England
15 Mike Brown 7/10
Looked more like his form of last season. Absolute titan under the high ball and had more than a few runs, often straight off a heroic take.
14 Anthony Watson 4/10
Not a happy first start, although not a disaster. Edgy under high ball but better service might have made things different.
13 Brady Barritt 6/10
Solid as ever. His handling was sound and tackling relentless. Played a fairly handy part in the maul too, and his try was well taken.
12 Kyle Eastmond 6/10
Bundle of tricks. His passing was incisiveness and accurate, but there were precious little opportunities to breach the Springbok midfield.
11 Jonny May 5/10
Quiet day, as it was for all the wings. Great hands for England’s late try and was only a few feet short in the second quarter.
10 Owen Farrell 3/10
Doesn’t look fit. His kicking was ragged, apart from off the tee. Only looked comfortable with the physical stuff.
9 Danny Care 4/10
Fiftieth cap not his finest. He threw the pass that cost England the game and ran up too many alleys, bar one period of sharpness in second quarter.
1 Joe Marler 7/10
Good game. Dominant in the scrum and throwing himself around in the loose, particularly in attack. A step up from last week.
2 Dylan Hartley 7/10
Fine game but for that yellow just when they didn’t need one – and you’ve seen red for it. Set piece superb and far more involved round the field.
3 David Wilson 6/10
Anchored the scrum solidly. The moment he scored England’s first try will have been sweet and marked the start of their revival.
4 Dave Attwood 4/10
A step back from last week. Penalised at line-out and spilled a couple of balls. Had a great gallop in first half but delayed pass too long.
5 Courtney Lawes 6/10
Didn’t have much joy with his maul-sacking this week, but he was England’s principal line-out target and a force in the loose.
6 Tom Wood 7/10
Much better than last week. Discipline still an issue in first half, but he recovered well and was a big presence in defence and attack.
7 Chris Robshaw (capt) 6/10
In the thick of it right till the end. Exploited Matfield’s yellow card well, but, like his team, always seems to be swimming against the tide.
8 Billy Vunipola 5/10
Big rumbles, peppered with spills and poor passes, but when the dust settled just about even. Morgan much better though.
South Africa
15 Willie le Roux (capt) 6/10
Not his most dazzling game but neat and tidy and played a cameo role in Springboks’ crucial try after half-time
14 JP Pietersen 4/10
Ineffectual. Another of the wings watching the thunder from the sides. When he did become involved he was thrown around a bit
13 Jan Serfontein 7/10
Great anticipation for the try that changed the dynamic of the whole game. Otherwise it was a day of tackling, which he partook in robustly
12 Jean de Villiers 6/10
You sense his presence alone reassures his team. Very cool under pressure. The day could have gone much worse for Lambie without him
11 Bryan Habana 5/10
Of the wings, he looked the sharpest, but as discussed it was not a day for them, despite the pyrotechnics elsewhere
10 Pat Lambie 5/10
His kicking was all over the shop at times and he didn’t enjoy England’s heavy runners. But his chip for the try and a drop goal redeemed him
9 Cobus Reinach 6/10
Charged down twice in the first half, he could have sunk without trace. But he was on hand for a try and tightened up his kicking game in second half
1 Tendai Mtawarira 4/10
This was a nothing game for both Springbok props. Scrum was wobbly and his contribution elsewhere so-so
2 Adriaan Strauss 6/10
Not bad. Spilled a ball early on, but kept up his work-rate throughout. Did enough to keep South Africa just that little bit ahead
3 Jannie du Plessis 3/10
A walking penalty in the first half, whether it be in the loose or scrum. Won one back over the ball early in second, but uncomfortable in the scrum
4 Eben Etzebeth 8/10
Massive game. Huge tackles out wide as much as round the fringes, big lineout presence and won one crucial turnover in second half. Neither team is short of locks
5 Victor Matfield 6/10
Good work at lineout, of course, apart from when he pulled one down, saw yellow and precipitated England’s flurry of tries. Never far from the action in loose
6 Marcell Coetzee 6/10
Busy game round the park, winning his fair share of turnovers and felling England’s pick-and-go merchants
7 Schalk Burger 7/10
Fine game for the man enjoying a new lease of life. Battered his way over for try when South Africa were down to 14 men
8 Duane Vermeulen 6/10
Another of South Africa’s tireless workers. He got on the wrong side of the referee in the first half, but was part of the vice England couldn’t prise open
