Autumn international
Venue: Twickenham Date: Saturday, 27 November 2010 Kick-off: 1430 GMT
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC 5 live & online; Highlights on BBC TV (Saturday, 1900-2000 GMT, BBC Three/BBC Sport website; Sunday, 1130-1230 GMT on BBC Two/BBC Sport website); Also live on Sky Sports 1
Highlights - England 26 -13 Samoa England flanker Tom Croft has warned South Africa will be "on the rampage" when they visit Twickenham on Saturday. The Springboks suffered a shock defeat to Scotland last weekend, while England recently beat Australia, but Croft said they cannot afford to be complacent. "They're still world champions and you have to take that into account," the Leicester player told BBC 5 live. "South Africa have just lost a game they may have expected to win so they'll be on the rampage." Croft, who scored a try after coming on as a replacement in England's 26-13 defeat of Samoa on Saturday, added: "If you start thinking [South Africa are] not quite the team they used to be, that's where you will definitely slip up.  | They're missing some good players, but they've got other good players with a huge amount of experience who can come in and play England manager Martin Johnson |
"You have to have respect for them off the pitch but as soon as you cross that whitewash, it's you versus them and if you give them that respect on the pitch, they will get the upper hand." Croft is set to return to the starting line-up on Saturday in place of James Haskell, one of 11 players released back to their clubs on Tuesday. Full-back/wing Delon Armitage, on the bench for the first three autumn Tests, is among them, meaning Matt Banahan - who scored and created a try against Samoa - will retain his place in the 22. The Bath giant is likely to be on the bench, with outside centre Mike Tindall also returning to the side along with tight-head prop Dan Cole and captain Lewis Moody. Hendre Fourie, who impressed in Moody's absence against Samoa, remains in the 22 and is likely to revert to the bench. Apart from Banahan for Armitage, England are set to name the same 22 that beat Australia, with Simon Shaw back in the squad and Gloucester's Dave Attwood - a replacement against Samoa - also among those returning to their clubs. The others are Leicester duo Anthony Allen and George Chuter, Wasps pair Joe Worsley and Tim Payne, Gloucester's James Simpson-Daniel and Paul Doran-Jones, Saracens wing David Strettle and Harlequins flanker Chris Robshaw. Martin Johnson will confirm his line-up on Thursday at 1200 GMT. The England manager joined Croft on Tuesday in exercising caution about this Saturday's opponents, despite their five defeats in six Tri-Nations matches this year and their shock defeat to Scotland. Highlights - Scotland 21-17 South Africa "Australia came here last year and people said they'd not won many games, but who had they been playing?" Johnson said. "If you're playing New Zealand and South Africa every week it can be pretty tough. "[South Africa] have lost one game on the tour here and won two [against Ireland and Wales]. "They're still a very good team. Yes, they're missing some good players, but they've got other good players with a huge amount of experience who can come in and play." Despite being a place (fourth) below the Springboks (third) in the world rankings, England will start as favourites on Saturday following the impressive 35-18 demolition of Australia earlier this month. "Things happen very quickly, expectations change," Johnson conceded. "A couple of weeks ago, on the Friday before we played Australia, everyone was talking about them as the best team in the world - and they had a point. By the Wednesday they'd lost two games and suddenly they were in crisis. "What this autumn series has highlighted is any of these teams is capable of beating the other one." | 606: DEBATE |
Johnson is also confident England won't get caught up in the sort of drugs scandal that saw two Springboks players sent home after their win over Ireland earlier this month. Bjorn Basson and Chiliboy Ralepelle both tested positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine and as a result, UK Sport tested six South Africa players following their defeat by Scotland instead of the usual two. But Johnson believes England have the right procedures in place to ensure they don't get caught out. "We haven't changed anything about what we do because we are careful anyway," he explained. "Tiny amounts of substance can get detected nowadays and suddenly you fail a drugs test. It is very easy for that to happen. "We had the testers in last week. There has been a lot of testing going on and I am very happy that what we have got in place with our guys is thorough. It has to be."
England squad for SA: Backs: Ben Foden, Chris Ashton, Mark Cueto, Matt Banahan, Mike Tindall, Shontayne Hape, Toby Flood, Charlie Hodgson, Ben Youngs, Danny Care. Forwards: Andrew Sheridan, Dan Cole, David Wilson, Dylan Hartley, Steve Thompson, Courtney Lawes, Tom Palmer, Simon Shaw, Tom Croft, Lewis Moody, Hendre Fourie, Nick Easter.
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