England suffers record defeat

South Africa 58 England 10

England suffered the expected record defeat against South Africa at Vodacom Park after the Springboks emphatically swept aside their under-strength challenge.

South Africa smashed their previous best win in the fixture of 35-9 in Johannesburg 23 years ago.

It was England’s second-heaviest loss in Test history, beaten only by the 76-0 rout against Australia on the so-called ’tour from hell’ in 1998.

But it all proved irrelevant in terms of any realistic form guide prior to the countries’ crunch World Cup pool clash in Paris on September 14.

England travelled without a sizeable contingent from European finalists Leicester, Wasps and Bath, while a stomach virus that swept their squad this week denied them the services of David Strettle, Andy Farrell and Peter Richards.

Faced with such overwhelming odds, England fought in brave and committed fashion, yet predictably lacked the attacking flair and physical power to match one of the World Cup favourites.

And they also suffered another major fitness blow when Gloucester wing Iain Balshaw was stretchered off after suffering what appeared to be a serious ankle injury.

Balshaw’s replacement – his Gloucester colleague James Simpson-Daniel – scored a consolation try that was converted by Jonny Wilkinson, who also kicked a long-range penalty.

South Africa, though, had already done enough by the break, racking up a 27-point lead through touchdowns from wings Ashwin Willemse and Bryan Habana, plus centre Jean de Villiers.

The Springboks did not score between the 39th and 70th minutes, yet there was no doubting their superiority as England suffered a seventh successive away defeat stretching back to February last year.

England floundered badly during the closing 10 minutes, as South Africa ran riot to register further tries for Habana, Francois Steyn, Schalk Burger and C J van der Line, while full-back Percy Montgomery slotted 23 points from 10 successful kicks.

It was an unfamiliar England side that took the field led by winger Jason Robinson, with scrum-half Andy Gomarsall making his first Test appearance since late 2004 and the pack containing a total cap tally of only marginally more than 50.

England’s last Bloemfontein visit seven years ago produced a 27-22 success - Wilkinson kicked all the points – and Wilkinson represented England’s only realistic chance of avoiding a landslide defeat this time around, but it was an enormous challenge for him on his first Test outing since February.

English fitness levels were tested at altitude, with tackle after tackle going in as South Africa looked to establish rhythm on their first run-out this summer.

Inevitably, they could only keep the Springboks out for so long, and two converted tries in three minutes took South Africa out of sight after they unravelled England’s organisation.

Willemse claimed the first, crossing on an overlap from Montgomery’s pass, and although England’s impressive response was led by a sweeping Mathew Tait break, it ended in misery.

Tait found Wilkinson in support, yet supporting flanker Chris Jones then fired out a ludicrously ambitious pass to back-row colleague Nick Easter, and it bounced straight to Bulls speed king Habana.

He required no second invitation to outstrip flailing England cover on a 70-metre sprint to the line, and Montgomery’s second successive touchline conversion left the tourists in all sorts of strife, despite Wilkinson opening their account through a 50-metre penalty.

Montgomery completed his penalty hat-trick six minutes before the break, and then South Africa struck another blow when centre de Villiers snaffled the loose ball and raced 60 metres to score after prop Stuart Turner spilled Tait’s pass.

It was a miserable score for England to concede and they trooped off 30-3 behind.

England made a half-time change, sending on Worcester captain Pat Sanderson for openside flanker Andy Hazell, while a double South Africa switch saw chances for prop van der Linde and lock Johann Muller, with B J Botha and Bakkies Botha making way.

The game already emphatically lost, England began promisingly after the break with the impressive Tait running strongly at South Africa, but they could not keep possession for long enough to threaten any sustained attacking flow.

Bristol prop Darren Crompton arrived for his Test debut in the 53rd minute, replacing Turner, but South Africa blew a glorious chance to extend their lead when they tried to send substitute prop Gurthro Steenkamp over from 10 metres instead of using their pacy backs.

England, unsurprisingly, were running out of steam, and a further change saw Roy Winters gain a first Test appearance, replacing Jones, but South Africa continued pressing.

The closing stages resembled little more than a South African training session, and four more tries confirmed the rout and left England facing a difficult week before next Saturday’s second Test in Pretoria.