FINAL RUGBY TEST IN SOUTH AFRICA: England Looking for the Elusive Victory

23.06.2012
England v South Africa in Port Elizabeth

Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium

Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)

Preview
England should consider themselves in the best position to steal an elusive win off South Africa today. South Africa are without two key players, Willem Alberts and Frans Steyn, and England scored 17-11 in the second half last week. Will that give England the edge?

England have their own selection problems. Captain Chris Robshaw and scrum half Ben Youngs have been ruled out. This will put pressure on the England scrum and at the base of rucks and mauls.

South Africa have never really looked in any serious danger against England in this series. If they can lift their game and play top rugby for the full eighty minutes, England could be in big trouble.

Last Five Encounters
16.06.2012 South Africa 36-12 in Johannesburg
09.06.2012 South Africa 22-17 in Durban
27.11.2010 South Africa 21-11 at Twickenham
22.11.2008 South Africa 42-6 at Twickenham
20.10.2007 South Africa 15-6 in Paris (World Cup, Final)

South Africa Last Five
16.06.2012 v England W 36-27 in Johannesburg
09.06.2012 v England W 22-17 in Durban
09.10.2011 v Australia L 9-11 in Wellington (World Cup, Quarter-final)
30.09.2011 v Samoa W 13-5 in Albany (World Cup, Pool D)
22.09.2011 v Namibia W 87-0 in Albany (World Cup, Pool D)

England Last Five
16.06.2012 v South Africa L 27-36 in Johannesburg
09.06.2012 v South Africa L 17-22 in Durban
17.03.2012 v Ireland W 30-9 at Twickenham
11.03.2012 v France W 24-22 in Paris
25.02.2012 v Wales L 12-19 at Twickenham (6 Nations)

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table-South Africa 4th, England 5th

IRB Ranking Points
South Africa 85.47, England 82.49

Prediction: South Africa by 9 points

Teams

SOUTH AFRICA

15		Gio Aplon	Western Province Stormers
14		JP Pietersen	Natal Sharks
13		Jean de Villiers (capt.)	Western Province Stormers
12		Wynand Olivier	Blue Bulls
11		Bryan Habana	Western Province Stormers
10		Morné Steyn	Blue Bulls
9		Francois Hougaard	Blue Bulls
8		Pierre Spies	Blue Bulls
7		Jacques Poitgieter *	Blue Bulls
6		Marcell Coetzee	Natal Sharks
5		Juandré Kruger	Blue Bulls
4		Eben Etzebeth	Western Province Stormers
3		Jannie du Plessis	Natal Sharks
2		Bismarck du Plessis	Natal Sharks
1		Tendai Mtawarira	Natal Sharks
16		Adriaan Strauss	Cheetahs
17		Werner Kruger	Blue Bulls
18		Flip van der Merwe	Blue Bulls
19		Ryan Kankowski	Natal Sharks
20		Ruan Pienaar	Ulster, Ireland
21		Elton Jantjies *	Golden Lions
22		Bjorn Basson	Blue Bulls
		HEAD COACH: Heyneke Meyer

* Test debut

ENGLAND

15		Alexander Goode	Saracens
14		Christopher Ashton	Northampton Saints
13		Jonathan Joseph	London Irish
12		Manusamoa Tuilagi	Leicester Tigers
11		Benjamin Foden	Northampton Saints
10		Tobais Flood	Leicester Tigers
9		Daniel Care	Harlequins
8		Thomas Waldron	Leicester Tigers
7		James Haskell	Otago Highlanders, NZ
6		Thomas Johnson	Exeter Chiefs
5		Geoffrey Parling	Leicester Tigers
4		Thomas Palmer	Stade Francais, France
3		Daniel Cole	Leicester Tigers
2		Dylan Hartley (Capt.)	Northampton Saints
1		Joseph Marler	Harlequins
16		Lee Mears	Bath Rugby
17		Paul Doran-Jones	Northampton Saints
18		Mouritz Botha	Saracens
19		Phillip Dowson	Northampton Saints
20		Lee Dickson	Northampton Saints
21		Owen Farrell	Saracens
22		Bradley Barrit	Saracens
		HEAD COACH: Stuart Lancaster