Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Springboks player ratings vs Wales | 2nd Test July 2022

Wales' lock Will Rowlands (L) is tackled by South Africa's lock Eben Etzebeth (R) and South Africa's center Andre Esterhuizen (C) during an international rugby union match between South Africa and Wales at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein on July 9, 2022. (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE / AFP) (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE/AFP via Getty Images)

The Springboks’ inability to convert good possession and territorial dominance into points proved costly in their second Test against Wales in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

ADVERTISEMENT

Although it was an experimental matchday squad, the Boks had several talented and experienced campaigners on the field, but they couldn’t breach Wales’s defence in a 12-13 defeat.

A couple of the debutants can hold their heads up high, but it’s still a defeat at home for the world champions and it’s not going to go down well with the supporters.

Video Spacer

Ian Foster fronts the media after the loss to Ireland in the second test | All Blacks press conference

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 11:17
Loaded: 4.43%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 11:17
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected
    Video Spacer

    Ian Foster fronts the media after the loss to Ireland in the second test | All Blacks press conference

    Check out the Player Ratings below.

    15 Warrick Gelant – 6.5
    He was a livewire at the back. He showed great determination to run the ball back when it was kicked to him and he made more metres with ball in hand than any other player on the field. His passing under pressure still needs to be refined at this level of the game and his kicking out of hand was not the best at times.

    14 Kurt-Lee Arendse – 7
    You could just feel the excitement levels rise whenever he got the ball. He was nearly in for a try in the opening few minutes after Warrick Gelant put him into space. He also evaded a few defenders in the second half when he got some more ball to work with. He also stood up to the physical challenge on defence by putting in some big hits on players who are larger than him.

    13 Jesse Kriel – 5.5
    The halfbacks certainly made sure the ball went his way on attack and he did deliver some good runs. His speed out wide kept Wales on their toes and he did have an eye for the gap. However, he got a bit predictable as the game went on.

    12 Andre Esterhuizen – 6
    He just didn’t have that impact the Boks want from a big physical No.12. He made some metres with a couple of his carries, but you just felt that there was more in him. He also made a couple of mistakes with ball in hand. He delivered a poor pass out wide in the seventh minute when the Boks had a great attacking opportunity and he also dropped the ball in contact in the 38th minute when momentum was building.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    11 Aphelele Fassi – 6.5
    He didn’t get a lot of opportunities with ball in hand, but he certainly made his presence felt on defence. He was also a good chaser of the ball when the Boks were trying to put Wales under pressure. Maybe he should be given an opportunity in the fullback position.

    10 Handre Pollard – 6
    Even though no tries were scored, the Springboks were more assertive on attack with him at No.10. Not only did he look to put his centres in space, he also took the ball to the line on several occasions. However, execution is still a problem when it comes to South Africa’s flyhalves. He will also be kicking himself after missing a couple of penalties, especially the one in the 56th minute.

    9 Jaden Hendrikse – 7
    He brought great energy and his service from the rucks was fast and accurate for most of the game. He had a mixed bag in terms of his decision-making and his kicking out of hand could be better as well. Overall, it was a good performance from the youngster.

    Related

    8 Evan Roos – 7
    He had more carries than any other player in the Springboks’ pack. With those carries his gainline success was top of the charts. With his big presence, he attracted more than one defender which created some space out wide. He can also be proud of his defensive performance. It was a good debut.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    7 Pieter-Steph du Toit – 6.5
    The Bok coaches will be happy seeing him get through a full 80 minutes after the injury woes he had. It will take some time before he gets to the form that made him the world’s best player in 2019. However, he did show glimpses of it in the physical exchanges, especially on defence.

    6 Marcell Coetzee – 6.5
    The breakdown maestro didn’t get a lot of opportunities to disrupt Wales’ ball, but he was one of the go-to men when it came to carries around the rucks. He didn’t get much gainline success, but he certainly kept the Welsh defenders busy. On defence, he was rock solid like many of his teammates.

