Springbok scrum-half Grant Williams runs to score a try during the rugby Nations Championship match between South Africa and England at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday.
There were times when the Springboks looked shaky in this showdown with old enemy England, but each backward step resulted in a lunge forward as the world champions showed their mettle to nail an ultimately impressive 45-21 victory in the Nations Championship.
The build-up to the Ellis Park game was not short of intrigue. Siya Kolisi, who had looked the picture of health at his eve-of-match press conference on the Friday, withdrew with a hamstring injury, while Eben Etzebeth, who has not played for the Boks since his November 2025 suspension for eye-gouging, was withdrawn because of an undisclosed issue.
In came the uncapped Paul de Villiers at openside flank, with Pieter-Steph du Toit moving from blindside flank into the second row and taking over the captaincy.
Cameron Hanekom started in the No 7 jersey, having originally been named among the replacements, while Ben-Jason Dixon was promoted to the bench.
