Springboks player ratings vs Wales | Nations Championship 2026

South Africa player ratings: South Africa made it three from three in the Nations Championship with a seven-try 43-0 win over Wales in Durban on Saturday, but it was not a vintage display.

While the score suggests this was a routine win for the world champions, they were far from their best, and let plenty of points go begging as a result of some sloppy handling.

That was largely due to the conditions, with the ball being noticeably slippery. Despite spurning chance after chance, Rassie Erasmus’ side were simply too powerful up front.

It may not have been the 73-0 margin they recorded in Cardiff in November, but this was never much of a contest. Here’s how the players rated:

15 Aphelele Fassi – 6
Looked dangerous when he got the ball, but, like many, he was a victim of the greasy ball. Had a couple of bright half breaks, but didn’t really have the licence to run riot given the conditions.

14 Jaco Williams – 8
On debut, the 20-year-old had a mixed aerial battle with Ellis Mee, but came out on top in the final play of the first half, hitting a tap-back from a cross-field kick for Jesse Kriel to score. Took a matter of seconds into the second half for his to score his first Test try, offering his support after his side won a contestable. Put Herschel Jantjies in for a try later in the half, to continue a performance where most touches resulted in something highly positive.

13 Jesse Kriel – 7
Was a bit of a passenger for much of the first half due to the way the game was being played, but was sharp enough to collect a loose ball following an aerial battle to score the Boks’ third on the stroke of half time. Could have had another in the second half, only to knock the ball on with the tryline begging. Summed up the match, really.

12 Damian de Allende – 6
Gritty and uncompromising in the midfield, with his physicality helping in an attritional affair at times.

11 Kurt-Lee Arendse – 6
As was the theme for many backs, this wasn’t a free-flowing match, and was more about contestables for the winger. In that department, he didn’t have the kind of success the Boks have enjoyed this month. Bagged a try late in the match, though, having plenty of space to score in the corner.

10 Vusi Moyo – 6
Maybe showed signs of some early jitters, or over eagerness, but they quickly dissipated. Got his hands on the ball often in the back field and looked dangerous taking on the Welsh defence. Crowned his first half of Test rugby with a cross-field kick, which Kriel eventually scored from. Maybe not the game he would have wanted on debut, with the conditions not conducive to attacking rugby. The ball remained in the tight for much of his 47-minute debut, depriving him of showing what he is capable of. Solid nevertheless.

9 Cobus Reinach – 7.5
Glided through the Welsh defence in the opening quarter to score from close range, riding the wave of momentum that came from a destructive scrum. Frequently probed and threatened around the breakdown in his 50-minute stint.

1 Gerhard Steenekamp – 8
Laid down the law in the scrum the first time the two sides packed down, winning a penalty. However, it was perhaps the scrum on 13 minutes five metres from the Welsh line that truly encapsulated the sheer dominance the Bok pack had.

2 Malcolm Marx -7
Immovable over the ball, benefitting from a defence that was already suffocating the Welsh attack. Lineout worked well too, mixing up his throws.

3 Carlu Sadie – 8
Brought all the scrummaging prowess he has shown in Bordeaux in his Springboks debut, atomising the Welsh pack on many occasions. Didn’t offer a huge amount elsewhere, but did what he was brought in to do.

4 Cobus Wiese – 7
Carved through the Welsh defence in the opening quarter, out to show whatever his brother can do, he can do better, or at least just as well. Guilty of a couple of handling errors in the first half, but he was RG Snyman-esque with his one-handed carry and offload to put Williams in for a try moments into the second half. Didn’t last much longer, but it was a display with some eye-catching moments.

5 Ruben van Heerden – 7
A steady debut, but nothing too flashy, and had to wait until the second half to make his first carry in Test rugby. His defensive contribution was more noticeable, however, topping the tackle count for his side with 11 tackles.

6 Paul de Villiers – 8.5
Continued his role of being the first receiver off a lineout, which he has done well over the last three matches, gaining a lot of ground. Looked very accomplished and confident on the ball, and equally adept at the breakdown, winning a penalty mere feet from his line after a period of Welsh pressure in the second half. Scored from the back of a driving maul late in the game to complete a wonderful display.

7 Pieter-Steph du Toit – 7
Could have come away with a hatful of tries, only to keep being pulled back for various handling errors or infringements earlier in play. Always on the scene on both sides of the ball, with his remarkable engine allowing him to simply outwork his opposing forwards.

8 Jasper Wiese – 8
Opened the scoring with some good old-fashioned brute force, smashing through Jac Morgan and Rhys Carre on his way to the line. That set the tone for his carrying during his 50 minutes on the field, beating five defenders when on the field. Threw his weight around in defence too.

Replacements
16 Andre-Hugo Venter – 7
Slotted seamlessly into a dominant forward effort. Carried with intent and ensured the lineout and maul continued to function smoothly.

17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels – 7
Made an immediate impact at scrum time as South Africa tightened their grip on proceedings. Strong in the loose too.

18 Wilco Louw – 7.5
Brought fresh power to the front-row and helped turn the scrum into a real weapon during the closing stages, crumpling his opposing prop, Nicky Smith, into the feet of his second-rows at one point.

19 Ben-Jason Dixon – 6
Added plenty of physicality after coming on, doing the unseen work around the tight exchanges without putting a foot wrong.

20 Marco van Staden – 7
Typically industrious display. Hit rucks relentlessly, chopped down carriers and threatened over the breakdown.

21 Herschel Jantjies – 7.5
Injected good tempo from scrum-half and kept South Africa playing in the right areas as the game opened up. He benefited from that too, freeing up Williams on the blindside and supporting his winger to score the Boks’ fifth.

22 Manie Libbok – 7
Controlled the game well after replacing Moyo, moving the ball intelligently and asking questions of a tiring defence, putting Arendse in with a whipped pass that cut out two Welsh defenders. Kicking from the tee was wayward.

23 Damian Willemse – 6
A classy cameo. Looked dangerous whenever he touched the ball and provided the composure expected from such an experienced player.