ENGLAND REPLACEMENTS
16. Theo Dan 5 – Lost a few lineouts against the head, as England struggled with the set-piece throw-in. The scrum went off the boil in the second half, with Dan unfortunate to be a focal point as the replacement hooker. Worked hard to impress on his debut, and keen to carry. However he spilt one carry in the matches closing moments.
17. Bevan Rodd 5 – Only given 10 minutes to make an impact, in what came at a time when England heads were dropped. Coming on for his captain, as Genge had emptied the tank, Rodd struggled to lift the spirits for a late comeback push.
18. Kyle Sinckler 5.5 – Brought on for Will Stuart, after England began to slip in the scrum, but had limited impact. His experience seemed irrelevant as England’s set-piece structure collapsed without steady leadership. The ‘friendly’ matter of the game saw Sinckler keep his head, but he will in no doubt be ultra-fired up for the return match at Twickenham.
19. Jonny Hill 6 – This was Hill’s opportunity to make a statement, after no involvement in the 2023 Six Nations. On for Ribbands after 45 minutes, as the lock departed for a HIA. Hill had a quieter match than he would have hoped, yet Borthwick did see some strong carries, tackles and good line speed from the Sale lock.
20. Tom Willis 6.5 – Not off to the hottest of starts in an England jersey, but the soon to be Saracen would be relieved to get his debut under his belt. England struggled up front in the matches latter stages, and was unable to replicate any heroics akin to his brother Jack. Still a solid debut, hoping for more in the future.
21. Jack van Poortvliet 6 – Brought on at an awkward time of the match, it took JVP a good while to settle into proceedings. Taking over the reigns from the experienced Danny Care, van Poortvliet had to adapt in what is an irregular replacement in the total absence of Ben Youngs. He kicked well, and organised his side, and will be hungry for more at Twickenham.
22. George Ford 6 – It will be interesting to see if Borthwick selects his former Leicester Tigers halfback for the return match against Wales. Ford by no means had a bad game, yet he didn’t light up the pitch like Smith did. Coming on for the final 20 minutes, Ford had enough time to stamp his mark, in what could well have been a battle to become Owen Farrell’s understudy for the World Cup.
23. Henry Slade 5 – Similar to Bevan Rodd, Slade was only given 10 minutes to pick up the pieces. He didn’t have a memorable match, and his presence seemed to disrupt the order with Marchant moving out to the wing. Malins was removed, with Slade slotting in at centre. Unfortunately, the clock was against the Exeter Chiefs man, who will hope for more time to shine in upcoming matches.