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Springboks player ratings vs Argentina | 2025 Rugby Championship
By Josh Raisey
Springboks player ratings: South Africa pulled away in the second half to inflict a 67-30 victory over Argentina in round five of the Rugby Championship at Durban’s Kings Park Stadium on Saturday to climb to the top of the table.
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Off the back of one of their greatest performances of all time against the All Blacks, Rassie Erasmus refrained from making changes for this match, only making those that were necessary (bringing in Eben Etzebeth and Damian de Allende).
The team delivered again with another dominant display, which now leaves them in pole position to retain the Rugby Championship.
Here’s how the players rated:
15 Damian Willemse – 8
Shifted to full-back this week after his commanding display at inside centre in Wellington, and was rock solid at the back. However, he struggled to get into the game as much, which is maybe inevitable. But in the form he is in, the Boks will want him getting involved as much as possible. His output did increase after the break, where he continued to show his deceptive ball-carrying power.
14 Cheslin Kolbe – 6
Seemed untouchable against the All Blacks, but crashed down back to Earth with maybe the biggest howler of his career with his botched goal-line drop-out (or bizarre way to pass the ball to his team-mate). That capped a first half where he was largely anonymous. Burst into the match early into the second half when he ran onto Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s perfect kick, and was on the end of another one later in the half, where he almost assisted a try for Canan Moodie with a grubber after taking the ball. That was his last intervention during a mixed hour on the field.
13 Canan Moodie – 7
Maybe struggled to make an imprint on the match in the first half, but charged out of the line with a great read to force a knock-on in the early minutes of the second stanza. Came incredibly close to scoring on a couple of occasions and may be disappointed that he didn’t come away with a try.
12 Damian de Allende – 7.5
Would have seen Willemse’s display at inside centre against the All Blacks and would have been desperate for a strong showing. He produced that, but did not force anything. Carried hard and directly, providing momentum.
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11 Ethan Hooker – 7
Playing at his home ground, the 22-year-old was penalised for being offside (he wasn’t the only one) to give the Pumas their first points of the match. Ruled the airways in New Zealand and was again used as an avenue to gain field position, but maybe not with the same amount of success. Strong on the left flank, but did not see a huge amount of action with ball in hand.
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu – 9.5
Magnificent. A long-range penalty opened his account for the afternoon with just a few minutes on the clock, and continued to kick well from the tee, though not perfect. Rebounded after the Boks conceded their strange first try with a try of his own, kicking into space from his own half and chasing the kick down to go over the line. Got his second try on the stroke of half-time, stepping in-field off his right foot to fool a solid Argentine defence and darting through the gap. Bailed his side out in the first half, then started the second with a sumptuously weighted cross kick to Kolbe. His hat-trick came after 50 minutes following a flamboyant dummy from the base. Was just playing with supreme and spellbinding confidence in the second half, exhibited perfectly by his second cross-field kick to Kolbe. Shifted to full-back in the final 20 minutes to show his versatility. 37 points wasn’t a bad return – a record for the Boks – and maybe would have been a 10/10 display had he not missed a kick.
9 Cobus Reinach – 7
Kept the ball moving swiftly from the base without needing to do anything too flashy during his 57 minutes on the field. When your forwards are carrying hard and your fly-half is having the game of his life, sometimes the scrum-half’s job is just to maintain fluidity, which Reinach did.
1 Boan Venter – 7
Called into the starting XV following an injury to Ox Nche, but still was able to do some damage in the scrum. Caught offside to give the Pumas their second penalty kick of the first half – as the hosts were really tested around the edges of the ruck – but there was a lot to like about his output either side of the ball. Part of a big scrummaging effort before being substituted.
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2 Malcolm Marx – 7.5
Scored the opening try of the match – his 25th – following a driving maul after 30 minutes. At fault 10 minutes later, however, when he made a side entry and collapsed an Argentine maul, resulting in a penalty try and a yellow card before half-time. Strong defensively around the fringes, and put on an offloading and passing clinic to keep the ball alive in an 80-minute display (albeit with 10 in the sin bin).
3 Thomas du Toit – 5
Got an early shove on the Pumas pack in the first scrum of the match, but a call of “use it” prevented the penalty being awarded to the Boks. Earned the penalty after the reset, which set the tone for the rest of the match. That looked ominous for the visitors, but the Bath star was being penalised himself at the scrum soon after. Would have been nervous at one point following a high tackle on Joel Sclavi, but it only resulted in a penalty – one of three in the first half.
4 Eben Etzebeth – 6
Back in after missing the demolition of the All Blacks, replacing Lood de Jager, and would have wanted to put in a statement. He would have thought he had achieved that when he crashed over for the opening try of the match, only for it to be chalked off for a knock-on in the build-up. Played 47 minutes, got through his tackles (7) and carried hard (8) in what was an attritional contest in the tight.
5 Ruan Nortje – 7.5
Argentina’s lineout looked slick going into the match, but Nortje put Julian Montoya under a lot of pressure. Great engine and can keep a high level across an 80 minute display.
6 Siya Kolisi – 6
Played an hour again (including a brief spell out during the yellow card) and had some strong carries in there but no real standout moments.
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit – 9
Popped up on the left flank on a number of occasions to make some strong carries, including one where it looked as though he was going to crash over. That gave the Boks the field position to score their third try just before half time, though. It was on that same side that he bagged a second-half try. His ability to move ball, alongside the strength of his carries, helped the Boks play with a frenetic tempo at times. Got his second in the final seconds, managing to keep hold of the ball to go over.
8 Jasper Wiese – 8
Bumped and threw tacklers away all afternoon, which was needed against an unyielding Argentine defensive effort in the tight. That kind of relentless physicality forced the Pumas to wilt as the match progressed.
Rugby Championship
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
New Zealand
5
3
2
0
14
2
Australia
5
2
3
0
11
3
South Africa
4
2
2
0
10
4
Argentina
4
2
2
0
9
Replacements
16 Marco van Staden – N/A
Down as the reserve hooker, but came on in the back-row for the final few minutes.
17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels – 7.5
Prepared all week to play at hooker, but was changed to the substitute loosehead following Nche’s injury. Earned a penalty at the scrum, which is par for the course for Bok props these days.
18 Wilco Louw – 6.5
Desctructive from the bench as per, being part of a huge shove within moments of coming on, which resulted in a penalty. He was pinged on one occasion himself, though.
19 RG Snyman – 7.5
Such an impact from the bench once again. Really exploited a Pumas defence that looked a bit ragged late on. It wasn’t necessarily his carrying that was so effective, but the knack to keep the ball alive
20 Kwagga Smith – 7
Came in on the hour mark again to up the energy.
21 Morne van den Berg – 8
In for his first appearance of the Championship and scored his third Test try soon after joining the action, darting from the base following a strong carry from de Allende.
22 Manie Libbok – 8
Dominated the match against the All Blacks with the boot, and maintained the same level this week. Got his own try – a brilliant solo effort – to ensure it was not just the Feinberg-Mngomezulu show.
23 Andre Esterhuizen – 6
Formed a bruising centre partnership with de Allende in the second half, which was the last thing the Pumas would have wanted to see.
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