England vs South Africa prediction: Another tough day for England

It’s been a miserable start to the Autumn Series for England after narrow defeats to New Zealand and Australia, and things don’t get any easier on Saturday when world champions South Africa come to Twickenham (5.40pm, TNT Sports 1).

Last weekend, England had been favoured by 12 points on betting sites for the meeting with Australia and led by that exact number at one point, only for a last-gasp try by Max Jorgensen to snatch a 42-37 victory for the Wallabies at Twickenham.

It was only England’s second defeat against the Wallabies since 2015, but confidence is clearly an issue for Steve Borthwick’s side who have now lost five of their last six matches.

World champions South Africa warmed up for Saturday’s game with a 32-15 win over Scotland, thanks largely to two tries from Makazole Mapimpi, and are firmly established as the number one side in the world right now.

The Springboks became the first team to win back-to-back World Cups in 2023, although England came very close to ending their defence of the Webb Ellis Trophy, the Red Rose coming out on the wrong side of a 16-15 scoreline in a very tight semi-final.

The Boks followed up their World Cup success by claiming a first Rugby Championship title in five years winning five out of six games, including both home and away clashes with New Zealand.

Now, South Africa head to Twickenham, where they’ve won on five of their last eight visits, including on their most recent outing in 2022 when they beat England 27-13, despite Thomas du Toit being sent off.

That game was Eddie Jones’s final match as England coach, and his successor, Borthwick, enters this game under the cosh after recent results.

The ex-Leicester Tigers coach has made four changes to his side for this game with flanker Sam Underhill, scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet, wing Ollie Sleightholme, full-back Freddie Steward all coming into the side in place of Tom Curry, Ben Spencer, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and George Furbank.

South Africa's team shows 12 changes from the win over Scotland with captain Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Maine Libbok and Cheslin Kolbe among the big-hitters to be recalled.

The Springboks matchday squad features 15 players who appeared in the World Cup semi-final win over England, a game Borthwick’s men could easily have won on another day.

This time around, England don’t look as well-prepared to face the world champions. Their set-piece has looked flawed and the defence leaky in the two games they’ve played this autumn, two issues South Africa could badly expose if given the opportunity.

After two heartbreaking defeats, facing South Africa will really test England’s mettle and it’s a test they are likely to fail, albeit not by much.

England vs South Africa prediction: South Africa to win by 6-10 points - 9/2 William Hill

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