Following the conclusion of the Springboks’ successful Rugby Championship campaign, we take a look back at the individual performances throughout the competition and rate each squad member.
Head coach Rassie Erasmus used 35 players during the tournament as he chopped and changed his squad en route to the title.
It was an historic campaign for South Africa who won just their second Rugby Championship title since 2012 – when Argentina joined the then-Tri Nations- and first since 2019.
It also ended the All Blacks’ dominance of the competition as New Zealand had won every full tournament, with Australia (2015) and South Africa (2019) winning truncated versions.
We run through their team, rating each player out of a possible 10, with their contributions in the tournament’s defining moments factoring heavily into our scores.
Outside backs
Willie le Roux: The veteran full-back featured in just two matches for the Springboks this Rugby Championship, turning out against the Wallabies in Brisbane and the All Blacks in Cape Town. Le Roux notably botched a try in his first outing and was yellow-carded in his second. Still, he is a solid operator for the Boks and will surely return to notch up 100 Test caps before his time in the Green and Gold jumper is up. He was sound under the high ball and had controlled things well from the back both on attack and defence. Erasmus is looking towards the future which may not include Le Roux but he is still churning out strong performances. 6
Aphelele Fassi: The rise of the Sharks full-back this year has been truly impressive. He always had the raw talent to thrive at the highest level but he used his two-year exile well to smooth out the rough edges in his game and it’s paid off massively. He bagged four tries in his four appearances and saved his best for last with a masterclass against Argentina in Nelspruit. His lowest rating during the Championship was in the defeat to Los Pumas, scoring 6/10; but he was phenomenal on the whole, gaining over 290 running metres, beating six defenders and also came up with a try assist. 8
Cheslin Kolbe: What a Rugby Championship it was for the world-class finisher, who not only makes a strong case to be the best wing in the world but also the best player. We got to see a vast array of Kolbe’s skillset as he danced around defenders, beating a competition-high 21 while also showing off his hooking skills with his lineout throws. He continues to be a crucial cog in the Bok set-up, thriving in the free-roam role he has under the Tony Brown-led attack. The 30-year-old scored and assisted a try in his five tournament appearances but he was never too far away from the action on both sides of the ball. 8
Kurt-Lee Arendse: A mixed bag for the livewire winger as he scored a brace against Australia, had his game against the All Blacks cut short with a concussion and was sent to the sin bin in a hugely costly period against Los Pumas in Argentina. Still, he fulfilled his core duties to an incredibly high standard as he threatened the defensive line with every carry, was solid under the high ball and was effective on defence. 7
Makazole Mapimpi: Like Le Roux, the 2019 Rugby World Cup sweetheart is in the swansong of his Springboks career but is still producing handy performances. It was clear to see in Argentina that he is not quite the threat that he once was but against Australia he showed that he can still turn on the magic with a deft grubber setting up Fassi’s try. He is still good under the high ball and sharp on defence but it wasn’t a sterling tournament for him as he also bombed a few try-scoring opportunities and looks to have lost a touch of pace. 6
Canan Moodie: Earned his first and so far only Springboks cap of the year on the wing against the All Blacks in Cape Town and in doing so continued his unbeaten start to his international career, winning 11 from 11 including two against New Zealand. He had a solid but not overly impressive game against the All Blacks with a few misreads on defence but he did rack up over 40 metres. 6
Centres
Jesse Kriel: It’s hard to argue against the Springboks centre being the best number 13 in the world right now on current form. Much was made of Kriel’s brilliance on defence during last year’s Rugby World Cup and while he has continued to star in that area of the game, his attacking prowess has only improved game on game in 2024. He played every single match of the tournament in the number 13 jumper and scored at least a six in our ratings with a nine being his highest. The 30-year-old racked up three try involvements (two tries, one assist) and made a competition-high of eight clean breaks. 8
Lukhanyo Am: The star of the 2019 World Cup hasn’t quite been the same since his knee injury before the tournament in France last year but there were glimpses that he is on the road back to being one of the best in the world. Am was tested in the inside centre role this tournament, producing a mixed bag, particularly on defence. However, he still had moments when he made the ridiculous look effortless. He can certainly return to his world-class form but he wasn’t at that level. 6
Damian de Allende: Speaking of world-class, De Allende is undoubtedly the gold standard. There is hardly a flaw in his game and while many predicted his downfall in the Brown-led attack, he has emphatically dispelled those assumptions. He is always a threat on the gain line and continued in that fashion during the tournament while showing off his softer skills with ball in hand too. The powerhouse 12 was also sublime at the breakdown and had a relentless work-rate. It comes as no surprise that the most underwhelming midfield performance occurred when he did not feature. 8
