9. Alex Mitchell 6.5
Alex Mitchell’s approach to the match was not his usual x-factor. The scrum half is celebrated for his ability to snipe the ball around the back of a ruck, with his Premiership Final winning try reaping the rewards. Against the All Blacks, Mitchell was rather one-dimensional with repeated one-out phases and box kicks being the order of the day.
1. Joe Marler 5
The early departure of the evening’s action, and question marks have been raised regarding Joe Marler’s early exit. Whilst some murmurings suggest the prop injured his foot, other raided eyebrows suggest a blood injury or HIA was at play. We’ll find out in due course from Borthwick and co, as Marler exited the field for Fin Baxter’s pre-scheduled debut.
2. Jamie George 7
The England skipper led his side well, yet will want to shake the memories of a blundered line-out. The hooker threw in a short ball that did not go straight, which prompted an enormous jeer from the All Blacks fans. George’s performance around the park was up to his usual scratch, as he made a handful of short carries and threw his body at the breakdown before departing for Theo Dan.
3. Will Stuart 6
The tight-head had a solid effort up in the front row, and adjusted to his new-found propping partnership with Fin Baxter, following the early exit of Joe Marler. Stuart was able to adjust his scrummaging upon the Harlequins arrival, with the duo winning scrum penalties against the All Blacks.
4. Maro Itoje 7.5
One of the shortlisted names for Player of the Match, Maro Itoje was impressive from start to finish against New Zealand. One last match stands between the Saracen and the end of an arduous season, as despite the comments regarding his on-field minutes, Itoje was up to his usual standards in the penultimate game of his 33-game campaign.
5. George Martin 7.5
The human missile loves the blitz defence that has been introduced by Felix Jones, as George Martin flew out of the line for a clattering hit time and again against the All Blacks. Hard working around the unsung work as well, Martin emptied the tank for the arrival of Alex Coles.
6. Chandler Cunningham-South 7
The New Zealand born back-row was said to have been ‘desperate’ to get on this tour, according to his Harlequins teammate Marcus Smith. Chandler Cunningham-South’s desire to take on the All Blacks and record a historic win was paramount, as he was sorely missed following his second half exit.