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England set out on journey to recapture glory
THIRTEEN months have passed since these two sides last met, and while today's fixture does not carry the significance of a World Cup final in Paris, it provides Martin Johnson's new-look team with the opportunity to announce their arrival on the world stage.
The man who lifted the World Cup as a captain gets the chance to pit his wits against the reigning world champions as team manager at Twickenham, with his decision to stick with England's exciting new crop of players already on the line.
Ever since England's triumph in Sydney in 2003 there have been calls for a shake-up of the England set-up.
When it was not forthcoming under Brian Ashton, England stumbled through to the final, and while they pushed the Springboks all the way the favourites prevailed and England's try-scoring inability was there for the watching world to see.
Two games into his tenure, Johnson has shown he is not afraid to be the man to orchestrate that much-needed evolution.
He has introduced exciting new backs like Danny Care, Danny Cipriani and Delon Armitage, but has lost the power of a forward line on which the run to the Paris final was engineered.
These Investec Challenge internationals are the starting point of Johnson's attempt to concoct an explosive mix.
Of the 15 who started in the Stade de France on October 21 last year, Johnson selected only four for the rematch, three of whom will play following Andrew Sheridan's withdrawal through injury.
Paul Sackey was England's leading try threat on the wing in Paris, and remains so today, the only one of seven backs to make the cut.
World-class exponents of their art Jason Robinson and Mike Catt have retired from the game and international rugby, respectively.
The stock of Matthew Tait, Mark Cueto and Andy Gomarsall has fallen, the latter so drastically he lost his starting shirt to Leeds-born Care at Harlequins, as well as England.
And then there is Jonny Wilkinson, the hero of 2003 and the man all hopes were pinned on again four years later, who said this week that regaining an England shirt is not the sole motivation for his rehabilitation from the latest in a long line of injuries.
How Cipraini must have rejoiced at those words. The young Wasps fly-half is the new face of Johnson's team. He has the dynamic line-breaking running Wilkinson never mastered, but, as he proved last week against the Wallabies, when it comes to kicking, he is not fit to lace Jonny's boots.
In the forwards, Phil Vickery and Nick Easter are the only men out for revenge for World Cup final heartbreak.
Gone are Ben Kay and Simon Shaw, Mark Regan, Martin Corry and Lewis Moody; the devastating forwards on whose form England's run to the World Cup final was built.
Matt Stevens was on the bench in Paris, as he will be today, with Tim Payne coming in from outside the 22 to replace Sheridan.
One of the few veterans is Jamie Noon, the Goole-born former Whitby player whose revenge mission against the Sprinboks is not inspired by World Cup final defeat.
England's humiliating 36-0 loss to South Africa in an early group match provides Noon with his motivation, for it was in that game that the 29-year-old suffered medial ligament damage to his left knee.
After returning to Newcastle, he is back in the England side and ready to acknowledge the importance of the young players around him who can bring about the new dawn of English rugby.
Noon, who wins his 36th cap today, said: "Sometimes I feel my role is to hold back the youngsters a little bit. I've played a lot of games and it's about making sure we build pressure on the opposition.
"We are a new side and a new backline. We have a new attacking coach bringing in new patterns. It takes time to get things firing.
"South Africa have been together a long time, so have Australia.
"This England core is just starting its journey. Areas of our game are improving and it's important we carry on down that road.
"South Africa pose a lot of threats, real pace on the wings and a great pack. We will have to play well to compete but we believe we have the side to do that."
South Africa – who have seven survivors from the World Cup final – arrive at Twickenham citing 'mental fatigue,' having faced a gruelling schedule of 13 matches in the last six months.
They have won their last five Tests against England, their best run of results in the history of the fixture, including the 15-9 World Cup final win at the Stade de France.
England: D Armitage (London Irish); P Sackey (Wasps), J Noon (Newcastle), R Flutey (Wasps), U Monye (Harlequins); D Cipriani (Wasps), D Care (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), L Mears (Bath), P Vickery (Wasps), S Borthwick (Saracens), T Palmer (Wasps), J Haskell (Wasps), T Rees (Wasps), N Easter (Harlequins). Replacements: D Hartley (Northampton), M Stevens (Bath), S Shaw (Wasps), T Croft (Leicester), J Crane (Leicester), H Ellis (Leicester), T Flood (Leicester).
South Africa: C Jantjes (Western Province); J P Pietersen (Sharks), A Jacobs (Sharks), J de Villiers (Western Province), B Habana (Blue Bulls); R Pienaar (Sharks), R Januarie (Western Province), T Mtawarira (Sharks), J Smit (Sharks, capt), J du Plessis (Sharks), B Botha (Blue Bulls), V Matfield (Blue Bulls), S Burger (Western Province), D Rossouw (Blue Bulls), P Spies (Blue Bulls). Replacements: C Ralepelle (Blue Bulls), B Mujati (Western Province), A Bekker (Western Province), R Kankowski (Sharks), H Brussow (Free State Cheetahs), F Steyn (Sharks), J Fourie (Golden Lions).
Referee: N Owens (Wales).
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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