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Springboks player ratings vs All Blacks | 2025 Rugby Championship
By Josh Raisey
Springboks player ratings: South Africa kept their Rugby Championship hopes alive with a destructive 43-10 bonus point victory over the All Blacks in Wellington on Saturday, in the biggest defeat the hosts have ever faced.
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Rassie Erasmus’ much-changed side was electric from the off and could have had a much bigger lead after a number of missed opportunities in the opening quarter, where they dominated possession and territory.
To then add to their problems, four players were forced from the field with injuries in the first half alone, meaning this was a game where the world champions’ best laid plans may have been thrown out the window. But that in no way deterred them, as they continued to dominate almost every area of the match.
Here’s how the players rated:
15 Aphelele Fassi – 7
Beaten in the air by Will Jordan in the opening stages, but looked much tidier thereafter. Revelled in a backline that was given licence to play with width, and joined the attack in different areas to great effect. However, he became the fourth – yes, fourth – Springbok that had to come off in the first half when he was carted off with an ankle injury.
14 Cheslin Kolbe – 8.5
Looked for all the money in the world that he was about to score the opening try of the match when he latched onto a Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu grubber kick, but Jordie Barrett must be praised for his cover tackle, ripping the ball from Kolbe’s clutches over the line. Exhibited the dark and light side of the blitz in the space of two minutes in the first half – penalised for a high tackle when he rushed out of the line, then intercepted a Billy Proctor pass to race in for the Boks’ first try. Scored his second try shortly after half-time, stepping off his right – a world-class finish. His aerial ability helped his side gain a lot of territory as well in what was a defining contribution. Had to leave the field early in the second stanza, but left an indelible mark on the match.
13 Canan Moodie – 7
Shifted to outside centre this week and got his hands on the ball a lot. Not just attacking the outside channels, though, as the 22-year-old stepped in at second-receiver a lot. Made some very astute defensive reads as well against an All Blacks side that were eager to put width on the ball. His handling was a slight concern, though, raising questions as to whether he has the distribution game for the midfield.
12 Damian Willemse – 9.5
In his first start for the Springboks at inside centre, Willemse took on the Damian de Allende role at times, running the ball straight with some smart footwork before contact and chipped in with a ruck turnover as well, but added his own dimension to the game by distributing the ball well. Showed his true value maybe when he was forced to shift to full-back following Fassi’s injury, and had plenty of bombs to deal with. His influence on the game maybe diminished after, but he still popped up in the midfield for the match-sealing try, made all the more impressive as he received the ball over and behind his head.
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11 Ethan Hooker – 8.5
In his first start for the national team, the 22-year-old may have been a bit envious of the action that went fellow wing Kolbe’s way. But he grew into the match and did his job well, though, with some strong carries on the flank. His kick-chase and supreme strength in the air played a huge part in the outcome of the match, relentlessly coming out on top in aerial battles. Would have surely wanted the match to last longer as he was getting better and better.
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu – 6
Replacing Handre Pollard from last week, the 23-year-old spurned the opportunity for the Boks to get their first points on the scoreboard with a wayward kick to touch. But the way in which he immediately pierced through the All Blacks’ defence in the ensuing counter-attack showed he was not deterred. Looked to be having the Bok backline purring before being forced from the field in the opening quarter.
9 Cobus Reinach – 7.5
Played with tempo from the base, but the knock-on effect was a couple of knock-ons from hand, including one that resulted in the Boks’ opening try of the game being chalked off. Brought his forwards into the game, but picked up a head injury following his first incisive snipe, forcing him to leave the field, though he did return. Despite playing almost the entirety of the match, his energy and pace never dipped.
1 Ox Nche – 7.5
Very clearly had the upper hand in the scrum, and while he was rewarded with a penalty, he may have thought he was deserving of more. The speed the hosts got the ball out the scrum perhaps prevented the penalties from piling up.
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2 Malcolm Marx – 7
Had an afternoon to forget at Eden Park, and his lineout woes looked to be reappearing when he overthrew the ball five metres from the All Blacks’ line with just minutes on the clock. But he overcame those issues as the match developed. Competed hard at the breakdown, but did fall on the wrong side of referee Nika Amashukeli’s whistle.
