Man that first half was a disaster. Bongi couldn’t hit a barn door with a shot gun. The Boks were being beaten on the deck, we rarely got out of our half and the Pom tactical kicking game was far better, as was their ball chase.
That really extended to deep into the second half. England were up by 15 to 6 late into the game. Then on came Ox and we immediately won three scum penalties taking us from near our line to Snyman’s try.
Then the last act. We had a mark and chose to scrum. Interestingly we got the ball out quickly and Pollard kicked long to gain territory. Steward obliged in the mistake of the WC….a corresponding deep kick would have probably saved the game.. Instead his short up and under led to a knock and a scrum….in Pollard’s range.
Ox obliged again….and Pollard with ice in his veins nails it from 49 meters. As long as Marler was on the Pom scrum held up and actually won a scrum penalty or two.
And then England brought on their reserve props Genge and Sinkler in a repeat of the 2019 Pom scrum failure. . These guys looked like deer in the headlights, stamping, fidgeting and gesticulating before each scrum. Ox just stood there quietly and then destroyed them.