Chariot swings low then higher still for England

international captain, had this compliment for his opponents at

Twickenham: ''English rugby is being played at a very high standard. In

the last year we have faced Australia, New Zealand, and France --

England's second-half performance was as good as I have seen.'' Pretty

chilling words for the rest of us.

Yet it was Botha, his boot delivering goals as coal from a pit, who

gave England a tortured first half hour. ''It was not just that he

kicked the points,'' explained home skipper Will Carling, ''it was also

that every time we made it to their twenty-two he hammered that ball

back 50 metres and more. Our forwards were not amused.''

At 16-8 ahead, the South Africans were most definitely in with a shout

of bringing off a victory which would have stunned the sporting world.

By the end, however, they were reduced to a whisper.

The contents of Carling's half-time talk, when his team were still

trailing by five points, were not published but it is fair to assume

that he demanded that the Springboks' supply line be severed. ''The

possession just dried up,'' admitted Botha.

Ben Clarke, winning his first but certainly not not his last full cap,

came into his own. The 6ft 5in. Bath No.8 went through the visiting

midfield like a buzz saw in a forest.

Wade Dooley and Martin Bayfield began to earn their corn at the

line-out -- if you can't stop your opponents lifting at the lines, just

get on with it yourselves.

Suddenly Dewi Morris, who had had a rocky opening, became a threat

again and plundered a vital try and Rob Andrew took over from Botha as

the game's most influential kicker. The chariot was swinging sweet and

low and not even the steady rain could dampen the celebrations.

Jonathan Webb put England on the board with an early penalty but Botha

hit back with a longer one at the other end, and when scrum-half Garth

Wright was unceremoniously tossed aside without the ball, Botha booted

in another.

The first England try came gift-wrapped. Danie Gerber -- a grave

disappointment to his many admirers -- fly-hacked a loose ball in the

manner of many a goalkeeper these days. It flew to Rory Underwood, who

checked, turned, and found wee brother Tony outside him. Junior sprinted

in for the score he will always savour.

Botha responded with a superb dropped goal, the fly-half pirouetting

on the proverbial tanner before steering the ball between the sticks.

England were really rocked in the thirtieth minute. Willie Hills

grabbed a home tapdown at the line and was very nearly over. Instead,

Wright fed flanker Tiaan Strauss and the waltzing over line became

inevitable. So was Botha's conversion.

Webb kicked an important goal just before half-time and England were

ahead six minutes after the restart. A slide-rule chip by Andrew dropped

into the arms of Jeremy Guscott and he scored for Webb to convert.

The full-back added another goal then Morris gleefully plundered a

Springbok heel for another try which Webb converted.

Carling drove in the final nail, Andrew's high kick setting up the

captain's try.

The visitors were down but in Theo van Rensburg, Jacques Oliver and

Frederick Smit they had players of the highest class.

''South Africa will be back,'' insisted manager Abie Malan, ''and when

we return, we will be better.''

I hope everything, politics, their own attitude, allows them to be.

England- -- J M Webb; T Underwood, W D C Carling, J C Guscott, R

Underwood; C R Andrew, C D Morris; J Leonard, B C Moore, V E Obogu, M C

Bayfield, W A Dooley, M C Teague, B B Clarke, P J Winterbottom.

Replacement -- P R de Glanville for T Underwood (57 minutes).

South Africa -- J T L van Rensburg; J T Small, D M Gerber, P G Muller,

J Oliver; H E Botha, G D Wright; J J Styger, W G Hills, K S Andrews, H

Hattingh, A W Malan, C P Strauss, A Richter, F C Smit.

Referee -- S R Hilditch (Ireland).