England v South Africa, Autumn Internationals 2024: Date, begin time, easy methods to watch and prediction
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.
Saturday’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 ****”.
World Rugby found “insufficient evidence” to support Curry’s allegation and Mbonambi said it was a “misunderstanding” because he was speaking Afrikaans.
England and South Africa both name their teams on Thursday with the Boks expected to continue their policy of loading their bench with forwards to take full advantage of the depth of their pack resources.
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 on 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’s players, and coaching No 2 Richard Wigglesworth, have had no contact with Felix Jones ahead of Saturday’s clash with South Africa despite his inside knowledge of the Springboks.
Jones resigned as defence coach in August but Steve Borthwick stated last month that he is being used to provide analysis of the opposition throughout the autumn amid uncertainty over the date he will officially leave the role.
One of the game’s brightest coaches, Jones helped South Africa win back-to-back World Cups before joining Borthwick’s management team 11 months ago.
His decision to leave without having an alternative job lined up sent shockwaves through the camp, with Joe El Abd taking charge of the defence at short notice while still employed as boss of French club Oyonnax.
England have lost to New Zealand and Australia already this autumn and need to topple the Springboks to save the campaign, with Japan the final visitors to Twickenham a week later.
“We don’t have any contact with Felix. I’m not sure if the coaches do or not,” centre Henry Slade said. “We’ve been working with Joe and our defensive leaders, trying to set the defence and the team up to defend as well as possible.”
Tom Curry and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso have been ruled out of the South Africa showdown because of concussion. Flanker Ted Hill and winger Tom Roebuck have been called into the England squad in their place.
England squad
Forwards: Fin Baxter, Dan Cole, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Theo Dan, Trevor Davison, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Will Stuart; Alex Coles, Charlie Ewels, Nick Isiekwe, Maro Itoje, George Martin; Chandler Cunningham-South, Ben Curry, Alex Dombrandt, Ben Earl, Ted Hill, Sam Underhill
Backs: Harry Randall, Ben Spencer, Jack van Poortvliet; George Ford, Fin Smith, Marcus Smith; Ollie Lawrence, Alex Lozowski, Luke Northmore, Henry Slade; Elliot Daly, Tommy Freeman, George Furbank, Tom Roebuck, Ollie Sleightholme, Freddie Steward
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.
Mwanwhile, 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: Aphelele Fassi, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse; Manie Libbok, Grant Williams; Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Wilco Louw; Eben Etzebeth, RG Snyman; Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jasper Wiese
Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp, Vincent Koch, Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach, Handre Pollard, Lukhanyo 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
Source: telegraph.co.uk
