Springbok Player Ratings v Argentina

South Africa needed a 39-point victory with a bonus point to win the competition, but in the end it was New Zealand that claimed the title.

Here is how we rated Jacques Nienaber's charges.

15. Willie le Roux - 4

A forgettable day at the office for the Springbok fullback, who scoffed his first attempt to catch a high ball. 

He spilt the ball forwards after a sharp tackle by Kremer and was unable to provide the spark that the Springboks' backline needed.

His night ended when he got stepped by flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez for Argentina's second try. 

14. Canan Moodie - 7

A sharp tackle on Juan Imhoff stalled a very promising Los Pumas attack. 

He made another great tackle on a rampaging Julian Montoya to deny the hooker a try. 

He had limited opportunities to shine on attack but chased kicks well.

13. Jesse Kriel - 7

An abrasive performance from Kriel, making some fantastic reads and hits on defence. 

He was somewhat quiet in defence, crashing it up but did not make errors. 

He played a crucial role in the last try and made two try-saving tackles.

 

12. Damian de Allende - 7

De Allende was a go-to ball carrier for the Springboks and did his job well.

He added his weight in the mauls to make the most of their chances in the Pumas' 22.

He was guilty of the odd loose pass and poor decision but was otherwise solid.

His leg drives through contact were insane. 

11. Makazole Mapimpi - 6

Mapimpi was caught out of position, which led to Argentina's try before halftime. 

A quiet game where he saw very little ball. 

10. Frans Steyn - 4

Early mistakes from Steyn as he failed to find touch with three penalties and was charged with his first open play kick. He also slotted a massive penalty goal from his own half. 

Far from an ideal return to flyhalf for the veteran Springbok.

9. Jaden Hendrikse - 5

Hendrikse had some bright moments throughout his performance, but more often than not, his kicks weren't accurate enough, and his service was sluggish. Not his best Springbok test, but plenty will come from him in the future.

1. Steven Kitshoff - 8.5

Kitshoff played his part in a dominant scrum, resulting in a simple try for Jasper Wiese. His scrummaging prowess forced Argentina to replace Bello in the first half. 

2. Malcolm Marx - 7

Marx had some success at the breakdowns once again, and the odd lineout throw went astray. Still another strong outing. 

3. Frans Malherbe - 8.5

A powerful 58-minute performance from Frans Malherbe, he dominated the set piece through his shift.

He regularly got the better of the opposition loosehead and powered through his work around the park.

He was excellent at the breakdown and was vital in the driving mauls. 

4. Eben Etzebeth - 6

He was arguably unlucky to be sin-binned for his push, but outside of that, it was another hard-working and abrasive performance from Etzebeth. 

5. Lood de Jager - 7

De Jager ran the Springboks' lineout well throughout the game while he added value with his ball carries and completed an offload. 

6. Siya Kolisi - 7.5

Kolisi snuck over the try line after a strong driving maul to score his side's second try. 

He tackled strongly, carried superbly and played his role in the Springbok pack that dominated.

7. Pieter-Steph du Toit - 6

Pieter-Steph du Toit was a safe option at lineout time and was a busy tackler for the Springboks.

He tireless hit the breakdowns before being replaced shortly after halftime.

He hasn't quite rediscovered his form. 

8. Jasper Wiese - 8.5

Jasper Wiese scored his first try for the Springboks, and it could not have been easier for him as he simply pushed the ball into the grass after a brilliant scrum.

He carried superbly with every opportunity and burst through a few defenders from his try line. 

He was replaced early in the second half after a brilliant performance. 

Replacements: 

Bongi Mbonambi - 7

He picked up where Marx left off. Good set piece work and busy around the park. Hardy looked off the pace on his return from injury.

Ox Nche - 7

Some nice touches with the ball in hand from the Springbok loosehead, who also dominated the scrums and made his tackles. 

Vincent Koch - 6.5

 

He continued the Springboks scrum dominance while adding his weight on defence and carried strongly. 

Franco Mostert - 6

A short stint for the busy back-rower, who was excellent at lineout time, made his tackles and hit the rucks well. 

Duane Vermeulen - 7

A trademark Vermeulen performance, albeit in the unfamiliar replacement role for the veteran. He was assured under the high ball, a great lineout option and a strong carrier and looked to be back to playing his usual game. 

Kwagga Smith - 7.5

He made an immediate impact at the breakdown after coming off the bench. The Argentines struggled to clear him off the ball while he was influential in the mauls and on defence. He continues to provide an edge from the bench and could quite simply grab a starting role. 

Faf de Klerk - 5

De Klerk tried to speed the game up whilst also milking penalties, which backfired on him somewhat. 

Kurt-Lee Arendse - 6.5

He came on in Le Roux's place and linked up superbly with Moodie and Mapimpi to score Springboks' last try. He was solid at the back and continues to impress whenever he is given the opportunity.