Poltics
As a gauge of where England currently stand in world rugby’s pecking clarify, a match towards the enviornment champions is the final take a look at. South Africa, alongside Ireland, are the form global personnel and salvage energy and flair in abundance.
Saturday’s rematch of last year’s World Cup semi-final in Paris is moreover laced with execrable blood.
A stormy 16-15 victory for South Africa soon changed into the discipline of a bitter shuffle row after England’s Tom Curry claimed that Bongi Mbonambi had referred to as him a “white ****”.
World Rugby discovered “insufficient evidence” to make stronger Curry’s allegation and Mbonambi acknowledged it became a “misunderstanding” because he became talking Afrikaans.
England and South Africa both name their teams on Thursday with the Boks expected to proceed their coverage of loading their bench with forwards to dangle beefy advantage of the depth of their pack resources.
England are taking half in to avoid a fifth successive defeat that threatens to proceed an autumn of discontent.
Poltics When is the match?
England play South Africa on Saturday, November 16 at Twickenham (Allianz Stadium).
Poltics What time does it start?
The match kicks off at 5.40pm GMT. Or 7.40pm whereas you are in South Africa.
Poltics What TV channel is it on?
Within the UK and Ireland, every sport is being shown live on TNT Sports activities and discovery+.
Poltics What’s the most up-to-date personnel news?
England
England’s gamers, and instructing No 2 Richard Wigglesworth, have had no contact with Felix Jones prior to Saturday’s conflict with South Africa despite his inner files of the Springboks.
Jones resigned as defence coach in August but Steve Borthwick said last month that he is being feeble to provide prognosis of the opposition at some stage within the autumn amid uncertainty over the date he’ll formally leave the goal.
One in every of the sport’s brightest coaches, Jones helped South Africa procure lend a hand-to-lend a hand World Cups prior to joining Borthwick’s management personnel 11 months within the past.
His resolution to leave without having an alternative job lined up sent shockwaves thru the camp, with Joe El Abd taking payment of the defence at short observe whereas silent employed as boss of French membership Oyonnax.
England have lost to Contemporary Zealand and Australia already this autumn and need to topple the Springboks to save the campaign, with Japan the final visitors to Twickenham every week later.
“We don’t have any contact with Felix. I’m now not positive if the coaches achieve or now not,” centre Henry Slade acknowledged. “We’ve been working with Joe and our defensive leaders, making an strive to goal the defence and the personnel up to shield in addition to conceivable.”
Tom Curry and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso have been dominated out of the South Africa showdown due to concussion. Flanker Ted Hill and winger Tom Roebuck have been referred to as into the England squad in their goal.
England squad
Forwards: Fin Baxter, Dan Cole, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Theo Dan, Trevor Davison, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Will Stuart; Alex Coles, Charlie Ewels, Lop Isiekwe, Maro Itoje, George Martin; Chandler Cunningham-South, Ben Curry, Alex Dombrandt, Ben Earl, Ted Hill, Sam Underhill
Backs: Harry Randall, Ben Spencer, Jack van Poortvliet; George Ford, Fin Smith, Marcus Smith; Ollie Lawrence, Alex Lozowski, Luke Northmore, Henry Slade; Elliot Daly, Tommy Freeman, George Furbank, Tom Roebuck, Ollie Sleightholme, Freddie Steward
South Africa
South Africa prefer Jerry Flannery to scheme on his inner files of Marcus Smith to shut down England’s playmaker at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.
Harlequins ringmaster Smith became England’s most lethal participant in Saturday’s 42-37 defeat by Australia, helping to goal up four of their five tries in an attacking masterclass.
“We had been fervent to suffocate him, but he objective saved respiration,” acknowledged an impressed Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt after the match.
Flannery has a deep understanding of Smith’s sport, gathered at some stage in his four-year spell as an assistant coach for Harlequins, a post he held till joining Rassie Erasmus’ Springboks this year.
“Marcus is a class participant,” South Africa attacking coach Tony Brown acknowledged. “Given time and home, there’s now not too many better at taking advantage of shrimp alternatives for the total gamers round him. He’s outstanding on the kick move.
“Jerry has had a variety of time with Marcus Smith and is conscious of him neatly. He’ll be below a bit of bit of strain to be positive Marcus doesn’t salvage these alternatives this week.”
Springboks captain Siya Kolisi has been cleared to play at Twickenham despite struggling a minor see damage towards Scotland on Sunday.
South Africa squad
Forwards: Thomas du Toit, Vincent Koch, Wilco Louw, Frans Malherbe, Ox Nche, Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert, Ruan Nortje, RG Snyman, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (captain), Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Marco van Staden, Jasper Wiese
Backs: Jaden Hendrikse, Cobus Reinach, Grant Williams, Manie Libbok, Handre Pollard, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Andre Esterhuizen, Jesse Kriel, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Aphelele Fassi, Cheslin Kolbe, Willie le Roux, Makazole Mapimpi, Canan Moodie, Damian Willemse
Poltics What are the most up-to-date odds?
- England to procure 11/4
- South Africa to procure 4/11
- Plan 25/1
Poltics What came about the last time these teams played?
The semi-final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup became the last time England and South Africa went toe-to-toe, with the Springboks agonisingly popping out on top by the barest of margins, 16-15. They’d plod on to beat the All Blacks, moreover by one point, within the final.
Poltics What’s our prediction?
France might perhaps well also argue in every other case, but on the top of the rugby table two teams currently stand above the rest – Ireland and South Africa. The Boks are world class from 1 to 15 and even dwelling advantage is now not going to be enough for England to stop the Springbok juggernaut.
Predicted bag: England 15 South Africa 21
