Andre Pretorius turned in a commanding display at outside-half as South Africa beat England 25-14 at Twickenham in London on Saturday for their first away win this year.
It was also the Springboks’ first win against England in eight matches and their first at Twickenham since 1997. They bounced back from last weekend’s 23-21 defeat at the London ground in what was the second of four matches between the two countries before they meet at next year’s World Cup.
Outside-half Pretorius, recalled in place of the injured Butch James after a lacklustre display as a replacement last weekend, kicked 20 points — four drop goals, two penalties and a conversion of CJ van der Linde’s try.
England’s scores, all in the first half, came courtesy of Mark Cueto’s controversial try and nine points from the boot of number 10 Andy Goode.
Victory eased the pressure on under-fire South Africa coach Jake White and turned up the heat on his England counterpart, Andy Robinson.
South Africa, 14-3 down with 10 minutes to go in the first half, battled back to be 16-14 ahead at the break.
England made a far more impressive start than in last weekend’s win, which ended a run of seven straight defeats. Their passing was sharper, and with Goode in for the injured Charlie Hodgson, their kicking game was far more accurate.
But although Robinson had spoken in the build-up to this match about the importance of protecting a lead, England let it slip. Two early Goode penalties gave England a 6-0 lead before Pretorius landed a 16th-minute drop goal to reduce the deficit.
England’s forwards were competing well with lock Tom Palmer disrupting the line-out. Meanwhile, it was South Africa who in the opening quarter this week were passing poorly and knocking on.
With England 9-3 up after another Goode penalty, Cueto struck.
Goode’s well-weighted cross-kick was tipped back and centre Mathew Tait was held up just short of the line. Cueto then picked up and went over. However, replays suggested the Sale wing had lost control of the ball as he crossed. But well-positioned Irish referee Alan Lewis awarded the try.
Goode missed the conversion but England still had a healthy 11-point lead.
Immediately from the restart England flanker Pat Sanderson knocked on and the impressive Pretorius slotted over the ensuing penalty. Then a wasteful penalty, conceded by Palmer for taking a man out in the air, saw Pretorius’s 45m kick reduce England’s lead to 14-9.
Jean de Villiers went close to a try before, on the stroke of half-time, Van der Linde crossed.
Pretorius’s long cut-out pass to the left was well caught by prop Van der Linde, who crashed through England fullback Josh Lewsey for his first Test try. Pretorius converted and South Africa were ahead.
Early in the second half, flanker Juan Smith took a fine catch at a line-out from which number eight Danie Rossouw drove forward. The ball was laid back to Pretorius and his 30m drop goal extended the Springboks’ lead to 19-14.
England were becoming increasingly ragged and Robinson made a triple substitution. Lewis Moody replaced Sanderson, Ben Kay came on for Palmer and Shaun Perry was in at scrumhalf instead of Peter Richards.
But South Africa, who squandered a 12-point lead last weekend, then gave Goode two long-range penalty chances — only to see him miss twice.
Now it was an inexperienced Springbok side that looked increasingly edgy and Cueto, from Goode’s towering cross-kick, dropped the ball over the line.
Nevertheless, an increasingly flat England lacked the imagination to break down their opponents’ defence, and with five minutes to go, Pretorius’s third drop goal took the Boks a crucial two scores in front at 22-14 before he put the icing on a cake with a fourth just before the finish. — AFP
