The second semi-final in what has been a captivating 2023 Rugby World Cup will be played out this weekend when England take on South Africa in front of a packed house at Stade de France on Saturday evening.
South Africa are still on course to secure back-to-back World Cup titles after pulling off an incredible win last week against France, while England booked their spot in the final four by beating the Flying Fijians.
Match preview
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Somewhat surprisingly, England stands as the sole undefeated team among the World Cup semi-finalists, having secured the top position in Pool D over Argentina and winning all four of their games.
The Red Roses asserted their dominance in the pool stages by securing a convincing 27-10 victory over Argentina in their opening game, followed by successful triumphs against Japan and Chile, though they encountered a tougher challenge in a narrow 18-17 win over Samoa in their final group-stage match.
Last week, Steve Borthwick's side managed to edge out Fiji 30-24, and although they received their fair share of fortune in the match, it is difficult to dispute that over the course of the entire 80 minutes, they were the superior side.
Owen Farrell justified his role as England's number 10 by securing a 27-24 lead with a drop-goal eight minutes before the end, and he further extended the margin with a crucial penalty in the 78th minute.
With that, they now have a chance of redemption for their loss against this opponent in the 2019 final, and while most would agree they are a long way from the side they were four years ago, England have made a bit of a habit of doing just enough to get across the line in this competition and will hope they can do exactly that once more here, though it will not be easy against the hard-hitting Springboks.
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Meanwhile, the first quarter-final clash last weekend was considered the best match of the competition, but that was until France and South Africa collided 24 hours later in what could quite easily go down as one of the greatest World Cup matches ever.
In a match filled with tension, both sides relentlessly threw everything they could muster at each other, and despite Les Bleus leading for the majority of the 80 minutes, South Africa's determination remained unyielding, and they eventually came out with a 29-28 victory.
Eben Etzebeth showcased his power yet again in the latter part of the game with a forceful late surge to score a try in the 67th minute, shifting the match in favour of the Springboks, while Handre Pollard widened South Africa's lead to four points with a penalty from inside his own half.
Back at the pinnacle of world rankings, the Springboks are now the clear favourites to lift the Webb Ellis Cup for valid reasons, with the most evident distinction between these two teams being in their respective levels of physicality.
With this week's encounter expected to be somewhat less intense, that has been a domain where South Africa has historically faced challenges, and they will require a better start than last week to temper any English ambition before asserting control and pulling away in the second half.
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South Africa Rugby World Cup form:
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Team News
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Borthwick has named the England team for Saturday's clash, featuring the return of fullback Freddie Steward to the starting lineup, while Joe Marler and George Martin have also been brought into the pack for the crucial match.
Ellis Genge and Ollie Chessum drop to the bench as a result, while Marcus Smith, who started as fullback against Fiji, is not included in the squad due to a confirmed head injury, as stated by Borthwick.
Given Smith's absence even from the substitutes, the backup options for the backs from the bench will be provided by Danny Care, George Ford, and Ollie Lawrence.
In the opposite dugout, Jacques Nienaber has named an unchanged lineup to the side that beat France, marking only the second time in 64 Tests since taking charge of the team in 2018 that he and Rassie Erasmus have selected an identical lineup two matches running.
Boasting a combined tally of 895 international caps, this team stands as the most experienced in Springbok history, with 15 of the 23 players in the squad having participated in the 32-12 victory against England in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final in Japan.
Manie Libbok and Cobus Reinach retain their positions as the starting half-backs, while Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel continue in the midfield, accompanied by a back three featuring Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse, and Damian Willemse.
In the pack, the formidable front row will consist of Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe, and Bongi Mbonambi, while Etzebeth and Franco Mostert will form the engine room behind them, flanked by captain Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit.
England starting lineup: 15. Freddie Steward, 14. Jonny May, 13. Joe Marchant, 12. Manu Tuilagi, 11. Elliot Daly, 10. Owen Farrell (c), 9. Alex Mitchell, 8. Ben Earl, 7. Tom Curry, 6. Courtney Lawes, 5. George Martin, 4. Maro Itoje, 3. Dan Cole, 2. Jamie George, 1. Joe Marler
Replacements: 16. Theo Dan, 17. Ellis Genge, 18. Kyle Sinckler, 19. Ollie Chessum, 20. Billy Vunipola, 21. Danny Care, 22. George Ford, 23. Ollie Lawrence
South Africa starting lineup: 15. Damian Willemse, 14. Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13. Jesse Kriel, 12. Damian de Allende, 11. Cheslin Kolbe, 10. Manie Libbok, 9. Cobus Reinach, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6. Siya Kolisi (c), 5. Franco Mostert, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 3. Frans Malherbe, 2. Bongi Mbonambi, 1. Steven Kitshoff
Replacements: 16. Deon Fourie, 17. Ox Nche, 18. Vincent Koch, 19. RG Snyman, 20. Kwagga Smith, 21. Faf de Klerk, 22. Handre Pollard, 23. Willie le Roux
Head To Head
England and South Africa have been engaging in Test rugby matches since 1906 and have now contested 45 games in total. South Africa currently leads the head-to-head standings with 27 victories to England's 16, and two matches have ended in a draw. The most recent encounter between the two teams was during the 2022 end-of-year rugby union internationals on November 26, 2022, resulting in a 27–13 victory for the Springboks.
We say: England 20-37 South Africa
While England have earned their spot in the final four, they have not come up against any side that possesses the brute strength and ability that the Springboks have in this competition. South Africa's win over France last week was a statement to the remaining sides in the competition, and we feel they will be too strong for the Red Rose in this one.
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Devesh Jaganath
