Springboks downed again

Saracens 24 South Africa 23

Saracens condemned world champions South Africa to a third consecutive tour defeat on an extraordinary night for the club at Wembley Stadium.

Former South Africa fly-half Derick Hougaard returned to haunt the Springboks with 14 points, including the match-winning drop-goal six minutes from time.

Saracens had trailed 18-6 at the interval but hit back with tries from number eight Ernst Joubert and Brad Barritt, the Durban-born England Saxons centre.

South Africa, conquerors of the Lions in the summer and newly-crowned Tri-Nations champions, have now lost to Leicester, France and Saracens in the last seven days.

The Springboks side featured five players who played in the Lions Tests, including fly-half Morne Steyn.

Two penalties from Steyn had edged South Africa into the lead when the game really sparked into life just before the 20-minute mark.

Straight from the restart, South Africa counter-attacked from inside their own 22 and exploited two forwards in the Saracens line to work an overlap for Jongi Nokwe, who roared clear of England prospect Noah Cato.

As full-back Michael Horak closed down the space, Nokwe slipped the ball inside for Andries Bekker in support but Cato, who had continued to track back, hauled the Springboks lock into touch just before he could touch down in the corner.

That break launched 11 minutes of virtually unbroken South African pressure and, although Saracens defended bravely, twice winning key turnovers, they could not halt the onslaught forever and eventually conceded.

Juan De Jongh ran straight and hard through Cato’s attempted tackle and then held off the challenge from Kameli Ratuvou long enough to stretch for the line.

Ruan Pienaar inexplicably missed the conversion but his embarrassment was countered by Hougaard, who made a complete hash of a long-range penalty.

The tackles from both sides were of bone-crunching intensity and Saracens had defended so well they barely deserved to go into the interval trailing 18-6.

But the Springboks enjoyed a huge slice of luck when referee James Jones waved play on despite number eight Ashley Johnson knocking on a huge up-and-under from Earl Rose and Nokwe scooped up the loose ball to score under the posts, presenting Pienaar with a simple conversion.

Hougaard landed a second penalty just before the interval but Saracens then drew level with two tries in quick succession as they launched a sustained assault on the Springboks line.

Number eight Joubert scored the first try after charging down a clearance from South African replacement Francis Hougaard with one hand before scooping up the loose ball to dive over in the corner.

Saracens had their tails up and Ratuvou was almost sent clear after some slick passing between replacements Andy Saull and Rodd Penney.

Although that thrust came to nothing, it carried Saracens back into the South African 22 and, after a powerful scrum, Barritt charged through three tacklers to score their second try.

Hougaard wasted the chance to put Saracens back into the lead with another missed penalty and South Africa hit back in style, with Rose and Odwa Ndungane linking brilliantly to send Nokwe over for his second try.

But Saracens simply refused to be beaten. Hougaard dragged them back to within two points with his third penalty and then sparked wild celebrations with the match-winning drop-goal.