Jeremy Guscott: Progression of sorts – but where are leaders?

In the end it was all a bit like kissing your sister;  comforting but not particularly satisfying.  England had the chances to win yesterday against a South Africa side that didn't seem to get off the bus compared to their previous two outings, but they lacked leadership qualities when it mattered.
Stuart Lancaster and his team will fly home knowing they did not exceed expectations and nor did they drop below them.
They are firmly rooted in the middle ground where we all await their autumn intentions to see if this team can take the further step forwards we are all desperate to see.
Each of the three outstanding national teams all have their own characteristics: New Zealand overwhelm with their pace, Australia are clinical and the Boks are physical. England must find their way of climbing to the top of the tree.
Succesful England teams of the recent past had big characters in the likes of Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Neil Back, Will Greenwood and Matt Dawson. Not only were they capable of monumental games even at an early age, they were not afraid to voice their beliefs on the field in a highly noisy manner.
Rugby may be a collective, a team game, but it demands strong, vocal individuals who will stand up and be counted.
England at present don't seem to have anyone of that calibre. Even Chris Robshaw, fine player that he is who leads by example, is not a particularly vocal man. And England need one.
Never was that more apparent than when Owen Farrell kicked a grubber for Chris Ashton ten yards short of the Springbok line when there was plenty of home cover and a highly promising attack came to nothing. Someone should have been yelling at him to pass the ball outside.
Someone, in fact, like Manu Tuilagi who was standing outside him. Tuilagi again showed his power and detemination, especially in the first half, with barraging runs that put the Boks back on their heels. But he also needs to step up and start to help organise England's attacking options.
Farrell has had a mixed tour.  Maybe the kid of last season would have kicked that last moment drop-goal but not this current version. There has been a lot of pressure on the young man and he has started to wilt.
He now has to find that self belief where he can stop kicking away possession and instead look for the break or get his line moving. He should review the way Toby Flood manages to do that and learn.
For me Flood is now the established ten who can orchestrate this England back line while Farrell continues to develop.
Danny Care was man of the match yesterday, carrying on from his great end-of-season form with Harlequins and in this mood will push Ben Youngs very hard for the regular starting slot. Lancaster is fortunate to have such a choice at his disposal.
I thought Tom Palmer and James Haskell added some important experience and muscle yesterday and,  although Thomas Waldrom was brave and commited, I still feel Ben Morgan offers the better options going forward.
Debutant Alex Goode acquited himself well enough especially when he was forced by Flood's early injury and Farrell's blood injury absence to step in at fly-half.
From England's point of view this is a good end to a tough experience. They lost the first Test by five points, the second by nine points and drawn the third. So there is progression of sorts.
But they again paid for cheap penalties and silly mistakes. Ben Foden made a mark in fine style then failed to find touch. Care kicked out on the full from just outside his 22.  The great – and even the good – sides don't do this.
Ultimately no harm has been done on this tour.  England travelled to South Africa with most rugby fans expecting them to get done 3-0.
That hasn't happened.  Their young players have undergone a massive learning curve in the most rigorous of exam rooms. The good ones will improve and move on.