Player Ratings: Springboks v All Blacks

Player Ratings: Springboks v All Blacks
South Africa and New Zealand played out yet another titanic tussle between the sides with the All Blacks emerging victors 32-30 with a brilliant late come back.
 
Some outstanding performances from both teams, here are the player ratings.
 
Props:
An even contest up front, with neither side able to gain much ascendancy over the other.
 
Steven Kitshoff: 7/10, the most prominent ball carrier of the front rankers and solid in the scrums.
Frans Malherbe, Karl Tuinukuafe and own Franks: 6/10, All solid at scrum time with neither giving an inch.
 
Hookers:
 
Great games from both hookers, but Marx won the battle in a man of the match performance.
 
Malcolm Marx: 9.5/10, Sensational once again for the Springboks, powerful carries and a menace at the breakdown winning turnovers for his side in man of the match display.
Codie Taylor: 8/10, brilliant break to set up the Aaron Smith try.
 
Locks:
Eben Etzebeth: 8/10, colossal for the hosts with 11 carries, the most in the match, giving his side go forward ball.
Franco Mostert: 7/10, usual workaholic self, doing the dirty work for his side.
Sam Whitelock and Scott Barrett: 7/10, tremendous in defence with 10 and 9 tackles made respectively with Barrett muscling over for an all-important try with 5 minutes to play.
 
Loose forwards:
 
Siya Kolisi: 9/10, another inspirational game from the captain leading the way with 12 tackles made and a brilliant break to set up the De Allende try.
 
 
Pieter-Steph Du Toit: 8/10 immense for the Springboks with 10 carries including some strong runs to get over the advantage line.
Francois Louw: 7/10, 10 carries but relatively quiet at the breakdown due to the majority of possession the Springboks had.
Shannon Frizell: 8/10: brilliant in defence with 10 tackles made, tie for most in the All Black team.
Sam Cane: 6/10, Left in the first half to a HIA and did not return. Had a great steal at the breakdown in his time on the field.
Kieran Read: 7/10, solid but not spectacular performance from the All Black skipper.
 
Scrum Halves:
Faf de Klerk: 8/10, great game from the nippy number 9 with numerous pinpoint box kicks.
Aaron Smith: 7/10, relatively quiet game but di run a great support line from the Taylor break to round off a try.
 
Fly-Halves:
Handre Pollard: 8/10, Kicked a perfect six from six with the boot including some beautiful struck long rangers. Good control of territory for his side particularly in the first half.
Beauden Barrett: 7/10, much-improved performance from the clash in Wellington and was solid at the back when switching to fullback.
 
Centres:
Damien de Allende 9/10,  numerous strong carries over the advantage line including 5 defenders beaten, rewarded with try after the Kolisi break.
Jesse Kriel: 8/10, Brilliant try slicing through the All Blacks defence just after halftime.
Sonny Bill Williams: 6/10, Anonymous in attack but solid in defence with 9 tackles.
Ryan Crotty: 7/10 led the way in tackles and carries for the All Blacks with 11 and 7 respectively.
 
Outside Backs:
Willie Le Roux: 8/10, superb under the high ball in his 50th cap and dangerous in attack with three defenders beaten.
Aphiwe Dyantyi: 6/10, far quieter performance than the test in Wellington, was well watched in defence and dropped a high ball.
Cheslin Kolbe: 7/10, not much to do offensively but did superbly to ground the ball on the line in the corner for try.
 
 
Waisake Naholo: 6/10, quite game for the flier and was replaced after only 50 minutes.
Rieko Ioane: 8/10, Deadly finisher and always a threat with beall in hand beating three defenders and scoring a try.
Ben Smith: 7/10, quiet game from the realiable fullback, switched to wing and didn't have much to do throughout.
 
Super Sub:
Ardie Savea: 9/10, came on for Sam Cane in the first half and was monumental throughout with a curial turnover, a number of good carries and muscled over for the match inning try at the death.
 


In this Article

Latest News