RWC memories: Jannie de Beer sends England packing with FIVE drop goals

The audacity of the Springboks plan to keep going to the well with Jannie de Beer drop goals is something which exemplifies the South African spirit at the World Cup.

Watch: Jannie De Beer stuns England with five drop goals

The Springboks had set out to put the fear into England by showing them they had a way to score from 40 metres out.

The first three drops were all taken from around the ten metre line in the English half with South Africa’s No 10 not widely known for his attacking prowess with ball in hand.

England seemed initially intent on allowing De Beer a bit more space with Pieter Muller and Robbie Fleck outside of him and Joost van der Westhuizen feeding him the ball.

De Beer’s tactical masterclass on the day engineered one of the great Springbok victories against an underrated England team just beginning their journey to winning the 2003 World Cup under Clive Woodward.

A game of kicks

England seemed to have defensive answers to most of what the Springboks could throw at them.

However, once De Beer started raining down drop goals, that changed.

De Beer wasn’t the Springboks first choice at 10 with Henry Honiball out injured and there were fears that England had the beating of the reigning world champions.

Van der Westhuizen had fought over for a try in the corner that gave the Springboks a lead but it would be De Beer who fired the South Africans out of reach with his drop goals.

Once the fifth drop goal had sailed through the uprights England were shellshocked and realised they were going out of the Rugby World Cup.

“It was one of those days when everything went right,” De Beer said after the match. “I don’t want to take too much credit.”