The England wing Tommy Freeman has insisted that all-conquering South Africa are solely human and vowed Steve Borthwick’s aspect will take the battle to the Springboks on Saturday.
After 4 straight defeats and 6 in seven in opposition to tier-one opposition, England face the daunting process of welcoming the back-to-back world champions to Twickenham. England’s last-gasp defeat by Australia noticed Borthwick’s aspect slip to seventh on the planet rankings whereas the Springboks returned to the summit after their 32-15 win over Scotland.
Borthwick is beneath growing strain after starting the autumn marketing campaign with two house defeats and Freeman has conceded that England will go into their first encounter with South Africa since final 12 months’s World Cup semi-final exit as underdogs.
After a “tough” assessment of the 42-37 loss to the Wallabies, nonetheless, Freeman is adamant England may cause an upset on Saturday. “The semi-final within the World Cup was a one-point recreation, they had been undoubtedly blown again by the best way the lads took it to them,” mentioned Freeman. “They don’t seem to be unbeatable, they’re nonetheless human, they’re nonetheless rugby gamers, they’re nonetheless taking part in the identical recreation. We’re going to ship our recreation as greatest we are able to, make just a few wrongs proper from final weekend and we’re going to go correctly after them.
“We’re not getting in saying, ‘we predict them to beat us, we are going to give it a shot’ that has by no means crossed our thoughts. We’re getting in to ship our gameplan and if we ship it properly sufficient we all know we are able to beat any crew. The Boks supply one thing very totally different. They’re a brand new problem and so they’re on high of the world in the meanwhile. We could also be thought of underdogs however we’re going to take a giant shot at them.”
Freeman has sad recollections of dealing with the Springboks and was taken off at half-time throughout their final go to to Twickenham in 2022 – a match South Africa received 27-13 in what proved to be Eddie Jones’s final in cost. The 23-year-old Northampton winger didn’t seem once more for England till this 12 months’s Six Nations, having been ignored by Borthwick for the World Cup squad.
“Clearly it wasn’t supreme being pulled off at half-time, that wasn’t the very best feeling on the planet,” he mentioned. “This chance is one to place it proper, that’s undoubtedly at the back of my thoughts in the meanwhile.
“That was my first recreation at Twickenham. It was my third cap. First one at Twickenham with your loved ones and buddies who didn’t handle to return out to Australia [for my debut] and so they’re all sat there watching at Twickenham … yeah it’s tough. Nobody needs it to go that means. You hear tales beforehand of issues like that occurred, it’s one thing you by no means wish to occur to you. It’s behind me now.”
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If England are to beat South Africa, they must tighten up defensively after lacking a scarcely plausible 36 tackles in opposition to Australia in what was solely Joe El-Abd’s second match as defence coach since taking up from Felix Jones. “We’re not far off the place we wish to be,” mentioned Freeman. “I’d say there’s a little bit of tentativeness. You wish to get off the road and there’s doubtlessly that hesitation. I don’t assume there’s an excessive amount of we’re doing mistaken; sure, we’re conceding, however plenty of that has come off of our transition. As quickly as we are able to cease them transition attacking in opposition to us we’ll look robust from that.”
England’s process this weekend is made all of the harder with accidents to Tom Curry and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who will each miss the go to of the Springboks. After scoring two tries from the bench in opposition to Australia, Ollie Sleightholme may make his first England begin on Saturday.
“It was bittersweet,” Sleightholme mentioned. “It’s a dream to play at Twickenham and rating, nevertheless it’s a recreation we must always’ve received. It’s irritating because the alternatives had been there. The result’s the primary factor, and that’s irritating for everybody.”
