All Blacks player ratings vs Springboks | 2nd Test Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry 2026

New Zealand couldn’t recreate the magic of Ellis Park in Cape Town, threatening to mount a dramatic comeback late but ultimately running out of time at DHL Stadium.

The Kiwis showed flashes of the lethal execution that punished any South African indiscretion a week ago, but their own inaccuracies cost them time after time as the Springboks built a steady lead throughout the match.

After 80 minutes, a Springboks breakdown penalty secured them a 33-26 win. The Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series now heads to Soweto tied at one win apiece.

Here’s how they rated.

1. George Bower – 7
Another strong showing from Bower, who oversaw a much more even scrummaging battle and was one of his side’s most reliable and active defenders. His subtle offload to Simon Parker resulted in a classy linebreak.

2. Codie Taylor – 6.5
The centurion was often the first man on hand to secure rucks after a New Zealand break, working hard to get into position. His footwork into contact consistently got him over the gainline on his few carries. The Kiwi lineout was shaky early, and Taylor was lucky that only one of his two first-half overthrows was collected by the Springboks. The Kiwis adjusted their tactics well and were better at lineouts by the end of the first half. Was guilty of a knock-on early in the second half and was soon replaced.

3. Tyrel Lomax – 5
Lomax was guilty of some costly errors, including an offside penalty that handed South Africa three points. He was also one of a number of All Blacks guilty of drifting too far in the defensive line and leaving too big a gap inside him, which was exploited by Siya Kolisi just shy of halftime. Was a bit too low-key in some of his touches, not quite meeting the pace of the game, let alone raising it as his coach would no doubt prefer. An early substitution in the second half.

4. Fabian Holland – 7.5
Holland’s big frame served his side well in contact, and his work rate was typically high in Cape Town. The lock was involved in New Zealand’s lineout woes, and also deserves credit for adapting on the fly in that department. A busy and effective night.

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5. Tupou Vaa’i – 6
Back in the second row again, Vaa’i was busy enough without starring as a contributor. His 16th-minute knock-on was punished with three Springbok points two minutes later, and his 47th-minute penalty for obstruction was as unnecessary as it was unwise. He was one of his side’s best at securing breakdown ball.

6. Simon Parker – 7
The big man was one of his side’s best in the contact area, standing up well to the advances of Jasper Wiese on a few occasions. One of his runs even saw him break the line thanks to a deft touch from George Bower.

7. Luke Jacobson – 6
The flanker was relatively busy but didn’t make the biggest impact on his team. His 46th-minute penalty was perhaps a sign of him trying too hard to get involved in the game. New Zealand’s inability to generate turnovers was a key feature in the match compared to last week. Was the performance enough to keep Jacobson ahead of Ethan Blackadder, who proved a real handful against the Lions? Time will tell.

8. Ardie Savea – 7
The New Zealand captain got through a mountain of work defensively, and his carries around the ruck made big metres. Savea was a thorn in South Africa’s side around the ruck defensively and made a superb break to spark his side’s 39th-minute try. Claimed his late try well, but also led the game with four missed tackles.

9. Cam Roigard – 7
The star halfback provided fast service as usual, and established his running threat early with a fourth-minute break down the touchline. Ended the game with the third-most run metres in the match, although he couldn’t find enough answers to a stoic Springbok defence.

10. Ruben Love – 6.5
Love made a couple of simple errors with the ball in hand, throwing an intercept in the 24th minute and a bad offload to begin the second half. He had some good defensive reads, with one in particular in the 26th minute seeing Damian de Allende spill the ball. Was again very accurate off the tee. The aggressive Springbok linespeed made life difficult for Love, and there were some awkward moments with his decision-making.

11. Leroy Carter – 7
The hard-working winger had some good moments of support play, especially for Damian McKenzie’s 29th-minute try. His work under the high-ball was a mixed bag. Carter took his try superbly well when pure gas was needed in the 65th minute.

12. Jordie Barrett – 7.5
It was a slow start to the match from perhaps New Zealand’s best player to begin the 2026 season, with some average kicks early. After struggling to find a rhythm, a charge-down saw him almost score, and his work under the high-ball helped him get a footing. From there, there were some smart defensive reads and good breakdown work, although he struggled to generate the magic we’ve so often seen from him this year. Led the game in turnovers conceded.

13. Quinn Tupaea – 8.5
The powerful centre provided some huge first-phase carries to set strong platforms for his team. There were plenty of well-executed breakdown arrivals from Tupaea, too. His 65th-minute offload to Leroy Carter was a huge moment as it threatened a Kiwi comeback. Finished the game with a match-high in carries.

14. Will Jordan – 7.5
Jordan had some shaky plays early, as the first to see South Africa’s tactic of getting in front of the retreating winger under the high ball, and he was also caught out for Jesse Kriel’s early try. There was another bad offload, but also plenty of positives to make amends, with a game-high number of tackle busts. Missed four tackles.

15. Damian McKenzie – 7
Got the ball in space and threatened on a number of occasions, but was well-enough contained. Wasn’t used so often for clearances this time out, and had a burst where he was trying to inject pace as first receiver without generating much. Did make two linebreaks in the Test.

Reserves – 7.5
Asafo Aumua provided his usual impact in the contact area, and was typically unconvincing at lineout time. Anton Lienert-Brown brought energy and had one or two good moments. The bench brought some energy and helped trigger a late surge that got New Zealand within striking distance of a draw, even if it did fall short in the end.