It's crunch time for Steve Borthwick's men as England prepares to face the might of the Springboks in one of the most daunting tests of their Six Nations campaign so far. This Saturday's showdown at Ellis Park is a real David vs Goliath affair, with Eddie Jones' side looking to pull off the ultimate upset against the world champions and put their own painful defeats of recent years behind them.
The signs are there for England to build on – just as they did in 2018 when they secured a 24-3 lead over South Africa at this very same venue. Of course, those were more optimistic times for Eddie Jones' men, and the challenge that lies ahead will demand something extra special from Steve Borthwick's team if they are to repeat that feat.
However, with an average age of 30+ in their starting XV and injuries to key players like fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, there's a glimmer of hope for England. Siya Kolisi (35) and Eben Etzebeth (34) are still the driving forces behind this Springbok squad but, even they won't be able to mask their declining pace as the game wears on.
History is firmly on South Africa's side – they've rarely been beaten by England at home. The last English victory in South Africa came way back in 2015 in Cape Town, and Jonny Wilkinson's inspired performance in Bloemfontein in 2000 and Rob Andrew's in Pretoria in '94 seem like a lifetime ago.
The scrum is expected to be one of the decisive battlegrounds on Saturday. The Springboks' front row has long been their strength, but England have made significant strides since their World Cup semi-final defeat last year. Jamie George believes his team will match up well against the might of Ox Nché and co, saying "This is going to be a big battle for us on Saturday but we've been building towards it for a long period of time and I'm confident we'll go toe to toe with them."
The return of George Martin and Joe Heyes' recent form will give England fans hope, but even Jamie George knows the Springboks have the capability to dismantle strong packs. A new maul interpretation is also set to be introduced, requiring players to disengage and rejoin at the back if they go beyond the ball – this rule change could potentially benefit organised attacking packs like South Africa's.