Tom Palmer: Pin-ball try the difference

With both teams noted for their resilience in defence, the game was likely to be decided on one moment of magic from one of the players – or one moment of luck!

And so it turned out and, unfortunately for us, that moment of the match went against us.

I don’t think I have ever witnessed a more bizarre try. We had been defending stoically on our own line when the Springboks lost possession of the ball.  Ben Youngs took a hack at it but it then ricocheted off J.P. Pietersen, their winger, back towards our line.

Our flanker, Tom Wood, tried to secure possession but unfortunately only succeeded in diverting it into the grateful hands of their back row player Willelm Alberts, who was now played onside and all he had to do was catch it and fall over the line to score.

The conversion of this try meant that we trailed by 16 - 6 and thus had to score twice at least, one of which would have to be a converted try, to even secure a draw.  But we simply could not break down their committed defence.

Looking at the statistics of the game, they show that we dominated the game in so many vital areas.  We carried the ball well over twice the distance they did, forcing them to make double the amount of tackles we had to make. We also clearly came out on top in terms of territory and possession.

Unfortunately, in themselves, they count for nothing if luck is not with you on the day!