England vs South Africa: Steve Borthwick’s team need to raise game once more

Springboks don’t do sympathy.

South Africa have an immediate and emotional connection to their own nation.

On this trip to the northern hemisphere, the Boks have been granting interviews, signing shirts and coaching kids in a concerted PR push. But there are limits. And when talk turned to England, the charm stopped and the Boks’ offence started.

Asked about opposite number Steve Borthwick, there was an initial trace of empathy in Rassie Erasmus’ comments… It didn’t last the paragraph though.

“When you lose two games, even if it’s by a point or last-minute try, the pressure does start to build,” said Erasmus of a start to the autumn which has increased England’s run of defeats to four games overall.

“I’ve been there and certainly know how quickly that can get to you. Now Steve is a bit under pressure.

“It depends on your CEO – they can make you feel like you have got a gun against your head.”

The Rugby Football Union has no plans to pull a trigger. While a defeat against South Africa two years ago marked the end of his predecessor Eddie Jones, the RFU has backed Borthwick for the long haul, signing off on central contracts to strengthen his arm only last month.

But plans can change. A P45 came only eight months after the same reassurance for Jones.

Defeat would drop Borthwick’s win rate – currently 13 victories from 26 matches – to below 50%.

England would have lost five successive Test matches for the first time since 2018.

A 15-point loss, combined with success by a similar margin for Australia in Cardiff on Sunday, would put England eighth in the world – matching a historic low.

Back-to-back world champions South Africa are top of the rankings. But the gap between the two teams on the pitch is rarely as big as on the spreadsheet.

Two of their last three matches at Twickenham have been decided by a single point. Their Rugby World Cup semi-final last year was as well.