England vs South Africa player ratings as Eddie Jones men held out to get revenge for their defeat in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final in front of a rapturous Twickenham crowd.
Tries from Manu Tuilagi and Freddie Steward along with seven points from the boot of Marcus Smith gave the home side a 17-12 lead at the break with Handre Pollard knocking over four penalties for the Boks.
Two more penalties from Pollard gave the World Champions the lead for the first time but they weren’t ahead for long as Raffi Quirke dived over following a great initial break from Joe Marchant.
Fly-half Smith added the extras to make it 23-18. But with England down to 14, Makazole Mapimpi scored the visitors first try to reduce the deficit to just one point before a Frans Steyn put the Boks ahead.
However, England fought to the death, as head coach Eddie Jones predicted they would have to, and fly-half Smith held his nerve to slot the decisive penalty in the 79th minute.
More to follow.
Scroll down for England vs South Africa player ratings:
ENGLAND (17): 27
- Tries: Tuilagi 6, Steward 16, Quirke 64
- Cons: Smith 7,18,65
- Pens: Smith 79
SOUTH AFRICA (12): 26
- Tries: Mapimpi 68
- Cons:
- Pens: Pollard 13,21,26,29,55,63, Steyn 72
PRIME VIDEO MAN OF THE MATCH:
STATSZONE:
- Most carries: Freddie Steward – 9
- Most metres made: Freddie Steward – 65
- Most tackles: Jonny Hill – 9
- Most tackles missed: Tom Curry – 3
- Offloads: Max Malins – 1
- Turnovers won: Kyle Sinckler – 1
- Turnovers conceded: Jonny May – 2
- Penalties conceded: Kyle Sinckler – 4
England vs South Africa player ratings
England: Freddie Steward 9; Joe Marchant 7, Henry Slade 9, Manu Tuilagi 6, Jonny May 5; Marcus Smith 9, Ben Youngs 6; Bevan Rodd 6, Jamie Blamire 6, Kyle Sinckler 6, Maro Itoje 8, Jonny Hill 7, Courtney Lawes 8 (captain), Sam Underhill 5, Tom Curry 6.
Replacements: Nic Dolly 6, Joe Marler 5, Will Stuart 4, Charlie Ewels 5, Sam Simmonds 5, Alex Dombrandt 6, Raffi Quirke 7, Max Malins 8.
South Africa: Willie le Roux 5; Jesse Kriel 6, Lukhanyo Am 7, Damian de Allende 8, Makazole Mapimpi 7; Handré Pollard 6, Cobus Reinach 7; Ox Nché 8, Bongi Mbonambi 7, Trevor Nyakane 7, Eben Etzebeth 9, Lood de Jager 7, Siya Kolisi (captain) 6, Kwagga Smith 6, Duane Vermeulen 7.
Replacements: Malcolm Marx 8, Steven Kitshoff 8, Vincent Koch 8, Franco Mostert 6, Jasper Wiese 6, Herschel Jantjies 6, Elton Jantjies 6, Frans Steyn 7.
EDITORS PICKS:
- Eben Etzebeth’s ‘dirty’ hit on England’s Marcus Smith
- Women’s rugby team strip NAKED for calendar to save their club
- LIST: 5 famous sons who could become internationals very soon
- Scotland vs Japan player ratings: Autumn Nations Series
Curry, Itoje, Smith: Every England players salary ahead of Autumn Nations Series finale
#15. Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons) – £55,000
#14. Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks) – £60,000
#13. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers) – £100,000
