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South Africa player ratings versus New Zealand

By Online Editors
New Zealand's Sevu Reece is tackled by three South African players in Yokohama (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

The Springboks’ World Cup opener was certainly not the result Rassie Erasmus wanted. South Africa started their World Cup campaign with a 23-13 defeat to the All Blacks on Saturday.

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15. Willie le Roux – 4/10

It was certainly a performance below his standards.  The full-back was horrendous under the high ball and failed to prove a threat on attack, leaving much of the counter-attack responsibility in the hands of Cheslin Kolbe.

14. Cheslin Kolbe – 8

The standout performer in the Springboks team. His ability to read the game continues to carry the ineffective backline. The livewire wing instigated the Boks’ first try with a lethal line break and he had a few try-scoring opportunities, but mostly found himself alone without any support runners.

13. Lukhanyo Am – 5 

Showed some skills with ball in hand but was not very influential on the attack. He was replaced with Jesse Kriel just short of the hour mark.

12. Damian de Allende – 7 

Made a couple of strong runs and also managed to produce a few crucial tackles. On one or two occasions he was a little bit selfish but overall a good performance by the centre.

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(Continue reading below…)

11. Makazole Mapimpi – 4

One of the team’s weakest members. His defence remains a very vulnerable aspect of his play and managed to escape a sanction for his tackle on Richie Mo’unga.

10. Handré Pollard – 5

Not the best of kicking displays by the pivot. He struggled in the first half – missing an easy penalty kick which shifted the momentum of the match. However, he tried to make up for in the second half with a drop goal. But overall the No10 was very below par. He certainly needs more responsibility to control the game and show his prowess.

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9. Faf de Klerk – 5 

Over-utilised the box kicks, which most of the time failed to reach the target. In the second half, he made two snipping runs from the breakdown. However, the dreadful loose pass which Richie Mo’unga perfectly snapped up for the All Blacks first score summed up his performance.

8. Duane Vermeulen – 7

The No8 was an absolute beast, making powerful carries and having a massive impact on defence. His stats also included a couple of steals at the breakdown. He further produced two perfectly-timed tackles on Aaron Smith at the ruck.

7. Pieter-Steph du Toit – 6

A very uncharacteristic performance by the flanker, even if the ITV TV commentator in the UK begged to differ (see above Tweet). He conceded two unforced penalties, but was more involved in the second half and scored the team’s only try.

6. Siya Kolisi – 5 

He left the field after just after 50 minutes, the pace of the game certainly catching the captain off-guard as he hasn’t played a full 80 minutes since injuring his leg about four months ago. He made some solid carries but wasn’t very effective.

5. Franco Mostert – 8

One of the unsung heroes. He did a lot of the donkey work and showed how valuable he is the Springboks team making twelve tackles, nine carries and produced a stunning lineout steal on the South African 22.

4. Eben Etzebeth – 7 

Strong with his tackles, he only missed one and he was also very disciplined despite the intensity of the match.

3. Frans Malherbe – 6

The prop put Joe Moody under huge pressure during scrums. However, other facets of his game remained a little average and he were replaced after just 54 minutes of play.


2. Malcolm Marx – 6

The hooker was effective but certainly not spectacular. His lineout throws reached the intended target, which was encouraging.

1. Steven Kitshoff – 7

Just like fellow prop Malherbe, Kitshoff got the better of the New Zealand pack. He won the early the penalty which handed the Boks the 3-0 lead and he was constantly seeking work all over the park

Replacements:

16. Bongi Mbonambi – 5 (on for Marx, 60 mins)

Didn’t bring the energy expected.

17. Tendai Mtawarira – NR (on for Kitshoff, 67 mins)

Not enough time to be rated.

18. Trevor Nyakane – 6 (on for Malherbe, 54 mins)

Came on to continued the dominance in the scrums. Unfortunately, his campaign might be over as he left the field with an injury.

19. Rudolph Snyman – NR (on for Etzebeth, 69 mins)

Not enough to be rated

20. Francois Louw – 7 (on for Kolisi, 50 mins)

Tackled well and was a menace at the breakdown.

21. Herschel Jantjies – NR (on for de Klerk, 71 mins)

Not enough to be rated.

22. Frans Steyn – NR

Not used.

23. Jesse Kriel – 6 (on for Am, 54 mins)

Made a couple of decisive breaks and added much-needed physicality in midfield.

– rugby365.com

WATCH: Rassie Erasmus talks to the media following South Africa’s loss in Yokohoma

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Jon 2 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 4 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

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A
Adrian 6 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

15 Go to comments
T
Trevor 9 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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