Springboks player ratings vs France | Nations Championship 2026

South Africa player ratings: The Springboks’ hopes of winning the Nations Championship took potentially a fatal blow on Friday night as they lost 21-19 in Paris.

Here’s how the players rated:

15 Damian Willemse – 6
Spilt an early high ball, which resulted in an offside penalty and his contributions in the first half were largely reserved for one-on-one tackles when the French made breaks – to which he stood up. He got his hands on the ball more frequently in the second half, and South Africa’s attack did look more threatening.

14 Kurt-Lee Arendse – 5
Barely caught out of position as Antoine Dupont kicked a 50:22 in the first half, and then was perhaps harshly penalised by Andrea Piardi for obstructing France from getting the ball. Nevertheless, it provided the hosts the platform to score their second try. Looked to have rebounded with a try off of a long throw at the lineout, but had encroached on the 10 metres.

13 Jesse Kriel – 6
Defended aggressively and tried to stop the ball being shipped wide, but wasn’t always successful. Had to wait until he made an impact with ball in hand, but his 50-metre break from his own line seemed to be a momentum-changer after sustained pressure after the break. Could have been put away down the left flank a few minutes later, only for Aaron Grandidier-Nkanang to slap the ball down illegally as a result of the pressure created.

12 Damian de Allende – 6
Had the ball stripped from his clutches in his first carry by Peato Mauvaka and didn’t make a huge impact ball in hand in the first half, but led the charge in defence, making 11 tackles in the first half alone. His carry, with his limbs pumping furiously, laid the platform for Cobus Reinach to score and draw first blood in the second half.

11 Ethan Hooker – 6
Pierced the French defence early on in a well-worked move from a long throw, but left too much space for Grandidier-Nkanang to score the opening try in the corner by rushing up. Then again, it was a tough decision to make. Took another risk defensively after the break with an attempted intercept in France’s 22, which, fortunately for him, just went backwards. Didn’t enjoy the same aerial supremacy he has in the past

10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu – 5
Had few opportunities early on to be his swashbuckling self, rather most of his touches of the ball were attempts to clear the ball away. With the Bok maul looking so strong, kicking a penalty dead was inexcusable shortly before half time, but he responded with a clean break moments later, which resulted in Maxime Lucu’s yellow-carded tackle on him. Never really took hold of the game during his 65 minutes on the pitch, losing the ball three times, and largely relied on the power up front for South Africa to control the game.

9 Morne van den Berg – 6
Linked well with Hooker from a long throw to initiate the first break of the match, but his contribution was largely a defensive one this week, with his kicking game used to clear the ball to touch rather than bring his wingers into the game. Showed his handiwork over the ball too, winning a penalty in the French half, only for his teammate to kick the ball dead.

17 Gerhard Steenekamp – 7
One of three last-minute promotions to the starting XV and a pawn in some late mind games by Erasmus and delivered what his coach would have wanted with the first scrum of the match, winning a penalty. Mobile around the field too, competing hard at the breakdown and having some success there. Removed after 35 minutes in what was obviously a planned move by Erasmus, but his cameo was strong.

16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels – 6
Starting this week in the last-minute reshuffle, which of course, reduces the positional flexibility on the bench, and he got off to an awkward start, being pinged for accidentally being offside after a knock-on. Redeemed himself soon after with a long lineout which created a break and scored his side’s first try of the match at the back of a seemingly unstoppable maul. Lineout worked well and he contributed with 8 tackles in his 35 minute spell before being replaced by Malcolm Marx.

18 Thomas du Toit – 7
Originally demoted to the bench this week having started against Italy, only to find himself back in the starting XV again shortly before kick-off. Part of a huge counter-rucking effort to win his side a scrum in the French 22 after just 10 minutes, only for the penalty to be reversed for another infringement. Let rip in another scrum to collapse Jean-Baptiste Gros 30 minutes in to win a penalty and present the position for the Boks to score their first. Six tackles to go with his display.

4 Lood de Jager – 6
A year after his red card against Les Bleus, the lock would have been worried as thousands of France fans jeered at the footage of his high shot on Lucu in the opening quarter, but it was only a yellow card on this occasion. That came a few minutes after he pulled off an athletic lineout steal in the opening 10 minutes five metres from his line. Steady in the loose, without necessarily standing out.

5 Ruan Nortje – 6
Knocked the ball on in the French 22 early on, although it was an awkward ball to take, then knocked the ball on again when hitting the deck a few minutes later as South Africa entered the French 22 again. He kept coming back though, and his work-rate was yet again through the roof.

6 Siya Kolisi – 6
Caught off guard by Mauvaka as the French hooker snuck past him at the breakdown as the French scored their third try. Too slow to get into position and could only watch as France made the break. The game was played at a wild pace, though at times, and the captain rolled his sleeves up with nine tackles before leaving the field shortly before the hour.

7 Pieter-Steph du Toit – 7
After a fairly quiet display against Italy by his standard, there was no doubt one of the game’s greats was going to show up in Paris. Saw plenty of action early on, getting his hands on the ball and being able to free his hands in contact, and looked particularly threatening in the wider channels of the field. Defensively, 11 tackles were par for the match, but his penalty won over the ball in the last five minutes in his own 22 was a world-class intervention.

8 Jasper Wiese – 3
Got through his carries in the first half, making eight, the most for his side, but not to great avail with France’s defence standing strong. He may have wanted to make more of an impact after the break, but that spilt over into wanton, brainless foul play in a clearout on Kalvin Gourgues which saw him receive a 20-minute red card for tucking his shoulder.

Replacements

2 Malcolm Marx – 7
Introduced 35 minutes into the match having originally been named to start, and looked to have struck with a pinpoint long throw to Arendse for the winger to run in untouched, but the try was eventually chalked off. Penalised in the second half for not having a brake foot at the scrum on two occasions, though Wessels was guilty of the first one, which resulted in a free kick. Scored yet another try off the back of a rolling maul.

1 Ox Nche – 9
Part of a front-row overhaul before half time and enjoyed the same success at the scrum as Steenekamp did, if not more, winning penalty after penalty as the Bok scrum took total control of the match. After four penalties in a row at the scrum, Regis Montagne was yellow carded in the final quarter.

3 Wilco Louw – 8
The third member of the first-half rotation made by Erasmus, and had the French scrum in the palm of his hand. While he didn’t produce the number of penalties Nche could generate, he was still mightily dominant, exerting immense pressure on both looseheads he lined up against.

19 Franco Mostert – 6
Fairly quiet cameo off the bench, with his role largely reserved for hitting rucks.

20 Cameron Hanekom – 6
Carried with plenty of ferocity as he came on to the field to restore South Africa back to their full compliment of players.

21 Paul de Villiers – 6
Another player who was steady after coming on without a game-changing contribution.

22 Cobus Reinach – 7
The only addition to the squad from last week’s success in Italy, and made an immediate impact, sniping from close range to score just seconds after coming on.

23 Manie Libbok – 5
Welcomed to the game by receiving a huge shot from Émilien Gailleton. His missed conversion from South Africa’s third try was ultimately what left the visitors falling short.