The Rugby Paper

PLAYER WATCH...

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ENGLAND

1. MAKO VUNIPOLA Has improved out of sight at the scrum, big extra engine in loose Rating: 6.5 out of 10 2. DYLAN HARTLEY (C) Guided missiles hit lineout targets, and laid SA bogey to rest Rating: 6 3. DAN COLE No big barging runs in loose, but kept scrum solid and made tackles Rating: 6 4. JOE LAUNCHBURY Has come on in leaps and bounds as lineout option, high work-rate Rating: 7.5 5. COURTNEY LAWES Celebrated his 50th cap with good following-up of Brown footrush Rating: 7 6. CHRIS ROBSHAW Sacked Paige to win turnover, and crosscount­ry pace for the duration Rating: 6.5 7. TOM WOOD Not a 7, and early penalties cost England, but full throttle effort as billed Rating: 6 8. BILLY VUNIPOLA Full frontal collision ended Etzebeth’s match. The rock on which SA foundered Rating: 8 9. BEN YOUNGS Created tries for Ford and Farrell with inspired dummies which exposed Bok backrow Rating: 8.5 10. GEORGE FORD Sharp burst of pace for try – good apart from wasting overlap with SA exposed Rating: 7 11. JONNY MAY Turned on the turbos to burn off the SA cover for his try, and looks in good nick Rating: 6.5 12. OWEN FARRELL Impressive. Kept scoreboard ticking with 6/7 goal-kicking tally and run-in try Rating: 7 13. ELLIOT DALY Encouragin­g first start. Howitzer penalty, kick made Lawes try, solid carrying Rating: 6.5 14. MARLAND YARDE Good hands in the move for May’s try, but no sign of forays up the middle Rating: 5.5 15. MIKE BROWN You can’t keep a good man down, and his foot-rush made the Lawes try Rating: 7 REPLACEMEN­TS 16. Jamie George – for Hartley 56 – in thick of it 6 17. Joe Marler – for M Vunipola 63 - steady 5.5 18. Kyle Sinckler – for Cole 71 - debut 19. Dave Attwood – for Lawes 70 - no time 20. Nathan Hughes – for Wood 53 - sound start 5.5 21. Danny Care – for Youngs 67 - bit part 22. Ben Te’o – for Ford 70 - strong cameo 23. Jonathan Joseph – for May 62 - missed overlap 4

SOUTH AFRICA

1. TENDAI MTAWARIRA One big drive, and one big scrum from The Beast – but not the bulldozer he was Rating: 5 out of 10 2. ADRIAAN STRAUSS Quietly spoken, and quieter on the pitch too. Where has the carrying power gone? Rating: 4.5 3. VINCENT KOCH The Springbok scrum didn’t creak, one strong carry – but work-rate not consistent Rating: 5 4. EBEN ETZEBETH Came off worse in collision with Billy Vunipola, and stayed off with head injury Rating: 4 5. LOOD DE JAGER Left standing on the fringes too often, and did not make the dents he is capable of Rating: 4 6. WILLEM ALBERTS A couple of solid carries, but none of the juggernaut variety that made his name Rating: 4.5 7. PIETER-STEPH DU TOIT A lock, not a flanker. Bought two Youngs dummies which cost his side 14 points Rating: 4 8. WARREN WHITELEY Strong burst down the touchline for Goosen’s try, but still finding feet at Test level Rating: 4 9. RUDY PAIGE Kicked well, but swift pass submerged in the deluge, and nailed once by Robshaw Rating: 4 10. PATRICK LAMBIE Looked lively at the start, neat drop-goal, but control module sprang a leak later on Rating: 5 11. JP PIETERSEN Seems to have lost his mojo in attack – not many chances, and didn’t go looking Rating: 4.5 12. DAMIAN DE ALLENDE Offered the occasional threat, but not the midfield powerhouse he has been Rating: 4.5 13. FRANCOIS VENTER One of the few Boks who had the bit between his teeth – ran hard and straight Rating: 7 14. RUAN COMBRINCK Drifted infield for May’s try, and few opportunit­ies to showcase his attacking prowess Rating: 4 15. WILLIE LE ROUX Took his late try like the poacher he is, but most of the traffic was coming at him in white Rating: 6 REPLACEMEN­TS 16. Bongi Mbonambi – for Strauss 70 - run on 17. Steven Kitshoff – for Mtawarira 56 - no dynamite 4 18. Lourens Adriaanse – for Koch 62 - stood ground 4.5 19. Franco Mostert – for Etzebeth 31 - anonymous 3 20. Nizaam Carr – for Alberts 70 - lively 21. Faf de Klerk – for Paige 62 - too late 4 22. Johan Goosen – for Lambie 53 - had a tilt 6 23. Lionel Mapoe – for Pietersen 76 - late call

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