South Africa 18 England 13
A controversial decision from the grandstand robbed England of a dramatic victory over South Africa in a bruising encounter in Pretoria this afternoon. With the match in the balance, Tim Stimpson outpaced Springbok skipper Andre Vos chasing a Mike Catt kick to the corner.
The Leicester man, only playing because of Jonny Wilkinson's late withdrawal with a stomach virus, won the race and was vainly trying to control possession when Vos pulled him down with what looked to be an illegal tackle. Instead of the expected penalty try, the video referee advised match official Colin Hawke to award a scrum to South Africa for a Stimpson knock on.
Though Stimpson later slotted home a penalty, it was not enough to erase the Springboks' first half advantage. England's misery was compounded because they also scored the only try of the match, Saracens winger Dan Luger sliding in from the base of a ruck two minutes before the interval. But South Africa emerged victorious because England conceded too many penalties in the opening period.
Fly-half Braam van Straaten landed five to give the Springboks what seemed to be an unassailable lead. But in a game where home prop Willie Meyer and England hooker Phil Greening were both sin-binned in first-half injury-time, the visitors refused to buckle. In a second period which turned into a war of attrition, England peppered the defence with a succession of forward drives. But they couldn't break through and a late penalty against Leon Lloyd for punching allowed van Straaten another chance to wrap up victory.
Meanwhile, Wales got off to the best possible start in their opening game of their five match development tour to Canada scoring three tries in a 19-0 victory over Eastern Canada. The young Welsh side were made to battle all the way in their tour opener at Swilers Rugby Club in St John's, Newfoundland but their class proved too much for the dogged home side.
