ZANE KIRCHNER: Not a Test debut to savour after he blew a gilt-edged scoring chance. Hesitant throughout - 5/10.

ODWA NDUNGANE: Denied a consolation try by the television match official, and was largely inconsistent - 6.

JAQUE FOURIE: Never able to stamp his strong-running game on the contest, and found the Lions defence in unforgiving mood - 6.

WYNAND OLIVIER: Saw his pass intercepted by Ugo Monye for the Lions' clinching score. Worked hard, though - 6.

JONGI NOKWE: Struggled to make any impact on the game before being substituted - 5.

MORNE STEYN: Booted three penalties, but could not reproduce his heroics of Pretoria last weekend as South Africa were outclassed - 6.

FOURIE DU PREEZ: Went off injured midway through the contest - and South Africa missed him terribly - 6.

TENDAI MTAWARIRA: Given a testing examination by his opposite number Phil Vickery - unlike in Durban a fortnight ago - 6.

CHILIBOY RALEPELLE: Lacked the physical presence of the player he replaced, Bismarck du Plessis - 5.

JOHN SMIT: The Springboks skipper saw his side suffer their first defeat at Ellis Park since 2001, but he could have no complaints - 5.

JOHANN MULLER: A poor deputy for the banned Bakkies Botha, as South Africa sorely missed their second-row enforcer - 5.

VICTOR MATFIELD: Performed solidly in the lineouts, but nowhere near as effective without Botha alongside him - 6.

HEINRICH BRUSSOW: An indisciplined effort by the Cheetahs flanker, who had replaced banned flanker Schalk Burger - 5.

JUAN SMITH: Hard-working as usual, but lacked inspiration from his team-mates around him - 7.

RYAN KANKOWSKI: Watched closely by the Lions, who did not allow him any freedom in the loose - 6.

REPLACEMENTS

FRANCOIS STEYN: Took over from the struggling Kirchner after 56 minutes - 6.

RUAN PIENAAR: A half-time replacement for injured scrum-half Du Preez - 6.

BISMARCK DU PLESSIS: South Africa could have done with his uncompromising presence from the start - 6.

PIERRE SPIES: The Blue Bulls number eight enjoyed his late run - 6.

GUTHRO STEENKAMP: Went on for Mtawarira as the clock ticked down - 5.