INTERNATIONAL TEST RUGBY: England in South Africa

09.06.2012 England v South Africa in Durban



Venue: Kings Park

Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)

Preview
This rugby test match series has been long awaited throughout the rugby world. Few other rugby test match encounters breathe more passion, fire and aggression than this.
England arrive in South Africa to play a mini tour. For many years I’ve advocated the return of such tours.Based on the tradition of recent British and Irish Lions tours plus those lengthy tours of yesteryear, the general public are in favour of them.
The English team is, like most other top rugby nations in June, are missing some key players. England, though, are rebuilding the side after the disappointment and indiscipline of the 2011 Rugby World Cup team. To blood some new players on this tour is a logical progression of that rebuilding. But will it be lambs to the slaughter?
Test rugby matches in South Africa have always been just that. Tests! No side comes away unscathed. Only the fittest and brave survive. The South Africans have a bruising, aggressive approach to their rugby.
South Africa are rebuilding after their disappointing 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign. There is a new coach who is certainly more popular than the last. There is a feeling of cohesion and passion that has been lacking in South African rugby since 2007. This is a deadly combination that will urge the South Africans to win and to win well. Nothing less will do.
This will be a hum-dinger of a test match.

Last Five Encounters 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)
14.09.2007 South Africa 36-0 in Paris (World Cup, Pool A)
02.06.2007 South Africa 55-22 in Pretoria

England last toured South Africa in 2007, just before the Rugby World Cup. They lost both tests by wide margins. England last defeated South Africa in 2004, winning 32-16 at Twickenham. England last won in South Africa, 27-22 during their 2000 tour. England lost the first test 13-18.

South Africa Last Five
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)
17.09.2011 v Fiji W 49-3 in Wellington (World Cup, Pool D)
11.09.2011 v Wales W 17-16 in Wellington (World Cup, Pool D)

England Last Five 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)
11.02.2012 v Italy W 19-15 in Rome (6 Nations)
04.02.2012 v Scotland W 13-6 at Murrayfield (6 Nations)

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

IRB Ranking Points
South Africa 84.34, England 83.62

Prediction: South Africa by 7 points

Teams



SOUTH AFRICA

15		Zane Kirchner	Blue Bulls
14		JP Pietersen	Natal Sharks
13		Jean de Villiers (capt.)	Western Province Stormers
12		Frans Steyn	Natal Sharks
11		Bryan Habana	Western Province Stormers
10		Morné Steyn	Blue Bulls
9		Francois Hougaard	Blue Bulls
8		Pierre Spies	Blue Bulls
7		Willem Alberts	Natal Sharks
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		Coenie Oosthuizen *	Cheetahs
18		Flip van der Merwe	Blue Bulls
19		Keegan Daniel *	Natal Sharks
20		Ruan Pienaar	Ulster, Ireland
21		Patrick Lambie	Natal Sharks
22		Wynand Olivier	Blue Bulls
		HEAD COACH: Heyneke Meyer

* New test cap



ENGLAND

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

* New test cap