(Reuters) – England flyhalf Marcus Smith paid tribute to World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson after his last-minute penalty secured a 27-26 victory https://www.reuters.com/life-style/sports activities/smith-wins-epic-clash-england-with-late-penalty-v-safrica-2021-11-20 over South Africa on Saturday, within the groups’ first assembly since their 2019 World Cup remaining loss to the Springboks.
Smith, 22, stated he has been working with Wilkinson in coaching and had additionally been involved with captain Owen Farrell, who missed the sport after ankle surgical procedure and is predicted to be out for as much as 12 weeks.
“It is all right down to (Wilkinson),” Smith stated. “He is been working exhausting with me and, once more, placing his arm round me and permitting me to discover on the weekend. I appreciated it, large time. We stated 4 weeks in the past this was the sport we wished to focus on.
“The boys purchased into the final 4 weeks. We obtained extraordinarily shut as a bunch. It was an enormous, large a part of our journey as a younger group of gamers and to beat the world champions in entrance of 82,000 at dwelling was particular… It is a day I am going to always remember.
“During the last 4 weeks I’ve liked working with Owen. It is a disgrace he fell to harm final week however we have been involved this week and he is been serving to me lots. I’ve realized hundreds from him.”
The victory over South Africa rounded off England’s 12 months following spectacular wins over Tonga and Australia. They’ll tackle Scotland at Murrayfield of their first Six Nations match on Feb. 5.
(Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Bengaluru; Enhancing by Christopher Cushing)
