Springboks player ratings vs All Blacks | The Rugby Championship

Springboks player ratings: For the second week in a row, South Africa beat New Zealand after being second best for much of the contest. That is not a dig at the double Rugby World Cup champions but a sign of their powerful will and immense strength in depth.

This 18-12 win in Cape Town was hard won, but there is no doubting they deserved it after keeping the All Blacks at arm’s length while taking their chances when they were presented.

This win, their fourth in a row against their great rivals, also secures the Freedom Cup, the floating trophy shared between the sides, for the first time since 2009. With an 11 points lead now secured over New Zealand on The Rugby Championship table, the title is all-but theirs as well.

The scrappy nature of the game is reflected in some below-par individual scores, but some stand-out performances from a few key individuals got the job done. Here are the Springboks player ratings:

15. Willie le Roux – 6

Not at his best, but his presence alone gave the All Blacks something to consider on defence. Whether joining the line at first receiver or looping round to spark an attack, his distribution caused the occasional threat.

14. Canan Moodie – 3 (replaced by Lukhanyo Am, 46 minutes)

Was too often caught in no-man’s land on the rush defence. Struggled to get into the game and was too soft on a few tackles. Earns points for chasing long-range high kicks.

13. Jesse Kriel – 6

Loses points for the general inaccuracy of the rush defence. As the generalissimo in this department, he has to shoulder some blame but no doubt the problems lie on the training pitch. Otherwise dependable when tackling and offered an option with ball in hand, particularly when cleaning up messy situations in the trams.

12. Damian de Allende – 9

Superb. The only South African who seemed to storm over the gainline with every carry. Made 56 metres – more than any of his teammates – from 11 carries and 10 passes, proving he is more than just a battering ram. For good measure, he won an important steal over the ball when the All Blacks were mounting a siege inside South Africa’s half. When do we start talking about him in the same breath as Jean de Villiers in terms of the greatest South African 12s of the modern era?

11. Cheslin Kolbe – 9

Is he the best player in the world? He’s up there, isn’t he? Forget the gimmick lineout throw, this performance had it all. Tackles on much larger men. Swift hands when sending it down the line. Superhuman leaps to secure high balls. But most impressive of all is his footwork. And though he fed off scraps for much of the game, that was more than enough for this master chef to serve up a sumptuous feast of dancing feet and twisted ankles.

10. Handre Pollard – 5 (replaced by Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 53)

Solid but unspectacular. Neither set the pulse racing or controlled the game. Wasn't helped by his forwards getting bossed at the breakdown but it wasn’t exactly a show that inks his name on the team sheet moving forward. Still, his unnerving accuracy off the tee meant the Boks stayed in the fight despite being second best while he was on the pitch.

9. Grant Williams – 5.5 (replaced by Jaden Hendrikse, 60)

Started poorly but grew as the game went on. Like Pollard, he wasn’t helped by the lack of consistent front-foot ball. Once he received better service in front of him his box kicking improved.

1. Ox Nche – 8 (replaced by Gerhard Steenkamp, 57)

Eased into the game by consuming several All Blacks scrums and was a menace throughout his stay. His work-rate was immense and he hammered everything in black that came his way. A wonderful day out for the salad-dodger.

2. Bongi Mbonambi – 4 (replaced by Malcolm Marx, 45)

Missed his jumper from his first two throws and just about got away with the third. That’s not entirely on him as the lineout was a mess, but he has to take some stick for that. Otherwise lacked the heft of Codie Taylor and Marx.

3. Frans Malherbe – 6 (replaced by Vincent Koch, 53)

Used well as a battering ram in the close exchanges, and once again was a titan in the scrum. But a relatively quiet game means he registers a mid-table score.

4. Eben Etzebeth – 8

Immense. As he so often does he seemed to grow as the game approached its crescendo. He has developed this new trait of receiving the ball, standing still for a moment and then cranking through the gears as his powerful legs compel him over the advantage line. Is there a better lock in the game at present? Just an enormous contribution from the enormous man.

5. Ruan Nortje – 6

The occasional good read on the All Blacks lineout, as well as some stiff carries and tackles, doesn’t quite make up for the chaos that was the Springboks’ lineout in the first half. Too many decoy jumpers and overcomplicated routines looked a bit amateur at times. But he will learn from the experience and deserves credit for making 16 tackles, more than anyone else on the pitch.

6. Siya Kolisi – 7 (replaced by Kwagga Smith, 56)

Was everywhere. In the loose, in heavy traffic, charging with the ball and hurling himself into contact. Did it all with a fractured cheekbone having promised this week that everything he did on the pitch was for his country. Sometimes the guff served by the Boks can be saccharine, but when it is backed up by performances such as this one it all starts to make sense. That he scored the try that shifted momentum is a fitting thread to the narrative.

7. Pieter-Steph du Toit – 7

Not his usual elite performance but he still hammered 13 tackles and made 31 metres in the carry, mostly into two All Blacks from close range. That might be his most quiet game in green and it still deserves an above average score.

8. Jasper Wiese – 6 (replaced by Elrigh Louw, 53)

A touch one dimensional, carrying like a bulldozer but lacking the rangy bursts and silky touches that can also break tight games open. Was unlucky to be on the receiving end of collective punishment early in the game but one a big steal early doors when New Zealand were pressing in South Africa's 22.

Replacements:

16. Malcolm Marx – 9.5

A near-perfect performance from arguably South Africa’s greatest ever hooker. Made an immediate impact off the bench, finding his jumper at a lineout and then carrying twice in a minute to haul the Springboks close to the All Blacks’ line. That sequence ended with Etzebeth almost scoring a try and, from then, the home side effectively controlled the game. Was rewarded with a try of his own when he peeled off the back of a maul down the blindside.

17. Gerhard Steenkamp – 6

A great addition to the group. Scarcely put a foot wrong.

18. Vincent Koch – 7

Some big carries. Added mobility in the close battles and proved his all-court game.

19. Kwagga Smith – 7

These sorts of contributions off the bench have become the norm now. One of the most remarkable players in the game at present.

20. Elrigh Louw – 7

Impressive. Should be starting both games against Argentina.

21. Jaden Hendrikse – 6

It was his dinked kick over the top that had Kolbe tearing towards the ball in space before the winger was taken out by Tyrel Lomax. It was a sharp piece of work from Hendrikse when the temptation would have been to conserve possession. The subsequent penalty was kicked into the corner and Marx scored the game-winning try.

22. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu – 6

Sliced through New Zealand’s defence late in the game to win a massive territorial gain. Missed a few shots at goal but otherwise felt like a slight improvement on what had come before.

23. Lukhanyo Am – 4

Less flashy than we are accustomed but he did the dirty work, helping to secure a ball on the hour mark when it looked lost. Appears to be stuck without a clear role in the side. Like Moodie, he was in no-man’s land on the rush defence.