IN DIE KOL: Kolbe scores two tries as SA klap England at Twickers
They say the measure of a champion side is that they win close matches without being at their best.
By that reasoning, I’m not surprised that the Springboks are back-to-back World Cup winners.
For the second week in a row – following last week’s flattering 32-15 win over Scotland – coach Rassie Erasmus’s side weren’t at their best. Still, they were good enough to beat England 29-20 at Twickenham on Saturday.
It was a performance that saw South Africa gave away 14 penalties, as the players left nothing on the field to defend their honour.
In the end, they outscored their hosts four tries to two, despite being met with an English team that played with a really high intensity.
The hosts did so from the first whistle to the last and broke the ice early-on, when their flyhalf Marcus Smith dummied for a drop goal and broke free down the blindside to unleash Ollie Sleightholme, who broke through opposing wing Cheslin Kolbe’s arms to run in a fourth-minute try (7-0).
Die Bokke was koud geskrik, but scrumhalf Grant Williams then provided the solo moment of the match when he spotted a gap from 20-odd metres out and after wysing Freddie Steward binne-buite, scored to make it 7-7.
A breakdown penalty conceded by Bok flank Pieter-Steph du Toit allowed Smith to make it 10-7 for the hosts, before Bok lock Eben Etzebeth expertly charged down a Jack van Poortvliet kick in the 16th minute.
The loose ball was gathered up by the scrumhalf’s halfback partner Smith, whose kick was then charged down by Du Toit who ran in the Boks’ second try (12-10).
SA were on a roll and made it 19-10 after some good lineout innovation before a Manie Libbok cross-kick landed in the hands of Kolbe to dot down his first try in the 21st minute.
Chef Manie is cooking up a feast at Twickenham 🥹![CDATA[]]>🔥
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) November 16, 2024
📺 Stream #AutumnNationsSeries on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/nfkbR9NoHL
England hit back in the 26th minute when Sam Underhill scored from close quarters to make it 19-17 at the break.
SA then thought they’d scored again three minutes after half time, but Kurt-Lee Arendse’s sprint down the touchline was in vain, after the pass from Aphelele Fassi to him was deemed to have gone forward.
Five minutes later, it was England’s turn to have a Henry Slade try disallowed when Maro Itoje was penalised for a neck roll.
The hosts did take the lead in the 51st minute when Smith landed a penalty goal after Jesse Kriel was penalised for obstruction, but Bok replacement No.10 Handre Pollard struck back seven minutes later to make it 22-20.
Centre Damian de Allende then provided the moment that sealed the deal for the Boks when he pierced England’s midfield to set Kolbe free down the right wing to make it 29-20 after Pollard’s vital touchline conversion.
Damian de Allende x Cheslin Kolbe 🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) November 18, 2024
That epic try just hits different in super slow motion, some incredible strength and skill on display 🤩#AutumnNationsSeries pic.twitter.com/SV9KhFoTXG