Andrew Austin: Gutsy young Springboks rattle the world's best

One thing is clear after yesterday's crunch pool C match: England must not be allowed to win the World Cup.

While there is no doubting their talent, they are arrogant and play cynical rugby which pushes the laws of the game, and their fans are annoying.

Nothing unites Australian, New Zealand and South African fans more than their intense dislike for this England team with its superior attitude.

If the Springboks do not pull off the hoped-for miracle and win the cup, I could still tolerate it going to Australia, and I would definitely applaud if the All Blacks were victorious. But seeing the surly Martin Johnson lift the cup aloft would be a disaster.

Yes, they beat the Springboks in Perth, but the blood on Neil Back's crisp white top said it all: England had been in a war.

A gutsy and physical young Springbok side did what few teams have done to the world's best in recent years. They rattled them.

Jonny Wilkinson miscued touch kicks, their scrum got pushed back and their players fumbled the ball.

For 55 minutes the normally well-oiled England machine sputtered in the face of disciplined Springboks who believed in themselves.

That England pulled through to win by a flattering 25-6 said more about the Springboks' limitations than England's performance.

While England showed they know how to win difficult games, they also revealed how they can be beaten.

They showed an uncharacteristic vulnerability when confronted with hard tackling and bruising running.

That led to poor handling and shaky option-taking.

Forget Back's girlish cartwheel at the end of the match, England need to improve their play to win the cup.

Wilkinson kicked all his goals, but showed he is prone to emotions, and England can't afford to let emotion derail their winning game.

By contrast, the Springboks showed character and heart. But they needed more, a spark, a Brent Russell-type player to scorch through for an opportunist try. Instead, they were the victims of such a try through poor work by the dull, but normally reliable first five-eighth Louis Koen.

Until Greenwood's game-breaking moment, England had been frustrated by the lack of respect their African opponents showed them. As they have done in the past, England slowed the ball down and many a professional foul went unpunished.

A prime example was fullback Josh Lewsey illegally holding Jorrie Muller during a potential try-scoring move. Referee Peter Marshall erred in not sending him off.

The South African fans' nightmare scenario of a Springbok being sent off did not happen. They kept their tempers, but their game eventually fell to pieces.

Koen stood too deep and there were too many forwards in the backline during vital moves. Their record of only two losses in three cups is still the best, but they need to step up a gear to prevent it becoming three defeats.

Make no mistake, the Springbok performance was heartening for their fans and revealing for England's opponents, but at the end of it all, the Springboks still lost. They will now probably play a quarter-final match against an All Black team used to beating them.

Who cares how they played yesterday. The Springboks missed a golden opportunity to book an easy passage to the semifinals.

* South African Andrew Austin is deputy chief reporter of the Herald.

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