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redunderthebed
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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>
Well done to sarries they'll probably do what england national team won't beat South Africa. :lol:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/8365346.stm
Saracens 24-23 South Africa Saracens (6) 24
Tries: Joubert, Barritt Con: Hougaard Pens: Hougaard (3) Drops: Hougaard
South Africa (18) 23
Try: De Jongh, Nokwe (2) Con: Pienaar Pens: Pienaar (2)
South Africa suffered a third straight defeat on their tour of Europe as Premiership leaders Saracens came from 18-6 behind to win at Wembley.Juan de Jongh and Jongi Nokwe crossed to sent the under-strength Springboks into half-time with a 12-point lead.
Saracens, whose team included several South Africans, struck back with tries from Ernst Joubert and Brad Barritt.
Former Springbok fly-half Derrick Hougaard kicked 14 points as Sarries sealed an eighth successive victory.
"This victory is massively up there with previous great Saracens performances," said Saracens lock Hugh Vyvyan.
"To beat South Africa at Wembley is just fantastic. Its great for some of us here because we don't often get the chance to play the great players like these."
South Africa, who have also lost to Leicester and France this month, play Italy in Udine on Saturday before rounding off their tour against Six Nations Grand Slam champions Ireland at Croke Park on 28 November.
Saracens attracted an impressive crowd of 46,281 to Wembley as their owners, a South African investment company, continued their attempts to tap into the expatriate community in London in order to build their supporter base.
Sarries started with seven South Africans in their side plus England international Michael Horak and Barritt, who were both born in the country.
The Springboks XV featured five players who played in the Lions Tests including fly-half Morne Steyn, who put his side 6-3 ahead with two early penalties.
Following the second of those, South Africa counter-attacked straight from the restart and Andries Bekker looked set to touch down in the corner, only for England prospect Noah Cato to bundle him into touch.
That break launched 11 minutes of virtually unbroken South African pressure and although Saracens defended bravely, twice winning key turnovers, they eventually conceded.
De Jongh ran straight and hard through Cato's attempted tackle and then held off the challenge from Kameli Ratuvou to stretch for the line.
Ruan Pienaar inexplicably missed the conversion but his embarrassment was countered by Hougaard, who made a complete hash of a long-range penalty.
Pienaar made no mistake after Nokwe's try, which was controversially awarded despite the winger running on to a ball that looked to have been knocked on by team-mate Ashley Johnson.
Hougaard landed a second penalty just before the interval and, after the break, Sarries drew level with two tries in quick succession as they launched a sustained assault on the Springboks line.
Number eight Joubert scored the first after charging down a clearance from South African replacement Francis Hougaard with one hand before scooping up the loose ball to dive over in the corner.
Saracens had their tails up and Ratuvou was almost sent clear after some slick passing between replacements Andy Saull and Rodd Penney.
Although that thrust came to nothing, it carried Saracens back into the South African 22 and, after a powerful scrum, Barritt charged through three tacklers to score their second try.
Hougaard wasted the chance to restore Saracens' lead with another missed penalty and South Africa hit back in style, as Rose and Odwa Ndungane linking brilliantly to send Nokwe over for his second score.
But Sarries simply refused to be beaten and Hougaard dragged them back to within two points with his third penalty and then sparked wild celebrations with the match-winning drop-goal.[/b]
Well done to sarries they'll probably do what england national team won't beat South Africa. :lol:
