South Africa player ratings vs Japan
The Springboks’ pack performed like a well-oiled machine against Japan and it laid the foundation for their 26-3 World Cup quarter-final win in Tokyo.
Rassie Erasmus’ side are not the finished product out wide on attack and it is an area they will need to improve ahead of their semi-final against Wales next weekend.
Here’s how the South Africa players rated:
15. Willie le Roux – 6
He conceded quite a few turnovers. He lost the ball in one great attacking play, but played a role in Makazole Mapimpi’s second try and was solid on defence.
14. Cheslin Kolbe – 5.5
A very quiet game by his standards. He did not get much opportunity with the ball and got smoked by Kenki Fukuoka out wide.
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13. Lukhanyo Am – 6
Another big effort in defence from the midfielder. However, he was not at his best with ball in hand, especially his offloading.
12. Damian de Allende – 7.5
He put in some bone-crunching tackles and got his team over the gainline with a few carries. He also turned the ball over at a crucial moment in the first half when Japan were threatening to score.
11. Makazole Mapimpi – 8
A very busy man out wide, racking up 116 running metres during the 80 minutes. He scored two excellent tries and marked Japan’s dangermen well out wide.
South Africa’s Tendai Mtawarira was lucky to escape a red card as the Springboks bludgeoned past hosts Japan 26-3 to book a World Cup semi-final with Wales.https://t.co/d9fA5fypTY
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 20, 2019
10. Handré Pollard – 6.5
He came to life on attack in the final ten minutes when his neat break led to Mapimpi’s second try. However, he was quiet for large periods of the game with Faf de Klerk running the show once again.
9. Faf de Klerk – 8
He disrupted Japan’s attacking play with his speed off the line and had a couple of good kicks in open play as well. However, he is still a bit slow at clearing the ball from the breakdown.
8. Duane Vermeulen – 7
Vermeulen certainly made his presence felt on the defensive side of the game. He did not get much opportunity with ball in hand, but was a vital cog in the set-piece and maul.
Here's how @alexshawsport rated the Japan players as the Rugby World Cup hosts fell to a 26-3 defeat to South Africa.https://t.co/E40zjzyRNA
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 20, 2019
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit – 6.5
Worked tirelessly across the park, but was guilty of missing a few tackles in open play.
6. Siya Kolisi (captain) – 6.5
Disrupted Japan’s play with a couple of turnovers and some huge hits on defence.
5. Lood de Jager – 8
His workrate around the park, especially on defence, was outstanding. The big man also provided plenty of muscle in some powerful driving mauls and in securing plenty of ball at lineout time.
4. Eben Etzebeth – 7
Disrupted a few of Japan’s lineouts and was aggressive around the ruck.
3. Frans Malherbe – 6.5
Was strong in the scrum while he was on the field. He also knocked over a few Japanese players on defence.
2. Mbongeni Mbonambi – 5.5
Only on the field for 36 minutes before he was replaced by Malcolm Marx. He did his part in a strong defensive display and found his jumpers in the lineout.
1. Tendai Mtawarira – 6
Gave his opposite number hell at scrum time and was solid on defence. However, a yellow card was a blemish on his scorecard.
Join @jimhamilton4 as he gives his alternative commentary of the #JPNvRSA match ????
Link – https://t.co/RBuRSUjLvC#RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/xNhdfzV0k1
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 20, 2019
Replacements:
16. Malcolm Marx – 8
Made a huge impact. He was a hard man to bring down in open play and had one try assist.
17. Steven Kitshoff – 7
Terrorised Japan at scrum time and joined the party on defence.
18. Vincent Koch – 5
Did his part up front in the maul and scrum.
19. Rudolph Snyman – 5
Didn’t make too much of an impact in open play.
20. Franco Mostert – N/A
Not enough time to be rated.
21. Francois Louw – N/A
Not enough time to be rate.
22. Herschel Jantjies – N/A
Not enough time to be rated.
23. Frans Steyn –N/A
Not enough time to be rated.
– @rugby365.com
WATCH: Matt Giteau in the latest episode in the RugbyPass Rugby World Cup Memories series
Comments on RugbyPass
Best situation in the world for the potential of his success in the NFL. Cutthroat, we’ll yeah little buddy, that’s one of the reasons why, at least in the States, it is by far and away the best sports draw. The point is: It’s not only that he’d have Mahomes as his QB, and all the T. Kelce blocking bullshit needs to stop (he’s not a prototypical blocking TE ya numb nuts), it’s that he will have arguably one of the greatest football minds in Andy Reid scheming for him. In the NFL, the most important thing is situation. If the ignoramus Jets signed him, then he’d be screwed from go.
3 Go to commentsWe’re building a bridge but can't agree where the river is.
2 Go to commentsfirst no arms shoulder or helmet tackle into his rib cage is going to be so very painful even to watch. go back to RU mate.
3 Go to commentsBulls by 5. Plus another 50.
3 Go to commentsJohan Goosen avatar. Cute. Surely someone at RP knows how to do a google image search?
3 Go to commentsCan’t these games play a little earlier? Asking for a friend.
3 Go to commentsIt’s impressive that we can see huge stadiums with attendance in the 40 000 to 50 000 region. It shows how popular this competition is becoming. What is even more impressive is the massive growth in broadcast viewership. The URC is one of the two best leagues in the World, the other being the Top14.
7 Go to commentsChristie is not Sottish, like the majority of the Scotland team.
2 Go to commentsHold the phone, decline over-rated. Is it a one game, dead cat bounce or the real thing? Has the Penney dropped? Stay tuned.
45 Go to commentsTotally deserved win for the Crusaders Far smarter than the Chiefs who seem to be avoiding the basics when it matters Hotham showed them what was missing and Hannah seems a real find - a tad light but that can be fixed over time
8 Go to commentsGreat insight into the performance culture with Sarries and I predict Christie will be a fixture in the Scotland team now for some time to come. However, he is slightly missing his own point around Scotland “being soft” when he cites physicality examples in defence of that slight. The issue is much closer to the example he referenced around feeling off before a game but being told “it doesn’t matter, you can still play well” by Farrell. Until Scotland can get their psyche in that square, they will carry on folding under extreme pressure…
2 Go to comments> We are having to adapt, evolve and innovate more than when we were in Super Rugby where there was only really one style that everybody had to play to gain the most success. Have = able to? Interesting what that one style might be? I thought SA sides still had bad tours now, or at least bad schedule, months away? Those extra few hours flights have to be a killer though, no surprise to see their sides doing so badly at the start of the season each year. I wouldn’t enjoy that unfairness as a supporter.
7 Go to commentsThe problem for NZ, and Aus, is they ripped up the SR model and lost a massive chunk of revenue that hasn’t been replaced. Don’t forget SA clubs went North because they were left with no choice, Argy unceremoniously binned and Japan cast adrift. Now SR wasn’t perfect, far from it, but they’ve jumped into something without an effective plan, so far, to replace what they’ve lost. The biggest revenue potential now lies in Japan but it won’t be easy or quick to unlock, they are incredibly insular in culture as a nation. In the meantime, there is a serious time bomb sitting under SH rugby and if it happens then the current financial challenges will look like a picnic. IF the Boks follow their provincial teams and head north then it’s revenue meltdown. Not guaranteed to happen but the status quo is a very odd hybrid, with the Boks pointing one way and the clubs pointing the other way. And for as long as that remains then the threat is real.
45 Go to commentsI think Etene has had some good tuition, likely while at the Warriors to be a professional that helped his rugby jump, but he was certainly thrown in the deep end way too early. Should have arguably 20 less SR caps, and therefor a way better record that he does at his age, but his development would have been fast tracked by the need to satiate his signing away from league. Again, credit to him and others that he has done it so well. Easy to fall over under that pressure in the big leagues like that but he kept at it when I myself wasn’t sure he was good enough.
1 Go to commentsAwesome story. I wonder what a bigger American (SA) scene might have mean for Brex.
1 Go to comments“Johnny McNicholl and the Crusaders” save a Penney. Who has been in camp this week and showed them how to play?
8 Go to commentsSo, reports of the Crusaders’ demise / terminal decline are perhaps just - slightly - premature/exaggerated…? 🤔 Will we see a deep-dive into that by the estimable Rugbypass scribes, and maybe one or two mea culpas? Thought not.
8 Go to comments1. The Chiefs are rudderless without DMac, which enhances his AB chances 2. Chiefs pack are powderpuffs. The hard men arent there anymore 3. They had their golden title chance last yr and wont threaten this yr. Gone in second round of playoffs.
8 Go to commentsHonestly, why did you have to publish such a foolish article the day they play us? 😂
45 Go to comments> They are not standalone entities. They are linked to an amateur association which holds the FFR licence that allows the professional side to compete in the league. That’s a great rule. This looks like the chicken or egg professional scenario. How long is it going to be before the club can break even (if that is even a thing in French rugby)? If the locals aren’t into well it would be good to se them drop to amateur level (is it that far?). Hope they can reset from this level and be more practical, there will be a time when they can rebuild (if France has there setup right).
1 Go to comments