England vs South Africa - Owen Farrell and Elliot Daly secure controversial victory over Springboks
Follow the latest from the opening autumn international at Twickenham
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Your support makes all the difference.England fought back from behind to defeat South Africa 12-11 and kickstart not only their autumn international campaign but also their Rugby World Cup plans.
But it took a hugely controversial finish to fall in England's favour to secure the win, with Owen Farrell involved in a last-play TMO review for what appeared to be a shoulder tackle on replacement Andre Esterhuizen.
Referee Angus Gardner and Irish TMO Olly Hodges reviewed the tackle after the former had initially blown for full-time, but deemed it just on the side of legal to hand England a hugely important victory.
The win gives England back-to-back wins over the Springboks, which is all the more impressive given the number of players that Eddie Jones was missing from his squad and the lack of ball carriers they had in the pack, and it is the perfect preparation for welcoming the All Blacks to Twickenham next weekend.
South Africa took the lead in the first half through a Handre Pollard penalty that Farrell soon matched, although by that point Maro Itoje had been sent to the sin-bon for repeatedly infringing. But the Springboks hit the gas soon after Itoje's return that saw the wing Sbu Nkosi spring over in the corner, with Pollard missing what would prove a crucial conversion.
England landed an immediate response as Farrell struck his second penalty before the break, but after half-time England spurred into life. Elliot Daly stepped up to strike a 49m penalty that nudged England into the lead, and while Pollard was able to put the Springboks back in front, England's defence set the tone for their attack that suddenly started to click. Farrell was given a late chance to win the match for England seven minutes from time, and although Pollard was given his own chance a few minutes later, his effort just shaved the outside of the upright to hand England victory.
Re-live the live action below.
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What time does it start?
England vs South Africa kicks off at 3pm on Saturday 3 November.
Where can I watch it?
The Test will be shown live on Sky Sports Action from 2:00pm and Sky Sports Main Event from 2:30pm.
Teams
England: Elliot Daly; Jack Nowell, Henry Slade, Ben Te’o, Jonny May; Owen Farrell, Ben Youngs; Alec Hepburn, Dylan Hartley, Kyle Sinckler; Maro Itoje, George Kruis; Brad Shields, Tom Curry, Mark Wilson.
Replacements: Jamie George, Ben Moon, Harry Williams, Charlie Ewels, Zach Mercer, Danny Care, George Ford, Chris Ashton.
South Africa: Damian Willemse; Sbu Nkosi, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Aphiwe Dyantyi; Handre Pollard, Ivan van Zyl; Steven Kitschoff, Malcolm Marx, Frans Malherbe; Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit; Siya Kolisi, Duane Vermeulen, Warren Whiteley.
Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Thomas du Toit, Wilco Louw, RG Snyman, Lood de Jager, Embrose Papier, Elton Jantjies, Andre Esterhuizen.
Good morning and welcome to The Independent's live coverage of today's autumn international between England and South Africa, brought to you from Twickenham.
The two sides meet once again following the summer series in South Africa, which the Springboks clinched 2-1, but England will hope to take heart from the third Test victory that at least ended their losing run.
But with a host of injury problems on their hands and mounting pressure on head coach Eddie Jones, England can ill-afford another defeat.
Follow our live coverage from 2pm, but in the mean time read our match preview below to get in mood for the crunch clash:
Welcome from a gloriously sunny Twickenham where the autumn internationals kick into live this afternoon, with England embarking on the first of four Tests this November that will go a long way into revealing just how much strength in depth the 'richest union in the world' really has.
A number of first-choice (and in some cases second-choice...and even third-choice) players are unavailable not just for this afternoon's game, but the entire autumn. That has forced Eddie Jones into a major rejig, with changes since the 25-10 third Test victory in the summer at loosehead prop, hooker, lock, blindside flanker, No 8, fly-half, centre and wing.
In fact, only Kyle Sinckler, Mari Itoje, Tom Curry, Ben Youngs, Jonny May, Henry Slade and Elliot Daly retain their place, while Owen Farrell moves from centre to fly-half in a revamped midfield.
