England

But the health secretary said people should "remain cautious" and celebrate outside on New Year's Eve if possible.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said ministers would continue to monitor the data and urged people to get their "first, second or booster jab without delay".

Meanwhile, both England and Scotland reported record cases over Christmas.

Some 113,628 new infections were reported in England on 25 December, 103,558 on 26 December and 98,515 on 27 December.

England fashioned excellent early tries for Manu Tuilagi and Freddie Steward but four penalties for Handre Pollard kept South Africa within five points at the break.

The Springboks then took command, cashing in on a series of England penalties to kick their way into the lead.

A try for Raffie Quirke on a rare second-half England attack briefly restored the home lead but Makazole Mapimpi crossed for the visitors and Fran Steyne edged them ahead.

Prop Joe Marler, who will not train until Friday after isolating with Covid-19, is named on the bench, as is uncapped hooker Nic Dolly.

Joe Marchant is on the wing with Manu Tuilagi returning to the midfield.

Flanker Courtney Lawes captains the side at Twickenham in the absence of the injured Owen Farrell.

England's last meeting with South Africa was the 2019 World Cup final in which the Springbok pack dominated to claim a 32-12 win.

England scored 11 tries, including four in the last 10 minutes, as the man-down Tongans lost their shape to give the Twickenham fans, filling the stadium for the first time since March 2020, plenty to celebrate.

Asked if he saw evidence of the ambitious rugby he had promised would be England's target after a year of sluggish performances, Jones said: "We saw the mindset of being aggressive in attacking the opportunities. The mechanics will be the fine tuning and we don't need to see the end of that until the seventh game of the World Cup."

Damian Szymanski headed in a stoppage time equaliser to deprive England of all three points and a sixth straight victory in Group I.

Harry Kane had fired England ahead with a swerving strike in the 72nd minute as Gareth Southgate's side looked set to retain their 100 percent record.

England have 16 points from six games with Albania second on 12 points, Poland on 11 and Hungary on 10 points.

England manager Gareth Southgate defended his decision not to use any substitutes.

"It is completely unacceptable that England players were racially abused in Hungary last night," he wrote on Twitter.

Johnson urged FIFA to take "strong action against those responsible to ensure that this kind of disgraceful behaviour is eradicated from the game for good."

FIFA said it had opened disciplinary proceedings into the incidents at the match and reiterated an earlier statement reaffirming its zero tolerance stance against racism.

The first test is scheduled for Monday, September 20, with the second and third tests on Wednesday and Friday, respectively, as the series will be completed in five days.

England boarded a flight on Thursday (NZ time), and will go into managed quarantine upon arrival in Christchurch. Netball New Zealand continues to work with the government around the evolving Covid-19 outbreak and alert levels.

Following the series, England are preparing to extend their tour across the Tasman with a series against the Australian Diamonds.

The team were given a hero's welcome as they arrived back in Rome on Monday.

Crowds cheered as Captain Giorgio Chiellini held up the trophy, won only once before by Italy in 1968.

The BBC's Mark Lowen in Rome says the victory has brought joy back to Italy after the hell of the pandemic.

The star of what they're calling an Italian miracle is coach Roberto Mancini, transforming a national team from the shame of failing to qualify for the last World Cup to a side unbeaten now in 34 games.

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was the hero for the winning side in the shootout, while substitutes Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka failed to convert from the spot for England.

Luke Shaw had struck the fastest goal in a Euro final to put England ahead in the second minute. Harry Kane fed Kieran Trippier on the right and his glorious cross was drilled home first time by left back Shaw.

And it's not the only pop song to have been adopted by England fans.

"I've never seen anything like it!" cried former England footballer Micah Richards on BBC Radio 5 Live on Wednesday.

Over on ITV, another former England player-turned-pundit, Gary Neville, soaked up the joyful atmosphere in Wembley Stadium and declared: "This is one of the best experiences I think I've had in football."

They weren't speaking after England's men qualified for their first major final since 1966.