Centre Damian de Allende and replacement prop Wilco Louw were the best Springboks in the Nations Championship loss to France, according to IOL Sport’s player ratings. Both men were given 8 out of 10.
Eighthman Jasper Wiese got the lowest mark of 3 after he was sent off on Friday night. Fullback Damian Willemse, flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and replacement Manie Libbok each got 4.
“He has to find a way to contain the red mist,” IOL Sport wrote about Wiese. The publication said he was playing well until he charged head-first into Kalvin Gourgues and made head contact.
IOL Sport pointed out that Wiese also received a red card against Italy last year. That card was for a headbutt.
According to the ratings, De Allende was possibly the Boks’ best player. He made 16 tackles, and one of his strong carries set up the try scored by Cobus Reinach. The French defence struggled to stop him.
Louw was called a beast in the scrums. He won a few penalties, and IOL Sport said he should have been given more.
Willemse had a poor night by his own standards, the ratings said. He wasted the little ball he got in a first half where the Boks struggled for possession. He also made errors in the air and with his kicks.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu came off a strong game against Italy. In Paris he kicked a penalty too far when aiming for the corner, knocked on and made mistakes in game management.
Libbok threw some loose passes. He also missed a fairly easy conversion that would have drawn the match, IOL Sport said.
Flank Pieter-Steph du Toit, centre Jesse Kriel, lock Ruan Nortje and replacement hooker Malcolm Marx were each rated 7.5. Du Toit made two lineout steals and a breakdown turnover in a big second half effort.
Nortje ran a faultless lineout and covered a lot of ground. He did knock on twice, the ratings said.
Captain Siya Kolisi got 7. He made just over 50 metres with the ball, worked hard at the breakdown and made many tackles.
Wing Kurt-Lee Arendse also got 7. He had a try ruled out and was wrongly penalised for a penalty that led to a try by Aaron Grandidier Nkanang, according to IOL Sport.
Hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels scored a try from a maul in his 35 minutes on the field. Prop Thomas du Toit was only on for 35 minutes too, but beat Jean-Baptiste Gros in the scrums.
Lock Lood de Jager was rated 6.5. He missed a tackle on Peato Mauvaka that led to a try by Louis Bielle-Biarrey, and he was shown a yellow card after a tackle he should have made lower.
Scrumhalf Morne van den Berg also got 6.5. IOL Sport said the Boks’ pace picked up when Reinach replaced him.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL Sport. Image: IOL Sport. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Sports desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Tiyani Mathebula writes about sport for Tzaneen Voice. Tiyani covers Bafana Bafana, the Springboks, the Proteas and the PSL, along with athletics, tennis and local club sport. Match reports and previews focus on results, team news, fixtures and what each game means for South African teams and fans.