Advertisement

Ragged South Africa flailing for answers

By Mitch Phillips LONDON (Reuters) - These are dark days for South African rugby, as Saturday's 37-21 defeat at Twickenham showed on so many levels. Their 10-year unbeaten run against England ended almost without a fight and though there was no lack of effort, this Springbok side have the brittle feel of the 2002/03 vintage when England routinely brushed them aside. The last 13 months have seen defeats by Japan, Argentina and Ireland, and Saturday's setback made if five losses from their last six games. They were in the game for 20 minutes on Saturday as England's ring rust handed them a string of penalties and territory but once the hosts edged ahead there was going to be only one winner. "It's hurting, it is tough times," coach Allister Coetzee told reporters after England's four-try victory. "But this team doesn’t give up and I draw comfort from the way they kept fighting out there today." Coetzee had selected a massive side but his decision to slot huge lock Pieter-Steph du Toit in at flanker backfired horribly as he bought two outrageous Ben Youngs dummies that led to tries. "In the crucial moments of the game we made mistakes and it was taken away from us," said Coetzee. "We had them under pressure but we couldn't handle their contestable kicks. Those individual mistakes cost us. "At times we were a bit passive in defence - we need a bit more speed off the line. We shouldn’t really concede a try like we did from the set-piece." Captain Adriaan Strauss agreed that England had suffocated his side. "There was no specific moment but test rugby is about pressure and we couldn’t handle it," he said. "They got out of their territory well and they tested our defence from the rucks and we weren’t up to it. We knew what was coming but they executed very well. "England are very effective in what they do, good rucks, good kicking, but we could have defended better." The good news for Coetzee is that his next game is against Italy, a team South Africa have never lost against and who were blown away by New Zealand on Saturday. "We need to get a win, that gives the team belief in the structures and what we are trying to do," said the coach. "There may be a few changes and hopefully that will bring some energy. "We were right in there for 30 minutes today but we paid the price for not doing certain basics right. "But there is no lack of effort in training or on the pitch so we have plenty to work with." (Editing by)