LONDON — Cheslin Kolbe, the South African winger, once again proved to be a thorn in England’s side, scoring a try in each half to lead the Springboks to a 29-20 victory at Twickenham on Saturday. This defeat extends England’s losing streak to five matches.

This match marked England’s third consecutive loss to a southern hemisphere team during this autumn series, having already fallen to New Zealand 24-22 and Australia 42-37. The match was tightly contested, remaining in the balance well into the second half, where familiar foes delivered decisive moments that impacted the game’s outcome.

Kolbe, who had previously scored in South Africa’s World Cup final triumph over England in 2019, opened the scoring with his first try in the 22nd minute, capitalizing on a cross-field kick. He later secured the victory for the Springboks in the 63rd minute following an incisive break by center Damien de Allende.

With a conversion added by replacement flyhalf Handre Pollard, South Africa established a two-score advantage. Pollard had previously played a key role in South Africa’s World Cup semifinal win over England last year, sealing the match with a last-minute penalty. Despite having the advantage of playing against 14 men for the final ten minutes, England was unable to respond effectively.

Since their World Cup victory a year ago, the Springboks have enjoyed success, winning 10 out of 12 matches while their two losses came by the narrow margin of one point each. In contrast, England has faced a troubling stretch, losing six of its last seven tests and struggling to finish tightly contested games robustly.

This situation has placed increasing pressure on England’s head coach Steve Borthwick, especially ahead of their final match of the year against Japan next week.

The first half was action-packed, featuring a total of five tries: two for England, scored by Ollie Sleightholme and Sam Underhill, and three for South Africa. The Boks’ tries came from scrumhalf Grant Williams’ quick run, flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit’s charge-down and subsequent grounding, and Kolbe’s early score.

In a tighter second half, both teams had tries disallowed, while England temporarily led 20-19 after Marcus Smith converted a penalty in the 52nd minute. However, lacking the composure necessary to secure a victory, England faltered under pressure. Pollard, who substituted Mannie Libbok, regained the lead for South Africa with a signature penalty from halfway.

Kolbe then received a pass from De Allende, embarking on a sprint down the wing to score a decisive try that ultimately dashed England’s hopes. Pollard successfully converted from the touchline to extend the lead.

During the match, replacement prop Gerhard Steenekamp was sin-binned in the 69th minute for repeated team infractions, which could have threatened South Africa’s dominance. However, their defense held firm as England struggled with errors and poor decisions.

This loss marks a significant moment for England, as it is their first instance of losing three consecutive home matches since 2006.