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 19-9 Japan, 44 minutes
Jaunty from Scotland, trying a chip kick inside their own half but finding only Japanese hands, and the visitors can attack again. Jack Cornelsen makes an outstanding charge and gets an offload away! On Japan go through Craig Millar.
PENALTY! Scotland 19-9 JAPAN (Rikiya Matsuda penalty, 43 minutes)
No thought of trying a scrum with Scotland shorn of a prop - Japan again opt to try and take the points, and Rikiya Matsuda puts the ball between the uprights to claim them and narrow the lead.
YELLOW CARD! Jamie Bhatti is sin-binned! (Scotland 19-6 Japan, 43 minutes)
Jamie Bhatti crashes into opposite number Craig Millar as he and a Scottish teammate double-tackle the Japan loosehead, but Bhatti tumbles on the wrong side and blocks speedy ball with chances presenting themselves for Japan. It isn’t necessarily cynical, but Brendon Pickerill has lost patience with Scotland’s naughtiness - off to the bin for ten minutes Bhatti is sent.
Scotland 19-6 Japan, 42 minutes
Advanced attacking possession for Japan, who throw the lineout perfectly on the Scottish ten-metre. Kotaro Matsushima half-steps through a half-gap to win the gainline and Japan have an advantage as some lovely hands from Ryoyo Nakamura put Siosaia Fifita into space.
Scotland then infringe again as Japan reach the five-metre...
Scotland 19-6 Japan, 41 minutes
Can Japan get back in this? They’ll need a score soon, you’d say, if they are to have a hope. They play with the same ambition as in the first half and Rikiya Matsuda is taken high by Grant Gilchrist as he darts for a rapidly closing hole. Just a penalty.
RESUMPTION!
Stuart Hogg drop-kicks and the second half is underway!
The players re-emerge
“I think Japan have looked really dangerous, “ says Scotland fly-half Adam Hastings, not in the matchday squad, as he has a chat with the broadcasters as the two sets of players trot back out on to the Murrayfield surface.
Japan have made a change - Dylan Riley is on in the backline, replacing Shogo Nakano.
Japan a touch unfortunate
The scoreline is a little harsh on Japan, who have probably played the more consistent rugby so far but have struggled to convert possession into points. When asked to defend, they’ve been a little porous - Scotland have scored on almost every visit to the Japan 22. You wouldn’t say they are entirely out of this, though, given the adventure with which they have played - but it will be a tough ask to overturn a 13-point deficit if heads begin to drop after that stroke of halftime Darcy Graham score.
History-making Hogg
He started it with a typical scything break, and the Scotland captain is now his nation’s all-time leading try-scorer.
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