Springboks report card: All 30 players rated in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry

South Africa emerged 3-1 winners over the All Blacks in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, but it was far from a straightforward series for the world champions.

After falling 1-0 behind following an opening-Test defeat at Ellis Park, Rassie Erasmus admitted the All Blacks were in a “very good position”, with his side suddenly needing to win three matches in succession to claim the series outright.

But, as the Springboks have done so often before, they responded. Their scrum, maul and power game came to the fore as they ground out three consecutive victories to turn the series on its head.

Some of the shortcomings exposed in the first Test remained throughout, most notably South Africa’s failure to consistently turn pressure into points, which repeatedly left matches finely poised deep into the second half.

Ultimately, Springbok supporters will care little about how they got there. The series was won, and won 3-1. Here’s how every player rated across the four Tests.

Back three

Damian Willemse – 7
Secure more often than not at full-back, particularly underneath the high ball, but never quite became the attacking influence South Africa would have wanted. Injury curtailed his second Test and he missed the third before returning with another steady rather than spectacular showing in Baltimore.

Cheslin Kolbe – 8
One of South Africa’s best players before a broken jaw brought his series to a premature end. Added immaculate goalkicking to his usual aerial work, footwork, kick chase and ability to conjure something from nothing. He only completed one match, having limped off after an hour in the first Test before his series was ended 10 minutes into the third, so his overall impact is difficult to measure after missing more than half the series. But whenever he was on the pitch, he was outstanding.

Kurt-Lee Arendse – 7.5
A head injury wiped out most of the opener, but he returned for the third Test, scoring in Johannesburg before producing his finest display in Baltimore, beating eight defenders and making 169 metres from seven carries. Finished the series looking unplayable.

Ethan Hooker – 8
Despite being overlooked for the first Test, the 23-year-old ended up with the most game time of the entire back three across the series, and was one of the major winners. Outstanding in the air, defensively aggressive, unexpectedly effective over the ball and constantly searching for work away from his wing. His final Test was quieter, but he had already done more than enough to strengthen his case for a long-term place.

Centres

Jesse Kriel – 6.5
A series of moments rather than consistency for the 32-year-old. Scored important tries in Cape Town and Johannesburg, including a superb 40-metre effort in the third Test, but there were also unusually high missed-tackle numbers and quieter attacking displays either side of those moments.

Damian de Allende – 8
Got better as the series went on. His 100th Test was solid rather than spectacular, but he became increasingly influential thereafter, combining bruising carrying with subtle footwork and passing. Outstanding in the final two Tests and arguably South Africa’s most consistent back.

Andre Esterhuizen – 6.5
Shared his time from the bench at centre and flanker. Scored after being summoned early in the first Test in the midfield and continued to offer a very different physical threat whenever called upon. Most of his later appearances came as a hybrid forward replacement, where he added direct carrying without ever quite dominating proceedings.

Fly-halves

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu – 6.5
A curious series. Loose and defensively vulnerable in the opener, reportedly dropped for Cape Town before Handre Pollard’s withdrawal handed him another start, then gradually looked more comfortable when sharing the playmaking burden with Manie Libbok. There were flashes of his enormous ceiling, but also enough inconsistency to keep the No.10 debate alive.

Manie Libbok – 7
Generally improved the Boks when introduced. Brought clarity in Cape Town and combined particularly well with Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the third Test. His Baltimore cameo had some ugly moments, but his ability to open the game up remained valuable throughout.

Scrum-halves

Grant Williams – 5
Only featured in the opener, where a Fabian Holland charge-down proved hugely costly before he was eventually shifted to the wing. The All Blacks applied increasing pressure around the breakdown, and Williams was one of those who suffered.

Cobus Reinach – 6
A nightmare opening cameo, where his deliberate knock-on reduced South Africa to 13, set the tone for a mixed series. Rebounded to start the next two Tests and produced important moments, particularly his turnover before the third-Test penalty try, but never found his best rhythm.

Morne van den Berg – 7.5
Enhanced his reputation every time he appeared. Added tempo from the bench at FNB Stadium before taking his opportunity brilliantly in Baltimore, scoring from the back of a maul and threatening constantly around the fringes. Finished the series having made a genuine case to start more often with a player of the match performance.