As if those injury problems weren't bad enough, England lost yet another player on Friday when it emerged that Manu Tuilagi will not play a part this afternoon.
The Leicester Tigers centre has suffered a "minor groin strain", and with fans relishing his first appearance since March 2016, the disappointment from Friday morning's news could be felt across the country.
With Tuilagi ruled out, another player comes in from the cold as Chris Ashton is named in an England match-day squad for the first time since 2014 - albeit among the replacements.
This will also be the first time that flanker Brad Shields - he of New Zealand heritage - not only plays at Twickenham, but steps foot inside the stadium entirely.
The Kiwi-convert has fended off competition from Michael Rhodes to wear the No 6 shirt, and he believes that every one of England's forwards deserves their place in the side despite their injury troubles.
Here's what the 27-year-old had to say this week:
One player who no doubt deserves his place in the side is the No 8 Mark Wilson.
Having earned his stripes on the tour of Argentina last year and emerging in the first team in South Africa as a handy replacement, Wilson is drafted into the starting back-row in the hope of providing the ball-carrying that England lose without Billy Vunipola and Nathan Hughes.
But he will also be wearing the hopes of a city on his shoulders, as he remains the only Newcastle player to be selected under Eddie Jones' tenure - something that he takes great pride in.
Thursday's team selection not only saw Farrell moved to No 10, but Ben Te'o return to the side after missing the summer tour and the bulk of 2017/18 with injury.
He will be tasked with trying to punch a hole in the Springboks defence, which will certainly take some doing, but Eddie Jones has a lot of faith in his man.
Just 20 minutes to to go until kick-off and there's an unusually empty feel to Twickenham. Whether that's because fans are outside enjoying the sunshine or not is a possibility given it's a lovely autumnal day in south-west London that should offer the perfect conditions for running rugby.
Here's how the two teams line-up this afternoon:
England: Elliot Daly; Jack Nowell, Henry Slade, Ben Te’o, Jonny May; Owen Farrell, Ben Youngs; Alec Hepburn, Dylan Hartley, Kyle Sinckler; Maro Itoje, George Kruis; Brad Shields, Tom Curry, Mark Wilson.
Replacements: Jamie George, Ben Moon, Harry Williams, Charlie Ewels, Zach Mercer, Danny Care, George Ford, Chris Ashton.
South Africa: Damian Willemse; Sbu Nkosi, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Aphiwe Dyantyi; Handre Pollard, Ivan van Zyl; Steven Kitschoff, Malcolm Marx, Frans Malherbe; Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit; Siya Kolisi, Duane Vermeulen, Warren Whiteley.
Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Thomas du Toit, Wilco Louw, RG Snyman, Lood de Jager, Embrose Papier, Elton Jantjies, Andre Esterhuizen.
If we break down the teams and look at the two forward packs, it makes for some desperate reading for any England fan. The Springboks boast 128 caps more than England, and the formidable unit that got the better of the summer series is now reinfored by the returns of Malcolm Marx, Eben Etzebeth and Warren Whiteley - three players who would walk into most sides across the globe.
However, at half-back England are vastly more experienced, with South Africa's two scrum-half options in Ivan van Zyl and Embrose Papier holding just 113 minutes of Test rugby - compared to Ben Youngs and Danny Care's combined 160 Test caps.
England also have an exciting back-three unit that has Chris Ashton ready and waiting in reserve, although the Springboks are no slouches either, with the dangerous Aphiwe Dyantyi on the wing. They are without Willie le Roux though, which could prove to be a weakness in the South Africa side as fly-half Damian Wwillemse fills the 15 shirt.
Finally the stadium starts to fill up as Laura Wright fills the air with the sounds of Jerusalem, a call to arms for English rugby that brings the crowd to its feet.
That's all the messing around sorted. We've had the RAF abseiling from the roof, Alex Goode's predictions and just about every noughties pop song you can imagine.
But the players are ready in the tunnels and we're ready to get the show on the road. It's England vs the Springboks, the first autumn international of the campaign, and it's about to come your way LIVE.
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