England v South Africa player ratings: Marcus Smith the shining light amid a lot of gloom

England’s quest to resurrect their autumn by toppling South Africa ended in crushing disappointment as the world champions inflicted a fifth successive defeat on Steve Borthwick’s side.

After the high-octane thrills of a first half that produced five tries, the rivals settled into a nervy arm-wrestle that delivered the decisive moment when Cheslin Kolbe ran in the second of his two touch downs in the 62nd minute.

It meant England trailed by nine points and while they controlled territory and possession in the closing stages, the green wall held firm to prop the Springboks to a 29-20 victory at Allianz Stadium.

Marcus Smith produced an attacking masterclass against the back-to-back world champions with his ingenuity matched by his determination to drive England onwards and he was their brightest hope of causing an upset.

But the Harlequins ringmaster’s influence waned as an enthralling contest tightened up and it was instead the home defence that came into sharp focus with weak tackles from Henry Slade and Ben Earl leading to Kolbe’s vital try.

England

15. Freddie Steward
Definition of sublime and ridiculous. Left clutching thin air for both Grant Williams’ and Cheslin Kolbe’s tries and at one stage did a face plant. Also some brilliant high-ball takes. 5/10

14. Tommy Freeman
After a quiet autumn, Freeman was a lot busier here and came into his element targeting the Springboks’ diminutive wingers in the air. 7/10

13. Ollie Lawrence
Barely used as a ball-carrier again. Put one huge hit on Manie Libbok but also wasted a good attacking opportunity with a needless kick. Disappointing. 5/10

12. Henry Slade
Some lovely touches, especially for Ollie Sleightholme’s try. A tidy performance all round without being especially influential. 6/10

11. Ollie Sleightholme
Just a natural-born finisher and seems completely tuned into Marcus Smith’s wavelength. Let Kolbe slip from his grasp but he was far from the only one. 6/10

10. Marcus Smith
Remains the shining light among a lot of gloom for England. Brilliantly engineered Sleightholme’s try and did the whole 80 minutes at fly-half. 7/10

9. Jack van Poortvliet
Eben Etzebeth made him his bunny, charging him down twice in a hesitant early performance. Did grow into the game and the box kicks he did get away were excellent. 5/10

1. Ellis Genge
The England scrum was creaking but never quite collapsed. Williams picked a leaf from the All Blacks’ playbook in targeting him in the defensive line. 6/10

2. Jamie George
Hard not to read significance into the captain being replaced after just 48 minutes. Was the leading tackler when he went off, despite getting skinned by Kolbe. Line-out ran well. 6/10

3. Will Stuart
Difficult to overlook the succession of three penalties, even if the third seemed harsh. Did get one back at the scrum in the second half. 4/10

4. Maro Itoje
Ill discipline reared its ugly head again, coughing up three penalties. And the Springboks targeted his upright carrying style. 5/10

5. George Martin
A monster carry in the build-up to Sam Underhill’s try, this was his most effective match of the autumn, although Williams breezed past him for his try. 7/10

6. Chandler Cunningham-South
The Springboks are the alpha test for any back row and Cunningham-South struggled. Barely made any ground as a carrier and missed several tackles. 5/10

7. Sam Underhill
Outstanding. Made a mockery of his omission for the first two games this autumn. Brilliant line for his try and was a constant menace at the breakdown. 8/10

8. Ben Earl
Was growing into the game really well, winning a big breakdown penalty, and then Damian de Allende slipped through his grasp and it was game over. 6/10

Replacements

Perhaps the most consistent theme of England’s autumn has been how underwhelming the replacements have been. Cowan-Dickie’s penalty was close to unforgivable. 4/10

Luke Cowan-Dickie (George, 48) 3/10

Harry Randall (Van Poortvliet, 61) 5/10

Tom Roebuck (Slade, 48-58) 7/10

Dan Cole (Stuart, 58) 6/10

Fin Baxter (Genge, 64) 6/10

Alex Dombrandt (Underhill, 68) 6/10

Nick Isiekwe (Martin, 75) 6/10

South Africa

15. Aphelele Fassi
First major involvement was a neck roll and had a bad drop into touch. Good hard hit on Smith but a forward pass ruled out Kurt-Lee Arendse’s try and he completely missed Freeman in the air. 4/10

14. Cheslin Kolbe
Left alone in another county for his first try. So slippery with one lovely cut-through past a despairing George. Obstruction penalty gifted England three points but lethal finish for his second. 8/10

13. Jesse Kriel
Quiet in attack, although in fairness to him the ball rarely came his way. One miss on Steward. Cracking dummy run created the room for Arendse’s try. 6/10

12. Damian de Allende
Right time, right place to save one overthrown line-out. Key moment was busting through Earl’s tackle to set up Kolbe’s second-half try. 7/10

11. Kurt-Lee Arendse
Giving away a lot of height to Freeman in their kicking battle but he can seriously jump, winning loads of contests, and hits well above his frame too. One bad miss on Steward in the air. 7/10

10. Manie Libbok
A bad start, not on the same page with Williams, but a pinpoint cross-field kick for Kolbe’s try. Hammered by Lawrence but carried on, missing one penalty. 5/10

9. Grant Williams
That early mix-up with Libbok didn’t bode well but bounced back with a filthy sidestep past Steward to score. Went well. 7/10

1. Ox Nche
Gave Stuart plenty to worry about as expected at the scrum and his acceleration was notable hunting down England carriers. Sadly forced off early. 7/10

2. Bongi Mbonambi
Radar wasn’t working perfectly at the line-out and off his feet giving up a penalty. Not one of his better days and he’s had several of those. 5/10

3. Wilco Louw
His first Test since 2021 and had the nudge early on Genge, earning the first scrum penalty too. Missed Underhill running a sharp angle for one try. 7/10

4. Eben Etzebeth
Caught out blitzing trying to hunt down Smith but bounced back, hounding Van Poortvliet at almost every box-kick with multiple charge downs. One rare drop and pinged for playing Cunningham-South in the air. 7/10

5. RG Snyman
Genuinely beautiful line-out steal at the tail against Itoje and at 6ft 9in carries like an escaped giraffe when in space. Some player. 8/10

6. Siya Kolisi (c)
Smoked Earl in one early tackle and cleared out each ruck with his usual intensity, also combined well with Jasper Wiese in defence. 7/10

7. Pieter-Steph du Toit
Soft penalty for a player of his experience gifted England three points, and how did he respond? With a superb charge down of Smith to score. Pinged late for pulling players out of the maul. 6/10

8. Jasper Wiese
Combined with Kolisi for a huge hit on Itoje and the two paired up again for a jackal penalty on Freeman. Good carrying effort too. 7/10

Replacements

Malcolm Marx (Mbonambi, 45) – On the wrong end of an Itoje neck roll, although it did rule out an England try. Bad overthrow for his first line-out. 5/10

Gerhard Steenekamp (Nche, 32) – Collapsed at one scrum against Stuart when South Africa were well positioned and later yellow-carded after multiple team infringements. 4/10

Vincent Koch (Louw, 41) – Scrum wasn’t quite as effective with him on for Louw but a good turnover penalty with six minutes left. 6/10

Elrigh Louw (Du Toit, 60)

Kwagga Smith (Wiese, 60)

Cobus Reinach (Williams, 60)

Handre Pollard (Libbok, 45) – One mega catch under real pressure from Freeman and won the crossbar challenge with one long-range penalty. 6/10

Lukhanyo Am (De Allende 68)

Williams was playing well before Reinach’s arrival while Am took over late for a weary De Allende. Smith a nuisance around the breakdown.