Springbok player ratings: How BADLY the world champions rated against the Wallabies

It was a Test to forget for all Springbok fans as the world champions fumbled their way through 80 minutes of woeful rugby against the Wallabies in their Rugby Championship clash in Brisbane on Saturday.

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Not only did the Springboks lose 30-17, they all-but lost their grip on the Rugby Championship title and they DID lose their No 1 world ranking and the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate!

Certainly NOT an outing to remember!

So how did the Springboks’ starting XV rate?

All scores out of 10

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15 Willie le Roux – 4
Surely cannot be South Africa’s best fullback? Shameful situation if he is.

14 Sibusiso Nkosi – 5
Tried hard, not up to Test standard. Cheslin Kolbe can’t return fast enough.

13 Lukhanyo Am – 5
Scored the Springboks’ only try, but also slipped a few tackles. Not his best outing.

12 Damian de Allende – 6
Perhaps the best of a sorry backline bunch. Ran into more opponents than gaps but also had a team-high 50-plus metres in carries.

11 Makazole Mapimpi – 5
Fallen off the pace since his 2019 Rugby World Cup heroics. Springboks desperately need his spark and X-factor.

10 Handré Pollard – 3
Kicked better than last week but that’s not saying much. Can’t tackle all of a sudden. Missed a number of crucial tackles. Badly out of sorts which is a massive concern as the gap to the next best flyhalf (Elton Jantjies or even Morne Steyn?!) is huge!

9 Faf de Klerk – 3
Deserved yellow card for cynical play cost his team dearly. Kicking game was acceptable, but so keen to give away possession the game-plan has to be questioned.

8 Duane Vermeulen – 4
A loooooong way off his best form and questions must be asked about his long-term international future. His recent signing for Ulster in Ireland smacks of a retirement plan. Will surprise no one should he hang up his Springbok boots at the end of the season.

7 Francois Mostert – 5
‘A’ for effort but playing out of position on the flank that questions much he asked of management and their selection. Has to start at lock next weekend against the All Blacks.

6 Siya Kolisi (captain) – 5
Average performance at best. Goes missing far too often and the team misses little to nothing when he’s substituted. Simply has to step up his game other a giant problem looms for coach Jacques Nienaber in his selection.

5 Marvin Orie – 5
Took virtually every lineout uncontested such is the current sad state of international rugby that no one challenges at lineout time. Did very little else around the park.

4 Eben Etzebeth – 6
Better but still not the force Springbok fans have become accustomed to from the hulking second-rower. Faces a massive step-up in class next weekend against Brodie Retallick.

3 Frans Malherbe – 5
Did the basics, solid at scrum-time, nothing else stood out.

2 Bongi Mbonambi – 4
Nothing special. Spent a good part of the match down injured. Malcolm Marx could well start next weekend.

1 Trevor Nyakane – 4
Average. The dropping of Steven Kitshoff will be questioned – and rightly so.

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