England v Australia player ratings: Smith-Farrell axis fails to function

England suffered defeat in the first Test against Australia despite playing against 14 men for the majority of the match.

Telegraph Sport runs the rule over both sides after the series opener.

Aerial skills used to good effect in attack to chase high balls. Solid as ever at the back. Could become more involved in phase play. 7

Looked dangerous when working off his wing and pulled off one run that left three defenders in his wake. Starting to look back to his best. 7

Used on the wing as well as centre, Marchant was classy in attack and strong in defence. Needs to demand the ball more often. 7

Combination with Smith looked promising early on but clearly needs further honing. Midfield was often too flat, making it far too easy to defend. 5

Picked to add power to the backline, Cokanasiga bumped off Australian captain Hooper early on but was very quiet for the remainder. Not involved enough with Nowell roaming instead. 5

Found space out the back with Farrell frequently used at first receiver. Missed a couple of chances to exploit opportunities. England needed more. 5

After four years away from international rugby, Care delivered a composed but uninspiring performance. Did not add the spark Eddie Jones would have wanted. 6

Dotted the ball down at the back of the maul. Busy as usual, pumping his legs to earn the hard yards. Penalised at scrum time on one occasion. 7

Fairly quiet showing in the loose but his throwing at the line-out was accurate and allowed England’s maul to function. 6

Kyle Sinckler’s absence gave Stuart a chance to start. Won a penalty at scrum time and strong in the loose. Promising performance. 8

Told off for shouting at the line-out as enhanced his reputation as rugby’s biggest nuisance.