3 Thomas du Toit – 7
Pinged on one occasion for collapsing the scrum in the shadow of the All Blacks’ posts, but he was hardly going backwards at the time. In fact, the Bok scrum was marching forward every time they packed down. Got through his tackles as well in his 42 minutes on the field.
4 Lood de Jager – N/A
Stepping in for Eben Etzebeth this week, and was the go-to option in a lineout that was still searching for consistency. However, he hobbled from the field after only 10 minutes.
5 Ruan Nortje – 7.5
In a game played at such ferocity and tempo, Nortje’s tireless work in the tight allowed his side to dominate. His lineout steal five metres from the All Blacks’ line led to Willemse’s try. A huge moment.
6 Siya Kolisi – 8
Back at flanker following a dalliance at No.8 last week, and showed in patches that there was some real venom in his carrying, but he may have wanted to get the ball in his hands more. Then again, with Jasper Wiese on the field, he wasn’t burdened with that responsibility. Made the most with his carries, though, particularly his break which laid the platform for Kolbe’s second. Was maybe about quality, rather than quantity, on either side of the ball in his hour on the field.
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit – 9
In such a frenetic match at times, where the ball was being flung to all corners of the pitch, Du Toit always seemed to always be part of the action, which is a reflection of the engine he has. There wasn’t a blade of grass that wasn’t covered. Gathered a cross-field kick to put Kwagga Smith in for a try when the Boks were running riot.
8 Jasper Wiese – 8.5
Returning after copping a lengthy ban for a headbutt against Italy, and made up for lost time. Was just bouncing All Blacks for fun, but it was actually his offloading and passing that kept the defence guessing. Made his presence felt in defence too, dumping Jordie Barrett on his backside in a standout moment.
Replacements
16 Marnus van der Merwe – 7
Showed he can be just as impactful from the floor as Marx, with a turnover penalty to his name. Wasn’t wholly reliable at the lineout, though, which has been a bit of an issue in recent weeks.
17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels – 7.5
Ran through the All Blacks’ scrum in the first time he had to pack down after half time, then added a penalty to his haul after 55 minutes.
18 Wilco Louw – 8
Such power and scrummaging horsepower from the bench was simply game-changing. Came on after 42 minutes and marmalised the All Blacks’ scrum, generating the momentum for the Boks to score their second try. Wasn’t completely dominant at the set-piece, though, and was penalised at one point, but that was an aberration.
19 RG Snyman – 8
Called into action after only 10 minutes, and was crashing over the line just seconds later for what appeared to be the opening try of the match, only for it to be pulled back for a knock-on by Reinach. With the game appearing to be looser and quicker than last week, this was the sort of game that suited Snyman with his world-class offloading game which was on show. Got his try in the end, when he just glided a creaking black wall. A needless neck roll was a blot on his copybook and took his rating down slightly.
20 Kwagga Smith – 8
Following his yellow card and penalty-conceding mix-up with De Jager last week, this was a far stronger cameo, with a try to his name. Only helped keep the pace of the game up with his inclusion.
21 Grant Williams – 7
Became the third Bok that was required before the half-time whistle, replacing the injured Reinach after half an hour. Returned back to the bench, only to come back on as a winger in Kolbe’s place. The All Blacks were able to exploit his wing, but his team-mates scrambled well. Caught out of position late on, only to produce a superb recovering tackle to prevent Jordan from scoring in the corner.
22 Manie Libbok – 8.5
Thrown in to replace Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the opening quarter of the match, and it did change the complexion of the Boks’ attack. Libbok turned to the boot more than his fellow fly-half did early on, but the visitors often got a very good return from the kicks. Just dominated the game with his boot, both in open play and from the tee, in such an assured display.
23 Andre Esterhuizen – 8
Entered the game in the first half, and though many would expect his hard carrying to be a defining feature, it was actually his perfectly-weighted left-handed pass to put Kolbe in for his second that was so key. Crashed over the line in the closing second following a Bok break to put the cherry on the cake.