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Springboks player ratings vs France | Rugby World Cup 2023
Springboks player ratings: South Africa triumphed in what is surely one of the greatest games of rugby ever played. A truly sensational show that could have ended with all 46 players receiving scores of nine and above. There were some standouts in green, and some who were below par. Overall, though, every one of them stood up when it mattered.
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15 – Damian Willemse – 8
Tidy in the backfield which was crucial as Antoine Dupont’s probing kicks in behind tested the South African defence. Pulled out some trademark steps when met with resistance and was solid off the boot.
14 – Kurt-Lee Arendse – 8
Pounced on a loose ball to score a fortuitous early try and was busy throughout. Went looking for work off his wing and played a crucial hand in South Africa’s scrambling defence whenever France broke the line.
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13 – Jesse Kriel – 8.5
Often derided as a one-trick defence merchant, his try assist off the boot for Cheslin Kolbe will hopefully pour cold water on that theory. It was his trademark rush on defence, though, that earns him a high score here. One particular blitz on Damian Penaud stifled a promising move down France’s left in South Africa’s red zone.
12 – Damian de Allende – 9.5
Superb. A plundering, blistering, thundering presence in midfield with enough soft touches, including delightful grubber kicks, to keep the romantics on board. Scored a try that came after a rampage of his own making. A simply sensational show. One of, if not his best ever in green.
11 – Cheslin Kolbe – 9
You have to be pretty fast to charge down a conversion and there are few faster than South Africa’s hot-stepping winger. Wriggled through numerous tacklers when carrying back into traffic and put on the afterburners to score when Kriel nudged a grubber into space. One of the game’s standout performers.
10 – Manie Libbok – 7.5
Slotted a difficult kick early on the calm the nerves and was slick down the line when he chose to give it air. Was mostly used to hoist high balls that, to be fair, did lead to some of South Africa’s best moments in the first half. But he failed to front up on defence as France battered his channel, missing five tackles from 11 attempts. When he was replaced by Handre Pollard five minutes into the second half, there was a sense that we didn’t see the best of what he had to offer.
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9 – Cobus Reinach – 7
Robust around the fringe and looked to get in the bruised face of Dupont, but struggled to inject the requisite zip down the line. Some important tackles, most notable on Jonathan Danty, showed that he offers something a little different from most nines, and did play the short pass for de Allende to score, but like Libbok, he left the field with more to give. Replaced by Faf de Klerk on 45 minutes.
1 – Steven Kitshoff – 8
In a game where members of the tight five were asked to perform like industrious back rowers, Kitshoff stepped up. He hit rucks with a ferocious intent and though he coughed up a penalty, his presence over the ball was key to South Africa’s go-forward. Ran out of gas on 51 minutes and was replaced by Ox Nche.
2 – Bongi Mbonambi – 7
Struggled to punch holes when carrying the ball. He wasn’t poor, far from it. And even though it wasn’t entirely his fault a line-out in France’s 22 failed to find its mark, a better throw might have ended in a rolling maul try.
3 – Frans Malherbe – 7
Typically solid in the scrum. Immense on defence as well, making 12 tackles around the fringe.
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4 – Eben Etzebeth – 9
Stepped up when his team needed him most, carrying the entire nation of France in the tackle as he crashed over for a score that gave South Africa the lead in the second half. Was on the fortuitous side twice. Once when he steamed out of the line to make an intercept only to knock it straight down when another referee might have shown him yellow. And then later when a head-on-head clash with Uini Atonio wasn’t upgraded to red. Other than that it was a trademark display on either side of the ball that also included several important challenges in the air from high cross-field kicks.
5 – Franco Mostert – 8.5
It was his huge engine that kept the Springboks machine rumbling even when it looked to have run out of gas in the second half. A fantastic effort as he helped keep dominance around the fringe.
6 – Siya Kolisi – 7
Would have taken pleasure from knocking Dupont back as his teammates rallied round him to get a collective shove on. Made seven tackles and helped maintain width but played more of a supporting than leading role. Hooked for Deon Fourie six minutes after the break.
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit – 8
Tackled anything that moved. Just did not stop chasing blue jerseys all night. Sharp hands and intelligence shown in the build up to Kolbe’s try and demonstrated his all-round abilities by plucking a ball that came down with ice on it. Most importantly, was especially sharp around the breakdown and came up with one vital steal in South Africa’s red zone in the second half when France were on the move.
8 – Duane Vermeulen – 7.5
Played a key role in the opening score as he procured an important turnover steal. Immovable over the ball which was crucial in a game of such dizzying pace. Also added security from the restart with some hefty runs.
16 – Deon Fourie – 7
Busy on the deck and when scrambling on defence. Looked more comfortable playing in the back row.
17 – Ox Nche – 8
He famously said that salads don’t win scrums and the man who adores cake underlined that mantra by winning a scrum penalty shortly after coming on.
18 – Vincent Koch – 8
Scrummed, carried and tackled as well as any of them. Often a forgotten member of South Africa’s front row production line, the man who looks like Mr Incredible put in one helluva shift.
19 – RG Snyman – 7
Coughed up the ball a few metres away when lifted at the line-out, but was otherwise solid.
20 – Kwagga Smith – 8
An almighty steal shortly after Etzebeth’s try as South Africa’s defence knocked the French back to the half-way line. Of course, he should have been penalised as his hands were on the floor, but those only go your way when you’re as sharp as Smith.
21 – Faf de Klerk – 6
Certainly cost his team the chance to score points when he threw the ball onto a French player lying on the ground with the ball in the red zone. It was a daft move that showed a lack ion understanding of the rules. Later box-kicked with seconds left on the clock when going through the phases would have made the result safe,.