    5 Marvin Orie – 6.5
    He hardly put a foot wrong. He was a reliable catcher in the line-outs and he took his aggression levels in open play to a higher level in this Test. He certainly imposed himself physically at the rucks and on defence.

    4 Eben Etzebeth – 8
    He was by far the best player on the field for the Springboks. He terrorised Wales at the line-outs – he won a couple of balls on their throw-in and he also showed his strength by almost single-handedly stopping their driving mauls. He lives on the edge and he gave away a couple of penalties, but he does that in every game.

    3 Trevor Nyakane – 6
    It was a mixed bag in the scrums, but that might also be down to the referee’s interpretation. He did win a scrum penalty against Gareth Thomas in the 17th minute. The big man had a couple of strong carries, but his gainline success was nothing to write home about.

    Related

    2 Joseph Dweba – 6.5
    He had a few big carries in the first half. One of those surely ended in a headache for Dan Biggar in the closing stages of the first half. His line-out throwing was generally good, but he will be kicking himself with his skew throw-in in the 25th minute when the Boks were just metres from the Welsh tryline.

    1 Thomas du Toit – 7
    Like Trevor Nyakane, he didn’t have a great time in the scrums, but he made up for it with a high work rate in open play. He hardly gave an inch on defence. In fact, he was one of his team’s best defenders when he was on the field.

    Replacements:

    16 Malcolm Marx – 7
    His line-out throwing was spot on in the second half and he was part of a stronger front row as well. He can be a menace at the breakdowns, and he demonstrated that by winning a penalty in the 49th minute.

    17 Ntuthuko Mchunu – 6.5
    He showed his power by winning a scrum penalty in the 61st minute, but he also gave away a penalty in that area of the game in 76th minute. He didn’t get a lot of opportunities in open play, but he can hold his head up high.

    18 Vincent Koch – 6.5
    He was solid in the scrums, but he did give away a cheap scrum penalty in the 48th minute. He was a big presence on defence and he had a couple of strong carries as well.

    19 Ruan Nortje – 6.5
    Another one of those debutants that needs a pat on the back for getting into the thick of things up front. Defensively he was strong and made some valuable contributions in the set-pieces.

    20 Rynhardt Elstadt – 6
    He made his presence felt on defence with some monster hits. He certainly brought the aggression when he came onto the field.

    21 Deon Fourie – 7
    The debutant made the most of his opportunity with some aggressive and powerful ball carries. His gainline success was impressive.

    22 Grant Williams – NA
    Not enough time to be rated.

    23 Damian Willemse – NA
    Not enough time to be rated.

    first published in Rugby 365

    ADVERTISEMENT

    LIVE

    New Zealand vs Canada

    LIVE

    Shizuoka BlueRevs vs Kobe Steelers

    South Africa vs New Zealand | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

    Argentina vs Australia | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

    Saitama Wildknights vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

    The Game that Made Jonah Lomu

    The gruelling reality behind one of the fastest sports in the world | The Report

    Boks Office | Episode 40 | The Steven Kitshoff Special

    Perry Baker in the house | HSBC Life on Tour | Los Angeles

    Confidence knocks and finding your people | Flo Williams | Rugby Rising Locker Room

    Trending on RugbyPass

    Comments

    1 Comment
    D
    Drew 1041 days ago

    Thought Pollard was lacking on the leadership front. Trevors ball carrying was a bit disappointing especially compared to Thomas the tank. Esterhuizen dropping the ball on 38 on their line was a sign for me that maybe he cant handle the cauldron. The back 3 were good but we still dont seem capable of creating space for them

    Join free and tell us what you really think!

    Sign up for free
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Latest Features

    Comments on RugbyPass

    S
    Solenn Bonnet 4 days ago
    Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

    My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

    CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

    EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

    WhatsApp.. +15617263697

    website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

    Telegram.. +15617263697

    0 Go to comments
    TRENDING
    TRENDING Scott Robertson outlines considerations for 2025 All Blacks selection Scott Robertson's policy for '25 All Blacks
    Search