Springboks player ratings: Kurt-Lee Arendse and Morne van den Berg ‘wreak havoc’ as Rassie Erasmus’ men secure historic series victory
Springboks winger Kurt-Lee Arendse scores against the All Blacks and inset of Morne van den Berg.
Following the Springboks’ 43-28 victory over the All Blacks to win Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry 3-1, here’s how we rated Rassie Erasmus’ men in Baltimore.
Springboks player ratings
15 Damian Willemse: Some great moments on the counter-attack and was excellent under the high ball throughout his 58-minute shift. Didn’t have the finishing touches but did ask a few questions of the All Blacks’ defence with his footwork. 7
14 Kurt-Lee Arendse: Wreaked havoc for New Zealand as he regularly wiggled through gaps and sped up field. He made three linebreaks from the wing and then shifted to full-back later in the game and scored a belter of a try, which essentially sealed the victory for the Springboks. An absurdly brilliant performance from the speedster. 10
13 Jesse Kriel: A few handling errors but was once again a key cog in the defence. He made a crucial intercept in the second half too. A decent shift after being so influential throughout the series. 6
12 Damian de Allende: He was absolutely everywhere from minute one to 80. It was a trademark De Allende shift as he was emphatic on the gain-line, strong at the breakdown and just as solid in defence. He scored a try and even lent his weight for Malcolm Marx’s try. 8
11 Ethan Hooker: Sheer work-rate from the first whistle right until the last. He was great in the air and had several double actions in defence. 7
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu: Produced his best performance in the RGR series as he looked far more comfortable with the Springboks attacking with more freedom than they have in the three Tests prior to today. He kicked well off the tee, and his aerial bombs were accurate. 7
9 Morne van den Berg: After a dynamite cameo off the bench last week, Van den Berg deserved a start this weekend and did not disappoint. He sold Josh Moorby and Sam Darry to grab his sixth Test try and was simply marvellous and was crowned Man of the Match for his efforts. A special shift for the scrum-half who was touch-and-go for the series; his service was top-notch, as was his defence and his decision-making. 9
The forwards
8 Jasper Wiese: Mammoth in everything he did today. He led the tackle count in the first half and got over the advantage line with every carry – including one where he brutally flattened Codie Taylor. He continued in that vein in the second half and went the distance in what was a powerhouse performance. 8
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit: A rare occurrence as he didn’t go the full 80, with Cameron Hanekom replacing him late in the second half. Du Toit always gets through an insane workload, and today followed the same theme, but it was accompanied by some errors. He spoiled a great attacking position with a knock-on in the 57th minute but scored soon after. He will be disappointed with his misread, shooting up on Jordie Barrett, opening the gap for Codie Taylor to score. Still, by no means a poor game from the veteran forward. 6
6 Siya Kolisi: A combative shift from the Springboks captain, whose collision work was excellent. He was particularly immense during the All Blacks’ 32-phase attack that ended in Will Jordan’s try. Hooked early in the second half after a busy, busy first half. 7
5 Ruan Nortje: Got through a ridiculous amount of work in his 43 minutes on the park and was particularly brilliant in winning the loose and scrappy balls. Contested well at the lineout, making it a real challenge for New Zealand. Real workhorse shift as per usual. 7
4 Eben Etzebeth: Some big play moments throughout the game, including a turnover in the seventh minute, a lineout steal three minutes later and he charged down one of Cam Roigard’s kicks. 6
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3 Wilco Louw: Like his fellow prop, Louw wasn’t able to gain any ascendancy in the scrums, but he was huge defensively. Tidy in general, but couldn’t boss the area of the game that is his real strength. 5
2 Malcolm Marx: A shame that he was forced off, seemingly for an injury, as the current World Rugby Player of the Year has been in sublime form this series and today was no different. Massive in defence, a pest at the breakdown, and signed off his performance with a try. A strong contender for Player of the Series. 8
1 Ox Nche: Incredibly busy in defence and had some good touches with the ball in hand, but wasn’t able to impose himself in the scrums and was penalised once at the set-piece in the first half. 5
Replacements: The momentum traded hands several times in the latter stages of the match, but the Bomb Squad won key moments with Cameron Hanekom producing an explosive, destructive shift, including an epic steal to score the try that ended New Zealand’s hopes. Gerhard Steenekamp and Thomas du Toit made an improvement in the scrums while Deon Fourie was lively. It wasn’t perfect, with Manie Libbok making a poor tackle attempt on Ethan Blackadder and punting a kick-off into touch. 8
READ MORE: Springboks v All Blacks: Huge payday awaits SA Rugby and NZ Rugby for taking RGR Test to Baltimore
