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As a gauge of where England currently stand in world rugby’s pecking order, a match against the world champions is the ultimate test. South Africa, alongside Ireland, are the form international team and possess power and flair in abundance.
Today’s rematch of last year’s World Cup semi-final in Paris is also laced with bad blood.
A stormy 16-15 victory for South Africa soon became the subject of a bitter race row after England’s Tom Curry claimed that Bongi Mbonambi had called him a “white c—”.
World Rugby found “insufficient evidence” to support Curry’s allegation and Mbonambi said it was a “misunderstanding” because he was speaking Afrikaans.
England are playing to avoid a fifth successive defeat that threatens to continue an autumn of discontent.
When is the match?
England play South Africa today – Saturday, November 16 at Twickenham (Allianz Stadium).
What time does it start?
The match kicks off at 5.40pm GMT. Or 7.40pm if you are in South Africa.
What TV channel is it on?
In the UK and Ireland, every game is being shown live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
What is the latest team news?
England
England have reinstated Freddie Steward at full-back and picked Jack van Poortvliet at scrum-half in an effort to salvage their autumn against South Africa on Saturday.
George Furbank drops out of the squad altogether to make room for Steward at 15 and Ben Spencer is also axed, with Van Poortvliet set to make his first Test appearance for over a year.
Furbank and Spencer both started the last-gasp losses against New Zealand and Australia that have turned the Allianz Stadium showdown against the Springboks into a must-win encounter.
The two other changes to the starting XV are enforced after Tom Curry and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso were ruled out against South Africa because of concussions sustained facing the Wallabies.
Sam Underhill is chosen at openside flanker, having overcome an ankle issue that had affected the start of his season, while Ollie Sleightholme, the scorer of two tries against Australia, is given his first start on the left wing.
England XV: Steward, Freeman, Lawrence, Slade, Sleightholme; M Smith, Van Poortvliet; Genge George (capt), Stuart; Itoje, Martin; Cunningham-South, Underhill, Earl
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Baxter, Cole, Isiekwe, Dombrandt, Randall, Ford, Roebuck
South Africa
South Africa have made 12 changes to their starting side to face England, reverting to a five-three split on the bench as Manie Libbok takes the reins at fly-half.
Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Eben Etzebeth are the only three players to have retained their places from the team that eventually overwhelmed Scotland to win 32-15 last weekend.
The captaincy passes from Etzebeth to Siya Kolisi, who teams up with Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese in the back row.
Grant Williams, a replacement at Murryfield, partners Libbok at half-back with Cobus Reinach, Handre Pollard and Lukhanyo Am the three backs among the replacements.
Pollard, of course, came on for Libbok in last year’s World Cup semi-final and broke England’s hearts with a long-range penalty. Interestingly, Erasmus also opted for a five-three split for that knockout fixture in Paris.
Wilco Louw, the former Harlequins prop, starts at tighthead and will be familiar to Premiership regulars.
Meanwhile, in the back three, Aphelele Fassi starts at full-back in between two electric wings in Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse.
Rassie Erasmus also reinstates his first-choice midfield of Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel.
South Africa’s last visit to Twickenham was two years ago in what turned out to be Eddie Jones’ final game as England head coach, a 27-13 loss to the Springboks proving enough to convince RFU bosses to sack the Australian.
South Africa XV: Fassi, Kolbe, Kriel, De Allende, Arendse; Libbok, Williams; Nche, Mbonambi, W Louw; Etzebeth, Snyman; Kolisi, PS du Toit, Wiese
Replacements: Marx, Steenekamp, Koch, E Louw, K Smith, Reinach, Pollard, Am
What are the latest odds?
- England to win 11/4
- South Africa to win 4/11
- Draw 25/1
What happened the last time these teams played?
The semi-final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup was the last time England and South Africa went toe-to-toe, with the Springboks agonisingly coming out on top by the barest of margins, 16-15. They would go on to beat the All Blacks, also by one point, in the final.
What is our prediction?
France may argue differently, but at the top of the rugby table two teams currently stand above the rest – Ireland and South Africa. The Boks are world class from 1 to 15 and even home advantage is unlikely to be enough for England to stop the Springbok juggernaut.
Predicted score: England 15 South Africa 21
