Double World Cup champions Springbok produced another gallant performance, beating England 29-20 at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham on Saturday.

The game was a thrilling encounter of pace and power, with the home side eager to avenge their World Cup semifinal loss to the Springboks.

Cheslin Kolbe scored two tries, one in each half, while Grant Williams and Pieter-Steph du Toit also crossed the line to secure a victory for Rassie Erasmus’ side.

Coach Erasmus opted for a bold starting lineup, pairing RG Snyman and Eben Etzebeth in the lock position for the first time. The 5/3 bench split, a strategy successfully employed in the World Cup semifinal, was once again utilized.

England fly-half Marcus Smith dictated the early stages, exploiting the wide channels to create opportunities. Ollie Sleightholme capitalized on this dominance, scoring the opening try in the fourth minute.

However, the Springboks quickly responded. Scrum-half Grant Williams showcased his speed and agility, evading the English defense to level the score at 7-7.

The momentum shifted further in favor of the Springboks when a charged-down by Eben Etzebeth and then Pieter-Steph du Toit in the same phase, allowed the latter to score an easy try. Manie Libbok’s missed conversion left the score at 12-10.

Libbok made amends with a brilliant cross-kick to set up Kolbe’s first try, extending the Springboks’ lead.

The game remained fiercely contested, with Sam Underhill pulling one back for England. However, missed penalties by Libbok and a halftime score of 17-19 favored the Springboks.

The second half began with intense action. Kurt-Lee Arendse thought he had scored, but a forward pass by Aphelele Fassi ruled out the try. England’s Henry Slade also had a potential try disallowed due to a neck grab by Maro Itoje on Malcolm Marx.

Smith’s penalty gave England a brief lead, but Handre Pollard’s long-range penalty restored the Springboks’ advantage.

Kolbe’s second try, set up by Damian de Allende, sealed the victory for the Springboks, with Pollard converting to make it 29-20.

Despite a brief sin-binning for Gerhard Steenekamp, the Springboks maintained control of the game, ultimately securing a well-deserved victory. The world champions will conclude their tour with a match against Wales in Cardiff next week.