Boks star Makazole Mapimpi

Makazole Mapimpi. Photo: Twitter @Springboks

Mapimpi’s legacy grows, Mbonambi is the Boks’ ‘top dog’ | RATINGS

In an end-of-year review for the Springboks, we dish out ratings to record-breaker Makazole Mapimpi and impactful Bongi Mbonambi.

Boks star Makazole Mapimpi

Makazole Mapimpi. Photo: Twitter @Springboks

In a recap of this series, we rate the performances of Bok wing Makazole Mapimpi and hooker Bongi Mbonambi in 2021.

RATINGS: HOW BOKS PERFORMED IN 2021 – NCHE AND LE ROUX

MAKAZOLE MAPIMPI (8)

After scoring the Springboks’ solitary try against England in the final Test of the year, Mapimpi has now recorded a remarkable 20 tries in 25 Tests, reaching that mark faster than any other Bok player in history.

It was yet another try-scoring highlight for the speedster who has unequivocally established himself as one of the Boks’ most lethal finishers of all time.

Particularly considering that superstar Cheslin Kolbe missed a large chunk of Test rugby this year due to injury, it was key for the Springboks that another X factor player stepped up to make their mark.

Mapimpi did this in some style, scoring six tries in 11 Tests, while continuing to evolve his all-round game.

Unfortunately for Mapimpi, his impact was somewhat diminished during a year where the Springboks largely adopted a safety-first approach, with the powerful left wing rarely receiving more than a couple of opportunities to attack in open space.

Nevertheless, Mapimpi only enhanced his reputation in 2021.

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BONGI MBONAMBI (7)

This was another solid season for Mbonambi, who started in 11 out of 13 Tests, clearly remaining the Boks’ preferred choice to go flat out in the first half.

As part of the Springboks’ substitution strategy, Mbonambi generally received around 40 minutes of game time in each Test, and the 30-year-old always epitomised what it means to ‘leave it all out there’.

Mbonambi is now just two Tests away from 50 Springbok caps, and was often at the heart of the team’s powerful scrummaging efforts, which is part of the reason why he has been affectionately referred to as the team’s “top dog”.

Unfortunately there were times when the Boks lacked their usual consistency at lineout time, and this is something that will need to be addressed ahead of the 2022 season.

In Mbonambi and Malcolm Marx, the Boks boast two world-class hookers, and it speaks volumes that another talented player such as Joseph Dweba only managed to feature in a solitary Test against Argentina.

Mbonambi now joins up with the Sharks from the Stormers, and it will be interesting to see whether a new challenge pushes him to elevate his game even further, as has been the case with Siya Kolisi.

READ | SPRINGBOKS FINISH THE YEAR AS THE NO 1-RANKED TEAM