“Found wanting” – Five England players who flopped against the Springboks

The Springboks blitzed into a 17-point lead inside the opening 11 minutes as England were left bewildered by the pace, power and cohesion of the hosts.

Powerful scores from Ellis Genge and George Martin just before half-time briefly ignited hope of an unlikely comeback.

But South Africa turned the screw after the break, crossing for another three tries to canter to a fourth successive victory over England as the visitors fell well short of the gold standard set by the double reigning world champions.

England’s Nations Championship campaign continues against Fiji at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool on 11 July before Steve Borthwick’s men head back to the southern hemisphere to face Argentina on 18 July.

Here are five England players who flopped at Ellis Park — and what Borthwick should do next.

Freeman was not helped by being deployed away from his usual position, where he has previously excelled for Northampton Saints and England.

The 25-year-old has all the physical attributes to be effective on the wing but continues to look less comfortable and less polished when used at outside centre.

He began poorly, conceding a penalty for not releasing inside the opening minute, and his overall display was uneven.

Freeman ended the match with a yellow card for shoulder-to-head contact with under ten minutes remaining, effectively ending England’s slim hopes of a comeback.

RugbyPass gave him a 4/10, writing: “Penalised moments into the match to give the Boks their platform to score their opening try, as England appeared totally shell-shocked.

“Linked nicely with Seb Atkinson in the midfield, and his ability to distribute following half breaks was often a source of attacking promise for England. His strong carry off a lineout gave England the momentum they needed for their second try.

“Shifted to the wing for the final 30 minutes, and while he looked more comfortable there, he was penalised for a high tackle on Damian Willemse, for which he was yellow carded.”

The Telegraph handed him the same rating, writing: “Costly yellow card for high tackle on Willemse. I will die on the hill that his considerable talents are wasted at centre.”

What Borthwick should do: Move him back to the wing.

In only his fifth Test appearance, Atkinson produced a steady performance with some positive carries and reliable handling.

He also executed a well-judged kick that put South Africa under pressure and contributed solidly in defence, offering a generally composed showing in difficult circumstances.

Calling him a flop may seem harsh, but his club form has been inconsistent and he did not do enough to firmly establish himself at Test level.

The Telegraph gave him 5/10, writing: “True to his word in taking a pasting for the team with his lovely tip passes. Will regret kicking the ball away with a potential overlap.”

RugbyPass was slightly kinder, awarding him a six: “Had the thankless task of carrying into the guts of an insatiable Bok defence, but stood up to the challenge. His distribution before contact was slick as well.”

What Borthwick should do: Give him a sustained run of games before making a final judgement.

Murley has been playing in a struggling Harlequins side this season but was still selected to face the world’s top-ranked team, raising questions given the other wing options available.

He was beaten too easily by Cheslin Kolbe for South Africa’s second try and also missed a tackle on Grant Williams.

The winger was reasonably secure in the air and made a strong carry close to the try line, but failed to capitalise on a Marcus Smith kick through before being replaced after 54 minutes.

RUCK gave him a 5/10, but The Telegraph was even more brutal with a four.

They wrote: “Willing but ultimately found wanting by Kolbe who nearly broke his ankles with a wicked step. Caluori must start against Fiji.”

What Borthwick should do: Drop him in favour of other options.

The replacement flanker was shown a yellow card with eight minutes remaining, leaving England down to 13 men.

Beyond that moment, Pepper had limited influence on the contest after coming off the bench.

Although the card arrived late, it contributed to an increasingly heavy-looking scoreline and reflected the discipline issues that once again hurt England.

What Borthwick should do: Continue to invest in him as a young player with significant potential.

Henry Pollock came off the bench amid significant hype but had only around 20 minutes to influence the match.

The 21-year-old struggled to impose himself and, after a week in which he had been branded “public enemy number one” in South Africa, it felt as though the occasion may have got to him.

In hindsight, starting Pollock may have given him a better platform to make an impact rather than asking him to change the game with England already under severe pressure.

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The Telegraph summed up his contribution simply: “Pollock was booed but quiet otherwise.”

What Borthwick should do: Keep faith in him and consider starting him against Fiji.