The Springboks knocked the stuffing out of England to complete an imperfect November tour in preparation for their World Cup defence, according to MARK KEOHANE.
An emphatic 27-13 win for the world champions ended their eight-year wait for a win against the Roses at Twickenham on Saturday, after thrashing Italy in Genoa a week earlier.
Jacques Nienaber’s troops began their end-of-year tour with back-to-back defeats to Ireland and France, but will look back on a 2022 season having won eight of 13 Test matches played.
In his TimesLIVE column, Keohane argues that the mental scarring for Eddie Jones’ England following the “crushing” defeat to South Africa is reminiscent of what the Boks suffered last year in London, but also reminds him of the lead-up to the 2019 World Cup final clash between the teams.
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“The Boks, who beat England 2-1 in a home series in Rassie Erasmus’s first series as Bok coach in 2018, lost 12-11 to England at Twickenham later that year,” Keohane wrote.
“Jones’ team had been together for four years and Erasmus had enjoyed four months with his team. When they met in the World Cup final a year later, South Africa smashed England 32-12.
“Fast forward to last year’s final international of the season for the Boks against England at Twickenham. The Boks had been together for four years and Jones picked a team, many of whom were in their first few months of Test rugby. England’s kids won 27-26.
“The psyche had shifted in an instant. Jones had kids believing in themselves and not awed by the prospect of beating the World Cup holders and some of the most experienced internationals currently playing the game.
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“[On Saturday] it was the Bok newbies who thrived and the Bok 2019 World Cup-winning old boys who triumphed emphatically. It was not so much a mental victory for the Boks, but a blow so crushing on every level, it is doubtful England have enough time to recover should they meet the Boks in the latter stages of the World Cup.
He added: “Statistically, the tour ranks a 50 percent return. A performance rating, from the combined four Tests, would be between six and seven from 10. But when it comes to the mental warfare this was as close to a 10 from 10 as you will get.
“England know they are in trouble against the Boks next year and France and Ireland, both playing at home, know they should have lost to a Bok team that is evolving and can only improve.”
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