South Africa player ratings vs England
What a wonderful day in the life of the Rainbow Nation, their third World Cup triumph and a fully deserved one at that as they outmuscled England 32-12 in Yokohama.
Attempting to become the first team to collect the trophy having lost a match en route to the final, Rassie Erasmus’ players were collectively excellent in how they set about shredding the favouritism foisted on England in the wake of their semi-final demolition of New Zealand.
They were brutally combative in the tight, mostly pulverising the England scrum dented by Kyle Sinckler’s concussion-enforced departure and also benefiting from a lack of crispness surrounding the opposition’s passing.
The claustrophobic Boks were ahead on 10 minutes and were only ever pegged back level twice – for three and five-minute spells in a first half that ended with them 12-6 ahead despite the double injury blow that resulted in the early departures of forwards Lood de Jager and Mbongeni Mbonambi.
It was in the minutes approaching the hour when the result was further shaped. Instead of England closing to within three points after Handre Pollard was penalised for holding on, Owen Farrell blipped with his kick off the tee and then could only watch in anguish as Pollard had the accuracy just minutes later down the other end to stretch the margin to nine.
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England did quickly get three points back, but that was the last shot they fired as South Africa, a team much criticised for its narrow, kick-heavy style of play, pounced for result-defining tries from wingers Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe.
In the end, No England player could begrudge South Africa their 20-point winning margin. They looked the dominant side nearly the whole way through the final. Here’s how RugbyPass rated the Springboks:
15. Willie Le Roux – 6
Starting with a poor pass to Kolbe and a knock-on when clobbered by Sam Underhill. However, those nerves were misleading as he largely played with a confident swagger. His awareness of space was personified in the key moments after England missed a penalty kick to close to 15-12. His excellent tactical kick forced England to concede huge territory and from the lineout restart came the penalty for 18-9. Departed on 68 minutes for Frans Steyn knowing the result was in the bag.
14. Cheslin Kolbe – 6
His contribution was restricted as the action tended to take place elsewhere. Showed fabulous hands to grasp an early poor pass from le Roux off his toes and soon put in a brave tackle on the sprinting Jonny May. It was his hands on the floor at a ruck that enabled England to pull level on 23 minutes. He then featured very little as the ball didn’t come down his channel for long periods. However, he stayed alert and was rewarded with the counter-attacking try on 74 minutes when he duped Farrell and was too quick for Billy Vunipola.
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13. Lukhanyo Am – 6
A soft knock-on on halfway on 28 minutes was the sort of error that could have eaten away on the mind of a weaker mind, but he didn’t blink. Demonstrated a lovely directness on the ball, his break approaching the interval highlighting his threat as the ensuing kick forced a knock-on from Elliot Daly. It was his assist that then gave Mapimpi the run-in for the all-important first try.
12. Damian de Allende – 7
He was his backline’s most consistent performer throughout the tournament and he capped it with another positive display in the final. Help shut down the English ball-carrying threat while also being direct in the carry, making many hard yards in his 54 metres off a dozen runs.
11. Makazole Mapimpi – 6
His tally coming into the game of nine international tries in nine matches in 2019 became ten in ten when he provided the final’s key score, racing over on 64 minutes having kicked ahead and then collecting a pass from Am. Earlier, it had been his carry that led to the incident where Sinckler wound up concussed by Maro Itoje in friendly fire. Was generally busier than Kolbe and his aerial skills were repeatedly witnessed with some excellent catches.
Too soon for player ratings?
– @alexshawsport rates the England players after a hugely disappointing night in Yokohama for Eddie's men#RWCFinal #ENGvSA #ENGvRSA #englandrugbyhttps://t.co/6AOUPYcTEN
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 2, 2019
10. Handre Pollard – 8
Very curious how much criticism he was forced to endure throughout the tournament. He was on the money here in the final, giving his dominant pack every go-forward and richly rewarding them with his accuracy off the kicking tee in turning penalties into inspiring points. A kick and catch on six minutes suggested this would be his day and he went on from there, executing so many actions perfectly and clocking up his team’s most metres in the carry by the interval. Was at fault for the no-release penalty that could have allowed England get to within three points in the second half, but he quickly bounced back with composure to ensure the win was comprehensively closed out.
9. Faf de Klerk – 7
Missed a number of tackles but that shortcoming wasn’t going to blot his copy in a contest where he clearly eclipsed the unsettled Ben Youngs. All the usual de Klerk features were evident but he also showed he was ready to do that and more by quickly tapping and going from a penalty awarded on four minutes. It showed the Boks wouldn’t be predictable and pedestrian as they have been accused of. Played for 77 minutes.