22 – Handre Pollard – 8
Nailed a kick from the half-way line and, like de Klerk, injected a sense of composure with ball in hand. Also provided more grunt in the tackle than Libbok. Might be a starter next week.
23 – Willie le Roux – 7
A wise head when calm was needed. All three backs off the bench played their role with what they brought psychologically as much as with ball in hand or on defence.
Pollard was solid on D? Insane
This rating is not worth a 2. Clearly zero knowledge of rugby
I am a little dissapointed that Nigel/Diggy isn’t here to share his pearls of wisdom. Didn’t he predict that the Springboks would not make it through the QFs?
Willie Le Roux should just remain the waterboy - him and Faf are pathetic
Nigel Nigel where art thou … I do do miss my morning chuckle with my coffee. It’s a pity you weren’t writing on a public forum thirty years ago it would have made an outstanding Monty Python skit.
Really , faf is one of the best scrumhalfs in the world cup
So what is the ruling when an opposition player interfers, intentionally or not, with play, especially a scoring opportunity, in an offside position?
You’re not allowed to intentionally pass the ball into a player in an offside position. In other words, deliberately exploit the offside position. Faf wasn’t passing the ball to anyone. It was a risk he took (I assume) knowing full well that it could have been seen as that.
I’m not sure this is taken into account, but the LH and TH starters are up against a fresh pack, where the ones coming on are not.
Faf’s box kick was right. If they kept it in their half and France got a penalty they would have got the kick. Better to put it in their 22 and defend up there.
Strachan. Respect is earned and I have never seen that ever coming from the ‘Poms since they invented the game.
They make the rules, they “Jack the draw” Rip them apart mate!
and we will see you in the final. I respect Argentina, but not the Poms.
Even the Union Jack on the flag irks me. Not on their flag, why should it be on ours.
You may not like them, but if you fail to respect them, you could find yourselves losing to them in the SF even as clear favourites.. Remember 2019
SA better learn from that mistake
Well done! Boks remember this is Springbok, also well done to France they really put the fight till the end, their country should be proud of the Team, it was not easy, to Springbok the country is waiting for the Cup, Bring it back homeall the best guys
Correct. Another side might have used the ball and possession 🤔 we allowed to better use
These player ratings are not very accurate. Kitshoff was the weak link with all the penalties he gave away. Vermuelen was massive, certainly 2 better than Du Toit. Bongi deserves a 10 not 7. And Faff deserves a 2 for just being Faff.
I think we saw the same game
Kitshoff is the player who goes in over every ball and his job is to clean out the fist defender of the ruck which is why he goes off his feet sometimes but three penalties is a small price to pay for the opportunities he creates for players like Deon and Kwagga to be able to get over balls. He also usually milked a penalty when Willemse called for a scrum off a mark. A planned play because the French don’t like to scrum. In the last game we played against them there was only one scrum in the whole game.
De Klerk deserves a lower score, his constant disregard for the laws and cheating the ball put his team in trouble every time he was near the ball.
I agree completely, except that this isn't even the whole picture: he also played abysmally even when not trying to be clever.
That's the definition of “scrum half”
We have to respect England. Let's take care of them before thinking of a final. Irish should take note of this type of confident and passionate teams. Not arrogance to think we will demolish England. We show respect
Sth Africans player rating = 7.8 ave; France 6.0. Thats a huge disparity in objective opinion for a 1-point game. Whose ego are you stroking ?!
thanks for calculating the numbers …. and yes, you are perfectly right in pointing out …. both teams should have practically the same average, and I wouldn’t even complain if Les Bleues had 7.9 (they were more dominant than the Boks, especially in the first 20min) ….
The Bok team played with passion and fury and the selections, tactics and timing of the bench were well thought out. France are a well balanced incredible team with stars throughout but the Boks are a force of nature when RWC rolls around. Congratulations to both teams but Boks deserved winners! Could be an AB/Bok final after all???
mom Eben, a titanic performance. Here’s the truth, this team has not peaked…. that was heart and a bit of Rassie🙃
What about Kitshoff, his worst performance???
NEW World Order haha 😆😹😹😹😹
Honestly, games like these just as the all black irish game last night can define a legacy.
Tremendous indeed. Thriller. Best of the RWC
Worthy contenders are France
If any NH team deserved this it'/s France. I am Saffa all the way but gosh feel for the French here. Love DuPont love their players and such humble champions. Well done Bokke
Vtjek Ireland
Tremendous game with 2 excellent teams tonight! Very frustrated by the referee's performance, but France should have taken the points when they were dominating. Congrats South Africa.
D v
Great to see the French hearts broken , their arrogance cost them . I think the semi will be a one sided affair unfortunately least England have beaten the odds and got there .
South Africa are animals and will be hard to stop .
No mate no arrogance from France…. They were humble in the build up, great with the guys after the game too.
Na I didn’t see arrogance from the French, that is unfair if you ask me. I’ve seen arrogance in other teams but not France
people talk about a team’s arrogance the French , the Irish but every team has a arrogance it’s a belief they will win ! what’s wrong with that! All the teams left have it.
That’s rugby fair play how we want it 😍
Bongi was basically a 3rd centre and smashed Danty and Fickou consistently. MoM….What game were you watching, boet?
What a weekend for Rugby! Blood pressure went through the roof!
If not for his yellow, the closest thing to a 10 from Eben tonight. What a performance.
Waouh, I’m not a big fan of SA playing, I really thought France could make it, but it was just impossible to pass through SA defence tonight. Chapeau bas messieurs.
I wouldn't have minded a 1 point loss to this French team. They were magnificent. Best game I've seen in 20 years
Cometh the hour cometh the bokke 🙌
Give whatever scores you want. We WON! It’s a k/o game and we did it against a magnificent team. This is a Bok victory for the ages, one to savour.