Autumn Nations Series: England vs South Africa talking points ahead of rematch between 2019 World Cup finalists
England are targeting a clean sweep of Autumn Nations Series victories when odds-on favourites South Africa visit Twickenham on Saturday, while the Springboks will be looking for their first win at Twickenham since 2014
Last Updated: 20/11/21 7:13am
England were well beaten two years ago as the team that crushed New Zealand a round earlier failed to show up. Revenge has been discounted as a motivation but a win against the odds would taste sweet and usher in a triumphant autumn for Jones' 'new England'.
Scrum supremacy
In the World Cup final in 2019, England had no answer to South Africa's scrum which was the foundation for their 32-12 win in Yokohama.
Two years later, the Springbok scrum has gotten even stronger, while injury and Covid has caused a serious selection headache for England coach Eddie Jones.
They are down to their third-choice hooker in Jamie Blamire, who has made only three starts for his club, Newcastle, and whose backup is an uncapped player, Nic Dolly.
Then there is Bevan Rodd, a prop who will be winning just his second cap and was drafted into the squad only as cover following coronavirus-related withdrawals. Among them is Joe Marler, who only exited self-isolation on Friday having contracted coronavirus, yet has still been named on the bench.
On the Springbok side, you have what rugby writer Paul Williams called, 'the best two front rows in the world'. Trevor Nyakane, Bongi Mbonambi and Ox Nche will start while Vincent Koch, Malcolm Marx and Steven Kitshoff will be unleashed from the bench.
However, Jones is backing his front row to pass one of the toughest examinations of scrummaging in Test rugby.
"They [South Africa] said after the World Cup final, where they beat us fair and square, that they knew how to play to us, they knew where our weaknesses were and they were implying that our forward pack was weak," said Jones.
"Obviously their game is based on physicality, so the implication is that they can go over our forward pack. But our English forward pack won't be weak on Saturday. We'll have 82,000 people supporting that forward pack."
Game management
Marcus Smith has long been hailed as a rising star and this game could see him rise to those heights he is destined for - he is some talent and seems to thrive in the big games. He will have some job to do and he really needs to stamp his authority on this game.
His kicking game will need to be spot on, as will his awareness of the impressive Bok blitz defence. Smith has the ability to make the world champions pay for any defensive errors and he has shown he has the ability to spot and manipulate space - space that will be rare in the Test atmosphere.
Ben Youngs will need to take some pressure off Smith with his kicking game, while the Boks will certainly be running down the No 10 channel as often as they can.
Handre Pollard directs the world champions around the field with a siege-gun boot. Pollard is also a physical presence who can carry into the heart of the opposition midfield, offering a gain line threat. Defensively, he is very solid and while armed with a range of passing, it is his game management that stands out.
Waterboy woes
Whatever unfolds at Twickenham, South Africa's architect of a glorious 2019 and chief waterboy will not be there to see it. Rassie Erasmus has been banned from all rugby activity for two months and must not engage in any matchday activities for almost a year.
The 80-page written judgement revealed the human toll Erasmus' hour-long critique of the match officials' performance during the first Test against the Lions has taken on referee Nic Berry.
In South Africa, Erasmus is being viewed as a martyr and his absence is being used to galvanise the team in their final game of 2021.
Key battles
We have discussed the front rows and No 10 battles already, but there are plenty of other contests ready to unfold.
South African fans have been extremely vocal about the World Rugby Player of the year nominations, where no Springbok has been shortlisted.
England's Maro Itoje joins Australia's Michael Hooper and Samu Kerevi, as well as France's Antoine Dupont on the shortlist. There is no place for the likes of Siya Kolisi, Lukhanyo Am or Eben Etzebeth - who has been sensational this season - and the fiery lock will relish taking on Itoje once more.
Both teams have impressive backrows with Kolisi in superb form. Duane Vermeulen has got better and better on tour and Kwagga Smith has been causing chaos at the breakdown. They will be well matched by Courtney Lawes, Sam Underhill and Tom Curry - who will look to dominate the breakdown.
In the centre, we also have fireworks where two of the hardest carries in rugby will collide - Manu Tuilagi and Damian de Allende.
Tuilagi, who started in the win against Australia, is back where he belongs, with Jones opting for another centre on the wing in Joe Marchant. Marchant's ability under the high ball and his defensive nous may have got him the spot ahead of, say, Adam Radwan - and he will certainly need it against Springbok try-scoring machine Makazole Mapimpi.
Teams
England: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Joe Marchant, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Jonny May, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Ben Youngs; 1 Bevan Rodd, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 4 Maro Itoje, 5 Jonny Hill, 6 Courtney Lawes (c), 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Tom Curry.
Replacements: 16 Nic Dolly, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 Sam Simmonds, 21 Alex Dombrandt, 22 Raffi Quirke, 23 Max Malins.
South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Jesse Kriel, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Cobus Reinach, 1 Ox Nche, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 3Trevor Nyakane, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Lood de Jager, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 7 Kwagga Smith, 8 Duane Vermeulen
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Jasper Wiese, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 Frans Steyn.
