England vs South Africa LIVE: Rugby result, final score and reaction from 2021 Autumn Nations Series
Eddie Jones’ side got some revenge against the world champion Springboks
England welcomed South Africa to Twickenham on Saturday afternoon in a mouthwatering rematch of the World Cup final two years on.
Fly-half Marcus Smith landed a last-minute penalty to snatch a 27-26 win as the hosts looked full of early promise but were hauled back by the battling Springboks in the teams’ first meeting since the 2019 showpiece.
England fashioned excellent early tries for Manu Tuilagi and Freddie Steward but were penalised relentlessly and four penalties for Handre Pollard kept South Africa within five points at the break.
The Springboks edged clear in the second half and, after tries by Raffie Quirke for England and Makazole Mapimpi for the Springboks, a Fran Steyne penalty put the visitors two points ahead with six minutes to go. England, though, mustered one final attack and earned a penalty on the 22 that Smith smashed over.
With star youngsters like Smith, Steward and Quirke breaking through across a fruitful autumn, Jones admitted the quest for the 2023 World Cup title hurtles ever closer. Asked if this autumn series represents a new England era, coach Eddie Jones replied: “Yes, we said in the summer that the Lions tour draws a line in the sand, and that you need to regenerate and have a little bit of a rebirth to go to the World Cup.
“There’s some good players coming through but we’ve got some pretty good experienced players too. They feel comfortable within themselves, they want to be together, they want to work together. Our stated aim is to win the World Cup, so we want to be better in the next campaign.”
Scotland 26-20 Japan, 74 minutes
Forward pass! It’s more excellent play in possession from Japan, largely off the pass of replacement scrum-half Naoto Saito and punching close-in holes. But a slight delay in Saito’s pass means when he throws it flat at the line, he is doing so to a teammate over-running the ball - the pass tumbles forward. Scottish scrum.
Scotland 26-20 Japan, 73 minutes
Too much adventure! Japan are going to keep on dancing deep in their own half but there is little need for Yu Tamura’s blind back-of-the-hand offload, and it spills from his teammates hands as the intended recipient is understandably caught off guard.
Japan defend strongly, though, and attack an under-resourced Scottish ruck after Stuart Hogg is felled, Lappies Labuschagne driving mightily through the centre of it and winning Japan the ball back.
PENALTY! Scotland 26-20 JAPAN (Rikiya Matsuda penalty, 72 minutes)
Japan move to within six. A nervy finish for the Murrayfield fans.
Scotland 26-17 Japan, 70 minutes
A switch play as Japan quickly change the point of attack, but a loose pass hits the turf and Kotaro Matsushima won’t get the chance to dance in space.
Back for a penalty they will go, though, with a chance to push for goal and move to within a score. They will do that after some changes - Naoto Saito replaces Yutaka Nagare, who has had an efficient day at scrum-half, while there is a Scotland debut for Dylan Richardson, who has comic-book muscles. The back-rower, a star for South Africa’s Under-20s, makes his first appearance for his new nation in the back row as Rikiya Matsuda calls for the tee...
Scotland 26-17 Japan, 69 minutes
Excellent from Japan! The imposing figure of Tevita Tatafu brushes aside Blair Kinghorn and a nice flicked pass puts a teammate into space down the left.
Dylan Riley keeps the momentum going with a half-break and Lappies Labuschagne carries firmly. Japan building very ominously as they reach the Scotland 22.
Scotland 26-17 Japan, 68 minutes
Duhan van der Merwe impolitely asks another Japanese tackler to vacate his premises with another of those fierce friends, and Scotland attack well. Pierre Schoeman, on permanently now, is well tackled, though, and Chris Harris even more forcefully so in the next phase, and Scotland spill the ball!
Scottish hands just about get around a bobbling ball after Japan kick ahead.
Scotland 26-17 Japan, 66 minutes
Japan could have done with that but there is plenty of life left in Jamie Joseph’s team. As they have done all game they are prepared to play phases in their own territory but eventually they will kick the ball clear, another sliced effort from Matsuda perhaps not aiding their cause. Scotland lineout 35 metres or so out.
TRY! Scotland 26-17 JAPAN (Tevita Tatafu try, 65 minutes)
Lineout ball just about won and Tevita Tatafu is over! Scott Cummings nearly nicks the Japanese throw but Jack Cornelsen manages to wrestle it back, and Tatafu bursts out of the gather bodies to trample his way to the line...
Hang on - the TMO is checking how Cornelsen gathered that ball...Is that a knock-on? I’m not sure it is! This will stand. Stuart Berry confirms as much from his truck, Brendon Pickerill permits Rikiya Matsuda to take the conversion...
Matsuda may wish he didn’t! That’s his second properly nasty kick of the afternoon. It skews right of the posts.
Scotland 26-12 Japan, 63 minutes
Sharp from Japan. From a midfield scrum they play two passes and then produce a brilliant 50:22. Japan lineout five metres out - that was a delightful kick.
Scotland 26-12 Japan, 62 minutes
Knocked on with the line in sight! Scotland had built momentum well but a slightly loose carry from Scott Cummings and a decent shot to his ribs means a spilled ball, and Japan scrum feed.
Time for some more changes - Keita Inagaki is introduced on the Japanese loosehead, George Horne at scrum-half for Scotland, and there are changes in both back rows: Matt Fagerson replaces Jamie Ritchie and Michael Leitch trudges off as the rather large Tevita Tatafu stomps on. Ritchie and Leitch share an embrace before they settle down to their watching brief for the last 20 minutes.
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