In June 2012, the England national rugby union team went on a three-test tour against the South Africa national rugby union team, known colloquially and referred to hereafter as the Springboks. This was one of a series of mid-year tours in 2012 by northern teams to be hosted by southern hemisphere nations.
The series was among the first to mark a return to the format of traditional tours, after the International Rugby Board (IRB) decided in 2010 to revive the concept, which could include mid-week matches against representative or club sides. This was first such tour since South Africa had hosted New Zealand in 1996.
England last toured South Africa in 2007 and played two test matches, losing both 58 – 10 and 55 – 22. The last time the two sides met was in 2010 at Twickenham, when the Springboks won 21 – 11, marking their seventh straight win against England. Leading up to this series, both nations had played each other 32 times. The Springboks had won 19 games, England 12, and one had been drawn. England's last win against the Springboks was in 2006, when they won 23 – 21 at Twickenham. Their last victory in South Africa came in 2000, when they triumphed in Bloemfontein 27 – 22.
On 10 May, England coach Stuart Lancaster announced his initial 42-man squad for the tour to South Africa consisting of 23 forwards and 19 backs. Thirteen uncapped players were included in the squad.
Forwards: Mouritz Botha (Saracens), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Alex Corbisiero (London Irish), Paul Doran-Jones (Northampton Saints), Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints), Carl Fearns (Bath Rugby), Joe Gray (Harlequins), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Highlanders), Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs), Graham Kitchener (Leicester Tigers), Joe Launchbury (London Wasps), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Lee Mears (Bath Rugby), Ben Morgan (Scarlets), Matt Mullan (Worcester Warriors), Tom Palmer (Stade Français), Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers), Chris Robshaw (captain, Harlequins), George Robson (Harlequins), Matt Stevens (Saracens), Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers), Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
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