England v New Zealand player ratings: Smith and Feyi-Waboso did not deserve to lose

England opened their Autumn Internationals campaign with an agonising defeat by New Zealand. George Ford missed a last-gasp penalty after an All Blacks try in the closing minutes snatched back the lead.

England

15. George Furbank

Brilliant support line to set up Feyi-Waboso to make amends for failing to wrap Sititi in the first half. Did well to put out a few other defensive fires.
6/10

14. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso

Twickenham has a new darling. Even before his try, he was England’s brightest attacking spark and put in an earth-shuddering hit on Jordan. Just make things happen.
9/10

13. Henry Slade

Proved worth the gamble given his lack of rugby. Was far more influential in defence than in attack and made a crucial late tackle on Tuipulotu.
6/10

12. Ollie Lawrence

Unlikely to make the highlights reel but was low-key pretty effective, coming up with some important tackles and stripped Ioane in contact.
6/10

11. Tommy Freeman

A disappointing showing. His high-ball work is usually his calling card but was very poor here, helping New Zealand to dominate the early aerial exchanges.
5/10

10. Marcus Smith

A landmark performance. Perfect from the tee, constantly tested the All Blacks ruck defence and led a counterattack for the ages. Strange decision to replace him when he was firing.
8/10

9. Ben Spencer

For someone who puts so much store in his box kicks, he will be disappointed to have been charged down and had his pocket pinched at a ruck. Battle for No 9 shirt remains open.
6/10

1. Ellis Genge

Brutally targeted by the All Blacks for their opening tries by Tele’a and Jordan. Rule of thumb: don’t leave your prop exposed against All Black outside backs.
5/10

2. Jamie George

A bit messy all round. The lineout was out of sorts from the start and twice spilled the ball in contact. Did England miss his leadership in closing stages?
5/10

3. Will Stuart

After a brutal experience in New Zealand, this was redemption of sorts for Stuart who won the first scrum penalty against Williams. Vindicated the show of faith in him.
7/10

4. Maro Itoje

No one seems to love playing against the All Blacks as much as Itoje. Probably saved a try with his chargedown on Barrett and brilliant opportunism to burst through the middle of a ruck
8/10

5. George Martin

So much happier banging All Blacks than he is being asked to catching simple balls, coughing up a couple of turnovers.
6/10

6. Chandler Cunningham-South

Did far more than the abominable halftime ‘entertainment’ to get the atmosphere going at Twickenham with some monster hits. The tackle on Vaa’i was almost worth the entrance money.
8/10

7. Tom Curry

Absolutely in his element when England were absorbing black wave after black wave in defence. Topped the tackle count when he was replaced by his twin.
7/10

8. Ben Earl

You know that feeling when you need to sneeze and it never happens? That was Earl. Topped the carry chart but never quite exploded. No-arms tackle proved very costly.
6/10

Replacements

England’s scrum struggled as soon as the front row replacements came on and Ford missed two bites at the cherry to win it at the death, not helped by an awful pass by Randall.

Theo Dan (for George, 53) 
6/10

Fin Baxter (for Genge, 53) 
5/10

Dan Cole (for Stuart, 53) 
5/10

Ben Curry (for T Curry, 60) 
7/10

Harry Randall (for Spencer, 60) 
5/10

George Ford (for Smith, 63) 
5/10

Alex Dombrandt (for Cunningham-South 66) 
6/10

Nick Isiekwe (for Lawrence, 77) 
6/10

New Zealand

15. Will Jordan

The finish for his first-half score was straight out the top drawer, spawned by an almost symbiotic relationship with Beauden Barrett. 
7/10 

14. Mark Tele’a

Up there with the best on the field. Spritely from the start, finished his two tries supremely and his aerial work was significant. 
9/10 

13. Rieko Ioane

Departed for blood for 10 minutes but his defensive marshalling, alongside Jordie Barrett, was supreme. With the ball, however, fairly impotent. 
7/10 

12. Jordie Barrett

Gifted England an early three points for a tackle off the ball but otherwise he remains a central cog of this side. There is a sense of adventure but also solidity.
7/10

11. Caleb Clarke

The hulking wing did not have too many opportunities to demonstrate his devastating blend of power and pace and his deliberate knock-on cost New Zealand a try.
6/10 

10. Beauden Barrett

The playmaker will be remembered as one of the game’s jewels but there was little shine at Twickenham. Except for immaculate vision and execution for Jordan’s try, this was not vintage Beauden.
5/10

9. Cortez Ratima

It was his pass which was plucked from the air by Smith for Feyi-Waboso’s score and, other than an unexpected jackal, he never stamped his authority on the match. 
5/10 

1. Tamaiti Williams

The hefty loosehead, surely keeping the jersey warm for Ethan de Groot next week, was given a roughing-up at the scrum by Stuart. 
5/10 

2. Codie Taylor

Failed a head injury assessment after departing in the fifth minute, replaced by Asafo Aumua. The All Blacks possess impressive hooker depth. 
N/A

3. Tyrel Lomax

Quick thinking at an early ruck gave the All Blacks a boost but at his bread-and-butter, the scrum, he could not disrupt Genge. 
6/10

4. Scott Barrett

There was one first-half covering tackle on Slade which almost beggared belief and his work rate was tireless but is he the fearsome leader this side needs?
6/10

5. Tupou Vaa’i

Received a thunderous welcome from Cunningham-South in the first half and spilled a Sititi pass which did ask too much of him. Limped off a minute into the second half. 
5/10 

6. Wallace Sititi

The game’s pre-eminent forward, of that there is no question. A Godly offload for New Zealand’s first try and some of his loose work was petrifyingly dynamic. 
9/10 

7. Sam Cane

In his final appearance in a black jersey at Twickenham, the work rate could not be faulted. One tackle-off-the-ball aside, the flanker did not put a foot wrong. 
7/10 

8. Ardie Savea

In attack, he made England toil, never knowing when he was beaten, wriggling and writhing through home defenders. His first-half chip was a delight. 
8/10

Replacements

16. Asafo Aumua (on for Taylor, 4)

A cannonball who cannot be far from the starting XV. Scythed Feyi-Waboso in two in the first half and some of the deftness and skilfulness was a marvel.

Ofa Tu’ungafasi (on for Williams, 63)

Pasilio Tosi (on for Lomax, 63)

Patrick Tuipulotu (on for Vaa’i, 41)

Samipeni Finau (unused)

Cam Roigard (on for Ratima, 59)

Anton Lienert-Brown (on for Ioane, 17-28; on for Jordie Barrett, 64)

Damian McKenzie (on for Tele’a, 59)

Tuipulotu added brutish strength and some much-needed zip; McKenzie brought some of the latter, too, but his introduction was too late. Lienert-Brown’s kamikaze cameo could have cost New Zealand, too.