England 20-29 South Africa: Groundhog-day defeats keep stacking up

Jack van Poortvliet has been here before.

Two years ago, as England’s scrum-half huddled up under the posts, his face flashed up on Twickenham’s big screens.

New Zealand flanker Dalton Papali’i had just picked off his pass and cantered in to give New Zealand a seven-point head start.

This time around it was a kick. Eben Etzebeth, looming like a skyscraper, had charged down Van Poortvliet to give South Africa a freebie try and puncture England’s promising start.

It will have felt like all his fault. It wasn’t.

England’s forwards left him unprotected and vulnerable. Marcus Smith, his fly-half, had his own chance to clear and similarly found a South African torso.

And, ultimately, the errors added up.

For all England’s unquestionable courage and energy, they have continually been undermined by mistakes this autumn. The foundations of a promising team always seem to be subsiding under their own slip-ups.

They have come in all different matches, in all different guises, from all areas of the team.

Against New Zealand, the crossed wires and fumbled drop-goal routine between Harry Randall and George Ford was most obvious.

Against Australia, England’s failure to secure a kick-off – Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii disrupting Maro Itoje – on the last play was key. But so was a botched midfield move that gave Andrew Kellaway a walk-in.

Against South Africa, Ben Earl missed a vital tackle on Damian de Allende, before England’s faint hopes of crowbarring their way to a comeback were dashed by Luke Cowan-Dickie’s twitchy line-out throw and Itoje picking, not going and being caught at the back of a promising breakdown.

Those are individual moments, perhaps the most glaring ones. But you could pick plenty more.

After three straight home defeats for the first time since 2006, the spotlight certainly shouldn’t shine on Van Poortvliet alone.

It must also extend to the sidelines to take in selections and systems.