Props

Ox Nche – 8
Remains almost unfair at scrum time. Demolished the All Blacks in the opener, immediately transformed the set-piece when introduced in Cape Town and was central to the penalty try in the third Test. Even showed some impressive handling in Johannesburg for good measure.

Gerhard Steenekamp – 6.5
Had the thankless task of being compared with Nche. Produced some excellent scrummaging moments, particularly in the first and third Tests, but also found himself penalised at crucial times and was quieter when starting in Cape Town.

Wilco Louw – 8.5
The most consistently dominant scrummager of the series. Tore into the New Zealand looseheads in the first Test and repeated the dose at FNB Stadium. His numbers around the park were surprisingly strong as well, including 11 first-half tackles in Baltimore.

Thomas du Toit – 7
Excellent when starting in Cape Town, where his combination of scrummaging power and dynamism around the field stood out. He was less conspicuous from the bench thereafter but remained a dependable source of impact. His importance was perhaps felt most keenly through his absence from the first Test, when the Springbok bench failed to provide the same lift he offered for the remainder of the series.

Zachary Porthen – 5
Given one opportunity in the opener and could not replicate the dominance Louw had created before him. Was out of the squad for the rest of the series.

Jan-Hendrik Wessels – 5
Down on the team-sheet as a replacement hooker for the Ellis Park Test but was deployed as a prop. Endured a difficult first-Test cameo at loosehead where the scrum lost much of its earlier authority. Axed for the rest of the series.

Hookers

Malcolm Marx – 9
South Africa’s standout forward across the series. His opening Test contained one costly spill over the line, but he responded emphatically. Surgical at the breakdown, immaculate at the lineout and increasingly destructive at the back of the maul, scoring in each of the final two Tests. The reigning World Rugby Player of the Year delivered.

Deon Fourie – 6
Asked to cover both hooker and flanker, including a start in Cape Town. His breakdown work remained excellent, but the difference between him and Marx at scrum and lineout time became apparent as the series progressed.

Locks

Eben Etzebeth – 7.5
Started sluggishly at Ellis Park after limited rugby in 2026, then produced arguably his finest performance of the year in Cape Town, where he was everywhere. Quieter at FNB Stadium before another influential display in Baltimore. When the pressure rose, the veteran generally responded.

Ruan Nortje – 7
Did almost all the unfashionable work. Consistently among South Africa’s leading tacklers, reliable at the lineout and relentless at ruck time. Rarely produced a headline moment, but his value to the pack was obvious.

Lood de Jager – 5.5
His yellow card in Cape Town badly damaged his first appearance of the series. Improved thereafter without ever becoming a major influence, although his energy from the bench in Baltimore was useful.

Cobus Wiese – N/A
Only received a handful of minutes in the opening Test.

Back-row

Siya Kolisi – 7
Missed the opener, returned from injury to score in Cape Town and provided exactly the leadership and connective play Erasmus wanted. His individual numbers were rarely spectacular, but South Africa won all three Tests he started.

Paul de Villiers – 6
Discarded after the first Test once Kolisi returned, but acquitted himself well, leading the tackle count and competing ferociously at the breakdown. Unfortunate that Kolisi’s return closed the door after one energetic showing. Would have had a higher rating had he featured more in the series.

Pieter-Steph du Toit – 7
Not quite the superhuman level he has produced at his absolute best, but still relentlessly influential. Tackled himself into the ground, reached 100 caps in Cape Town and finished the series with a try in Baltimore.

Jasper Wiese – 7.5
Perhaps the most volatile series of any Bok forward. Excellent in the opener, anonymous by comparison in Cape Town, then hugely influential in the final two Tests with his output either side of the ball. His brute-force break before the third-Test penalty try was one of the key moments of the series. One slight concern to Erasmus would be how loose he can be with possession and how he is prone to being dispossessed in contact.

Marco van Staden – 4
One appearance, one costly yellow card. Not the impact he would have wanted.

Cameron Hanekom – 7
Made the most of relatively limited opportunities. Athletic, explosive and increasingly influential as the series went on, culminating in an outstanding Baltimore cameo featuring a crucial tackle, breakdown steal and try. Another player whose stock rose and there will be calls for a start.