South Africa 45-21 England: Springboks show muscle in seven-try Nations Championship victory

South Africa ran in seven tries in a brutal 45-21 victory over England in their Nations Championship opener in Johannesburg.

England were staring another ominous defeat in the face from the moment tries from Thomas du Toit, Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse saw the Springboks storm into a 17-point lead inside 12 minutes at Ellis Park.

England valiantly clawed themselves back into contention, reducing the deficit to three points by half-time after stunning solo finishes from prop Ellis Genge and lock George Martin.

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But South Africa ruthlessly reasserted their authority, with tries from Grant Williams and Jesse Kriel within 16 minutes of the restart.

A depleted England - reduced to 13 men after Tommy Freeman and Guy Pepper were shown yellow cards - were put further to the sword at the death by late scores from Malcolm Marx and Ben-Jason Dixon.

Springboks strangle England at altitude

Both sides suffered late withdrawals before a blow was even landed at Ellis Park. George Furbank's return for England was halted by appendicitis, with Marcus Smith drafted in at full-back, while South Africa lost talismanic captain Siya Kolisi and lock Eben Etzebeth right before kick-off.

Pieter-Steph du Toit deputised as captain in Kolisi's absence and his namesake, Bath prop Thomas du Toit, delivered lift-off for the Springboks, powering over for the opening score inside three minutes.

There was no respite for England as South Africa's brutal start and display of power continued. A trundling line break from prop Ox Nche ended with Kolbe, on his 50th Test appearance, side-stepping around Cadan Murley for the Springboks' second try in the sixth minute.

South Africa's third visit into England's 22 yielded a third try, with Arendse breaking through Marcus Smith's tackle and dotting down in the corner to compound a sobering opening 12 minutes for Steve Borthwick's team.

But having weathered an almighty Springboks storm, England staged a stirring comeback to completely change the complexion of the Test match before the break.

After seeing captain Jamie George's try disallowed after he was adjudged to have gathered and grounded the ball at the base of a ruck from an offside position, England gave South Africa a taste of their own medicine.

A brutal display of strength saw Genge sit opposite number Du Toit on his backside before breaking through two tackles to apply the finishing touch to a stunning solo score from a tap-and-go penalty.

And after Fin Smith's kick to touch on the cusp of half-time was ruled a 50:22, lock Martin was released down the left channel, where he bulldozed through Jasper Wiese and Kolbe for a converted try that slashed South Africa's lead to three points.

South Africa returned after the interval with renewed vigour and produced another devastating start to blow England away for the second time.

Scrum-half Williams threw a superb dummy to snipe over from the base of a ruck and establish a 10-point Springboks lead before Jesse Kriel crossed in the corner to stretch it to three scores.

Coles crossed for England's third try with 12 minutes remaining, but two yellow cards in as many minutes for winger Freeman, for shoulder-to-head contact on Damian Willemse, and back-rower Pepper, for repeated penalty infringements, undid all of their hard work.

Hooker Marx then scored his 27th Test try from a driving maul before forward Dixon touched down for South Africa's seventh for the final word in a dominant Springboks display.

'England will be a better team' - George

England captain Jamie George: "The overriding messages after were we showed a lot of fight and character to stay in the game, and then we let it slip at times.

"What we see at the top end - we're playing at the double world champions - is the game is fine margins.

"If we get into the sort of battle South Africa want - contestable kicking and capitalising on that - it's pretty hard to get out of it.

"We looked threatening at times, so it's just our ability to make sure we keep doing that. Genuinely, I think we will be a better team off the back of this experience."

Springboks 'made themselves proud'

South Africa captain Pieter-Steph du Toit: "It was a tough game.

"That's the thing about England, we always know they are going to come back and won't stop fighting. We just had to keep to our plans and execute them to perfection.

"Unfortunately, we lost a bit of control in the second part of the first half, but by the end of the game we made ourselves proud."

What's next?

England return home to face Fiji at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium (2.10pm) before South Africa host Scotland in Pretoria (4.40pm) on Saturday, July 11.

(c) Sky Sports 2026: South Africa 45-21 England: Springboks show muscle in seven-try Nations Championship victory