Springboks player ratings vs All Blacks | 1st Test Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026

Springboks player ratings: South Africa started Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry in disastrous fashion, losing 33-16 to the All Blacks on Saturday at Ellis Park.

The match was played with a level of physicality that, in truth, forced penalties from either side early on.

Rassie Erasmus’ side were able to gain increasing control as the match developed, with their scrum yet again being a rich source of penalties. Despite this, they didn’t have the points to show for it, and only went in at half time with a 13-12 lead.

Regardless of how dominant the Boks appeared early on in the second half, they just couldn’t quite pull away, with the visitors able to score points against the run of play and gain a foothold in the match.

The world champions wilted dramatically as the half progressed, with their discipline proving problematic and their bench providing very little firepower. Here’s how the players rated:

15 Damian Willemse – 6
A composed presence at the back, dealing well with New Zealand’s kicking game. Almost every time he took a high ball, he was able to beat the first tackler or get an offload away. Didn’t have the influence he is capable of when joining the line, as the Boks’ attack looked blunt when the ball found its way to the backs.

14 Cheslin Kolbe – 7
Beat defenders – sending Luke Jacobson for an ice cream at one point –, chased relentlessly and even kicked from the tee immaculately. Limped from the field after an hour when things started to look hairy for the hosts. They lacked his individual brilliance late on.

13 Jesse Kriel – 5
Shifted to the left wing following Kurt-Lee Arendse’s exit, but was haring across to cover the right side in the All Blacks’ second try, where there wasn’t a huge amount he could do. The All Blacks were able to keep him very quiet, offering a paltry three carries and two tackles all match.

12 Damian de Allende – 6
Moved to outside centre early on, but that actually gave de Allende a bit more space than he is used to on his 100th appearance, where he could use his footwork nicely. A bruising presence through the middle without any standout moments.

11 Kurt-Lee Arendse – N/A
Forced from the field in the opening quarter following a head injury.

10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu – 4
Quiet early on as the Bok pack largely took control, but he began to play with more freedom as the first half progressed, challenging the All Blacks’ defence with some dangerous runs and offloads. Was too loose with the ball at times, which summed up how profligate the Boks were. His shift to full-back didn’t work out. Defence was questionable, and was run over by Damian McKenzie as the All Blacks almost scored a breakaway try shortly before the hour mark.

9 Grant Williams – 5
Left covering too many players on the blindside with Paul de Villiers for the All Blacks’ opening try, but he ultimately ended up giving Will Jordan, one of the most lethal finishers of all time, a little too much space. Looked largely composed in the first half, and faced very little pressure, but was charged down early in the second half by Fabian Holland, which gave the All Blacks their third try and put the visitors in the lead. Found himself under increasing pressure before Erasmus decided to shift him to the wing on the hour mark.

1 Ox Nche – 8
Turned the scrum into a weapon once again, joining Wilco Louw in winning a penalty with his third effort of the match just after 30 minutes. It was a statement scrum as well. Put his opposite number under huge pressure and contributed plenty of abrasive work around the field before leaving after 46 minutes.

2 Malcolm Marx – 6
Turned the ball over with one of his very first rucks entered. A menace at the breakdown and hugely influential in the tight exchanges. Accurate at the set-piece and delivered the kind of physical performance expected in this rivalry. Spilt the ball over the line late in the first half, which would have given the Boks a buffer going into the break. In hindsight, that was hugely costly.

3 Wilco Louw – 8.5
On the wrong side of the whistle in the opening quarter when he was unable to roll out of a ruck. Made up at scrum time, drawing first blood with a penalty in his second scrum of the match after 26 minutes. Won his second scrum penalty on 46 minutes. The All Blacks were lucky to escape any scrum without giving a penalty away, which says it all really. Did his job during his hour on the field.

4 Eben Etzebeth – 5
Looked like a dream start inside the first minute, charging down Cam Roigard, but it was too good to be true, and he was pinged by Matthew Carley for being offside. Penalised again early on for a high shot – perhaps a lack of match sharpness? Grew into the match, though, and his lineout steal late in the first half summed up how totally dominant the world champions were becoming. Played almost the entirety of the match, but didn’t produce the numbers we are used to, with only three carries all match and not many more tackles. Did his the breakdown with ferocity.

5 Ruan Nortje – 6
Did a mountain of unseen work in the engine room. Industrious defensively and reliable at the lineout throughout. Put in a defensive shift, but, like Etzebeth, didn’t contribute much with the ball, with only one carry.

6 Paul de Villiers – 7
A hugely energetic performance, particularly in the first half. Competed ferociously at the breakdown and never stopped throwing himself into tackles and carries. Led the tackle count, with 12, before leaving the field after an hour, but did see his influence wane and was wisely taken off. Based on form, the 23-year-old deserves to keep hold of the No.6 jersey ahead of the great Siya Kolisi.

7 Pieter-Steph du Toit – 6
Led from the front with another relentless display, even if that did spill over into an offside penalty early on. His defensive work-rate was immense and he continually disrupted New Zealand’s attacking rhythm. Didn’t get the hit he would have wanted on Jacobson, though, as the All Blacks flanker crashed over for a try in the second half.

8 Jasper Wiese – 8
Can hold his head high in defeat. Won the Boks their first penalty of the match, latching onto the ball in a ruck, as he and his comrades in green attacked the breakdown. Carried with his trademark ferocity and repeatedly forced the All Blacks backwards, with one clean break into the All Blacks’ 22 in the second half providing a platform to score from – which they failed to do again. Provided South Africa with a reliable source of momentum through the middle.

Replacements

16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels – 5
Replaced Gerhard Steenekamp at loosehead, but just couldn’t provide any scrummaging impetus.

17 Gerhard Steenekamp – 7
Kept the scrum moving in the right direction and brought plenty of energy around the field. His first scrum won a penalty, which the Boks opted to take another scrum from. That scrum also won a penalty, which they opted to scrum from again. This was the world number ones tearing the world number twos’ scrum to complete shreds. Then, when the world least expected it, he was penalised at the scrum five metres from the All Blacks’ line. Left the field after 66 minutes.

18 Zachary Porthen – 5
Was not the force in the scrum Louw was, and the scrum was desperately needed to give the Boks a fillip when they were struggling.

19 Cobus Wiese – N/A
Only given a handful of minutes at the end.

20 Andre Esterhuizen – 7
Joined the action early on following Arendse’s head injury, and scored a try the diminutive winger would find very hard, bulldozing over Josh Moorby for the Boks’ opener. Just playing the game with supreme confidence, passing well, putting some deft kicks in, and of course steamrolling tacklers. Taken off for the final quarter, however, as the Boks were starting to panic.

21 Marco van Staden – 4
Needed to help the Boks in the final quarter, but spent 10 minutes of his cameo on the bench following a yellow card after a breakdown infringement metres from his line.

22 Cobus Reinach – 3
Brought on to provide his experience, but reduced his side to 13 players after an intentional knock-on off the back of an All Blacks scrum. An unforgivable error.

23 Manie Libbok – 5
Tried to add an attacking spark late on as the Springboks chased the match, but his side were rapidly losing momentum.