  Jake White has no playing pedigree to speak of, he began coaching as a teenager and has done so well, he could be up for the IRB coach of the year award.  He started with Transvaal in 95, moved to Cape Town in 97 to work with the South African Rugby assisting the Blue Bells/Pretoria and Durban Sharks.  He was technical assistance to  Nick Mallett during South Africa's record seventeen successive victories, he took the U21s to victory in 2002 and is now rejuvenating the Springbok team by bringing back the likes of Percy Montgomery and Jaco Van Der Westhuyzen who previously had been unable to play for the Bok because of the South African Rugby residency rule, in other words if they wanted to play for their country they had to be playing in South Africa - it did not work!  Shame Scotland did not learn from the South African mistake really, as they have also gone down this road now!

Player to watch for more reasons than one is, blond Schalk Burger, 21years, 6'4", 16st 9lbs open side he is a very powerful natural athlete and this last week has turned out to be for him quite controversial one but that is another story!

And what of England? ---- Well the only change being Joe Worsley is back into the team.  Joe will  no doubt be wanting to stamp his authority on the game and his place in the side.   Charlie needs to forget last week's kicking and move forward, he needs to show his class and style in this game and ALL the players need to be sharper on the ball.  Handling errors need to be cut out.

England performed last week against (well let us be honest) amateurs did not convince me!  England need to move up at least two gears in my opinion, otherwise we are done for!  We will not get the space against the Springbok and it will be far more physical.

This is the real Test  - so bring it on!

England: J Robinson (Sale, Captain); M Cueto (Sale), H Paul (Gloucester), M Tindall (Bath), J Lewsey (Wasps); C Hodgson (Sale), A Gomarsall (Gloucester); G Rowntree (Leicester), S Thompson (Northampton), J White (Leicester), D Grewcock (Bath), S Borthwick (Bath), J Worsley (Wasps), L Moody (Leicester), M Corry (Leicester).     Replacements: A Titterell (Sale), A Sheridan (Sale), B Kay (Leicester), A Hazell (Gloucester), H Ellis (Leicester), W Greenwood (Harlequins), B Cohen (Northampton).

South Africa: P Montgomery; B Paulse, M Joubert; De Wet Barry, J de Villiers, J van der Westhuyzen, F Du Preez; O Du Randt, J Smit (Captain), E Andrews, B Botha, V Matfield, S Burger, AJ Venter, J van Niekerk.     Replacements: H Shimange, CJ van der Linde, D Rossouw, G Britz, M Claassens, J Fourie, B Habana

and so we enter a new era with my usual cry...............

And you, good yeoman,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'

Henry V (1599) Act3, Scene1

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon