The much-changed Springboks team dug deep to defeat the Wallabies 30-22 at DHL Stadium to get on the board in the Rugby Championship.
The Springboks delivered a much better physical and ferocious in front of a near sold-out crowd in the Mother City to get their first win of the 2025 Rugby Championship campaign.
So as the Springbok juggernaut finally gets going, here are some key player ratings based on today’s individual performances:
Handre Pollard 8
Flawless off the kicking tee, while also mixing up his game with a multiple attacking plays. The way he orchestrated the game today just reaffirmed how much the Springboks missed his calm head last week. South Africa’s ‘Ice Man’ was so good, he scooped up the official Man of the Match prize.
Kwagga Smith – 8
Coming as a last minute replacement for Jean-Luc du Preez, who withdrew due to illness, Kwagga Smith played a starring role in the Springboks’ victory. He was a menace at the breakdown and resolute in defence. He capped this performance with a well-worked try.
Marco van Staden – 8
Van Staden’s work-rate on and off the ball is what gave the Springboks impetus and got them on the front foot. The way he disrupted the breakdown played a major role in the neutralisation of the Wallabies’ loose forwards, who feasted last weekend.
Cheslin Kolbe – 7
Kolbe might not have score, but he brought a different dynamic to the Springboks’ game. His aerial contesting. Up against rising Wallaby star Max Jorgensen, Kolbe dominated the aerial battle. And he showed his can do it all when he made a crucial turnover inside the 22 in the 77th minute when Australia was red-hot on attack.
Aphelele Fassi – 7
Another late inclusion in the match-day squad due to an untimely injury to Willie le Roux, Fassi did well to plug the gap left by the two-time World Cup winner. He was yellow carded towards thr end of the game for cynical play, but leading up to that moment he was solid at the back.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE MOMENT FROM TODAY’S SPRINGBOKS TEST?
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