[LOOK] Bokke ruk’ie ding: South Africa klap England disnis at wilde year-end Twickenham jol
Dancing through: Kurt-Lee Arendse scored a memorable try
Die dand het geruk at the Springboks’ end-of-year party at Twickenham, with South Africa jolling to a 27-13 win over England.
That’s it, the #Springboks finish 2022 with a superb win at Twickenham, their first at the home of England rugby since 2014 🙌 #StrongerTogether #StrongerForever #ENGvRSA #CastleOutgoingTour pic.twitter.com/wKG8YWEN7I
— Springboks (@Springboks) November 26, 2022
With their backline stepping England dronk and their forwards out-bouncing the physical Roses pack, South Africa outscored their hosts two tries via Kurt-Lee Arendse and Eben Etzebeth to one from Henry Slade.
The win - South Africa’s first at Twickenham against the Roses - brought down the curtain on a year that saw SA win eight of their 13 Tests and two of the four matches on their year-end tour of Europe.
But they will be happy that they left the best for last - with their forwards outmuscling their hosts and the backline - marshalled by flyhalf Damian Willemse - proving a real threat on the counter.
It was a typical bruising battle between the two teams at the start, with the scoreboard still reading 3-3 at the half hour mark.
The Boks, though, should have had their noses in front after a couple of penalties in the England red zone from which they decided to go for touch.
After failing to get over from the maul, captain Siya Kolisi was held up in-goal after some lineout improvisation shortly before the half-hour mark.
With the English defence holding out, Willemse then kicked a drop goal to make it 6-3, before a moment of magic in the 33rd minute saw the pivot getting around England fullback Freddy Steward after catching the ball on SA’s 22.
He then found fullback Willie le Roux who gave it to Arendse. The winger then stepped Marcus Smith dronk to dot down (11-3).
A Faf de Klerk penalty conversion gave SA a 14-3 buffer at the break.
Shortly after half time, a counter-ruck by SA allowed Willemse to stretch their lead with another drop goal (17-3).
And after a Owen Farell penalty, Etzbeth barged over from close quarters in the 50th minute after Damian de Allende was stopped just short following a Bok lineout maul.
South Africa’s Bomb Squad then came on and completely dominated the scrums - especially after England had Tom Curry sent to the cooler.
They then won another scrum penalty 53 metres out and De Klerk kicked it over to make it 27-6.
But it was England who had the last laugh after Thomas du Toit, who had just come on for Frans Malherbe, was sent off for a dangerous tackle in the 61st minute.
The Boks, though, banded together, but when England replacement Jack Nowell beat Damian Willemse and Jesse Kriel from within his own half, it was on for England. Replacement scrumhalf Ben Youngs then took a quick tap from a penalty in the resulting move and Slade dotted down with seven minutes to go.
But it was too little too late for coach Eddie Jones’s manne, as the said goodbye to 2022.