South Africa were their own worst enemy at Twickenham as they failed to make the most of their advantages in 12-11 defeatA good big ’un, they say, will always beat a good little ’un. South Africa brought a pack full of giants, but, against all odds, the people who ultimately dragged them to earth were also dressed in green. Had the Springboks taken even half their first-half chances they would have been way out of sight long before England’s improbable revival.It was like watching one of those James Bond films when 007 is strapped to a table with the cackling villain pondering how best to finish him off. A massive 78% territory advantage for the visitors in the first 40...
Month of internationals will offer guide to which side can provide New Zealand with biggest challenge in Japan next yearNew Zealand (World ranking: 1 Points: 92.96): New Zealand are like a machine, mowing down all who stand in their way, but their blades get tangled occasionally, as they did against South Africa. It was another day when they did not go through the gears but engaged top immediately; they tend to be more strategic in Europe, getting a game won before indulging themselves. After what should be a weekend frolic in Japan, they face England and Ireland in consecutive weeks, two of their main World Cup rivals. The two games will provide greater World Cup preparation than next year’s Rugby...
Racial quotas in the Springbok selection process are still a regular subject of rancour but Kolisi is living proof of their ongoing validity and usefulnessThere are people who believe Nelson Mandela died years before he really did, who swear they remember reading about his funeral in the 1980s, hearing it on the radio, even watching it on TV. It is such a common mistake that the phenomenon’s got its own name: the “Mandela effect”. Time was when that phrase would have carried very different connotations. It might have described Mandela’s galvanising influence in moments such as the 1995 World Cup final, when he famously dressed in François Pienaar’s spare Springbok jersey to present the South Africa team with the Webb...
Missing faces at next month’s internationals highlight the row between clubs and countries that needs to be solvedRugby’s autumn internationals will be ready to rumble this time next month. England have a huge game against South Africa at Twickenham, Wales meet Scotland in Cardiff and Ireland face Italy in Chicago. These are big occasions with significant revenues. It is strange, then, that no one in charge of selling tickets, hospitality packages or television subscriptions has added a vital asterisk: two thirds of the competing countries will be fielding weakened teams.Many people will have shelled out for a Twickenham seat – costing up to £132 – keen to see if the visitors can repeat their June series success over England. Can...
Finding a successor to the World Rugby Coach of the Year in 2019 is already concentrating minds at Twickenham and the search may lead to the PremiershipThe choice of Eddie Jones as World Rugby Coach of the Year was hardly the most startling news ever to emerge from Monte Carlo. Like a race leader at the Monaco Grand Prix, opportunities to overtake his England side have been few this calendar year, with only Ireland doing so back in March. England still lifted the Six Nations title for the second successive year and under Jones have won 22 of their 23 games. Related: Eddie Jones gives chaos a whirl to keep England on their toes for autumn Tests Related: Scotland flowering...