1. Tendai Mtawarira – 8
There were tackles and a couple of fleeting carries, but it was all about the scrum for ‘The Beast’. With the match restarting at the set-piece after Sinckler’s third-minute exit, he rocked replacement Dan Cole to win the penalty that grabbed the momentum and ensured the Boks scrum was dominant in a count where it won five penalties to England’s one. Departed on 44 minutes and Steven Kitshoff arrived on to help win a penalty at the restarting scrum. The sub loosehead went on to impress to earn a similar 8/10 rating.
Will you accept this rose, Eddie? #ENGvRSA #RWC2019 #RWCFinal pic.twitter.com/71wDswPTkE
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 2, 2019
2. Mbongeni Mbonambi – 5
Had shown energy in the tackle and accuracy at the lineout, but he didn’t last long as a bang to head when tackling Billy Vunipola prematurely ended his game. Malcolm Marx, though, was a more than adequate replacement. He may have conceded the in from the side penalty that allowed England get the score to 18-12, but his tackle count reached double digits and his presence clearing out at the breakdown was invaluable in his 7/10 effort.
3. Frans Malherbe – 7
It was his first-minute carry led to Pollard’s first shot at the posts and although that kick was missed, it set in train the pattern that was early South African dominance. Will have been pleased with the 17th-minute scrum penalty forced from Mako Vunipola and with his tackling as his count had reached ten before he gave way on 44 minutes for Vincent Koch who contributed a similar 7/10 performance.
4. Eben Etzebeth – 8
Was everything South Africa would have wanted him to be, a spoiling nuisance whose annoying presence gradually ratcheted up the frustrations of an England pack that failed to come anyway close to the reaching the tempo of their win over New Zealand. Needed treatment for his shoulder on 28 minutes but ploughed on to be his team’s top tackler by the interval. Showed he can have soft hands too, off-loading one-handedly on 56 minutes before he gave way four minutes later to RG Snyman.
A strange first half #RWC2019 #rsavseng pic.twitter.com/s9Uxc4hcEd
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 2, 2019
5. Lood de Jager – 5
A shoulder injury suffered on 22 minutes when tackling Billy Vunipola ended his final early but similar to Mbonambi’s departure, de Jager’s exit didn’t hinder the Boks in the slightest. His replacement Franco Mostert may have look ponderous on the ball but he got through a ton of work without it and he was his team’s top tackler with 16, three more than next-best Etzebeth for an 8/10 rating.
6. Siya Kolisi – 7
The stars aligned in Yokohama for Kolisi, who became the first black man to lift the World Cup for South Africa. He will never get man of the match awards for what he does on the pitch. Ugly, selfless work at the breakdown doesn’t catch the eye in the same way as other rugby aspects do, but he was a man on a mission and his energetic leadership helped keep the Boks focused on their job. Lasted 64 minutes in what was his 50th cap, Francois Louw coming on.
7. Pieter-Steph Du Toit – 7
It was his error, gathering a fumble by Pollard in an offside position, that put an end to South Africa’s early dominance. He was also hit hard by Underhill on 28 minutes, but he gave that and more back to the England players in a performance where his second-half was better than his first. A menace in slowing down England ball, he forced one crucial turnover in his 22 with the score stood at 15-6.
8. Duane Vermeulen – 8
The player England simply had no answer for. It was his presence over ball that resulted in Farrell conceding the penalty that gave South Africa their early lead and his imperious performance built from there. There was one smashing turnover after the eclipsed Billy Vunipola had fastened onto loose ball from a Pollard spill, and he finished the first half with a healthy 35-metre total in the carry. Continued in the same way in the second half, stifling England’s ruck at every turn, and he deservedly earned the official man of the match award.
WATCH: World Rugby’s highlights package as South Africa beat England in the World Cup final
Comments on RugbyPass
I hope WRU cops a 12 month ban.
1 Go to commentsOuch. Pumped. Even Nohamba is a better flyhalf than Ford.
2 Go to commentsI hope Leinster’s proud of themselves fielding a poor team. They should decide if they’re all in or not.
2 Go to commentsJordie is looking at 16 games maximum if Leinster reach both the URC and champions cup finals. Thats not guaranteed. Some of those home URC fixtures will be cakewalks as well for Leinster and there is not much doing during the 6 nations in Feb and March so he can probably get a decent rest then. He will have to really put in it for maybe 7 or 8 games max. It should be a good move for both.
13 Go to commentsThe game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
31 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
13 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
13 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
6 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
27 Go to comments