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Fly-halves
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu: What a breakout campaign it was for the sensational rising star who started the Springboks’ first three Tests and came off the bench in the fourth. It was a bold call from Erasmus to back the rookie to start his first game in Brisbane – a ground South Africa do not have a good record at – but he repaid the faith by delivering a standout performance and was solid a week later too. Against the All Blacks, he put in arguably his finest showing to date which was even more spectacular considering the news that emerged afterwards that he played with a knee injury. This tournament was the first good look we got at the rising star and boy did he make the most of it. 8
Handré Pollard: Mr Consistent. Pollard has stiff competition now for the fly-half role which led to brief cameos at inside centre during the tournament, but it was in his natural position where he shone. There are some teething problems for the veteran in regard to the new attacking system and he did have the odd lapse in defence. However, he got the job done when required. Pollard played all six matches, kicking at an 83% success rate while assisting two tries. His overall game management and line kicks were also excellent and scored no less than seven in our post-match ratings. The Springboks might be evolving their attack but there is no doubt that Pollard is still a crucial cog in the set-up. 8
Manie Libbok: The mercurial playmaker featured twice off the bench for the Springboks but his most telling contribution was his sole start in the final match against Argentina. In Nelspruit, he put his disappointment of missing a clutch kick behind him to produce an absolute blinder. There is no doubting his quality around the park but his place-kicking continues to be a sticking point. Still, there were more positives than negatives in his performances. 8
Scrum-halves
Cobus Reinach: The veteran double World Cup winner was a solid performer throughout the Championship, making four appearances. The speedy half-back’s service was accurate throughout and came up with a key try albeit in defeat to Argentina. Like the other veterans, his core skills remain sharp and he still has the ability to crack open any defence with his blistering pace. 6
Grant Williams: An untimely injury curtailed a superb run of form for the rapid Springboks scrum-half, who was the top-performing number nine before his enforced break. He was excellent off the bench in both Tests against Australia and replicated those efforts against the All Blacks, scoring a crucial try not only in terms of the match but the Rugby Championship in Johannesburg. This earned him a start in Cape Town and although he endured a rocky first 40, he came alive after the break as the Springboks shifted gears to secure the win. He would miss both Tests against Argentina but made a telling contribution to the Boks’ title charge. 8
Morne van den Berg: The Lions star was thrown into the deep end in Perth, earning his first Test start and just his second cap. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a starring performance as he struggled in the conditions with a largely changed Springboks team. That would be his only outing of the Rugby Championship despite earning a recall following the injury to Williams. He certainly has the potential to be a star in the Bok set-up, as he showed against Portugal, but he didn’t replicate that against the Wallabies. 4
Jaden Hendrikse: Brought into the squad for the final four Tests of the competition, Hendrikse had two solid cameos off the bench against the All Blacks and Argentina before starting the final game where he produced possibly his finest performance in Springboks colours. The 24-year-old kicked well out of hand throughout the tournament and made good decisions on the whole, with his one kick resulting in a crucial penalty against the All Blacks while he milked another against Los Pumas that should have won the Test in Argentina. But as mentioned already, he saved his best for last with a blinder in Nelspruit where he did little wrong in open play. 8
Loose forwards
Elrigh Louw: After missing out on the first Springboks squad of the year, Louw took his chance against Portugal and earned his spot for the Rugby Championship where he exploded. With Jasper Wiese suspended and Evan Roos injured, Louw took on the starting number eight role in both Tests against Australia and barring the odd hiccup, he was superb. He continued that form with impressive cameos off the bench against the All Blacks and Los Pumas, with his hulking carries being a real standout of his game. The famed ‘Bomb Squad’ rated highly throughout the tournament and he played a starring role. 7
Pieter-Steph du Toit: We are really running out of superlatives for the world beater, who took his form into another stratosphere this tournament whether he was at lock or flank. He went the distance in all five of his appearances for the Springboks, scoring three tries and averaging more than 10 tackles and carries per game. He has to be in the conversation again for the World Rugby Player of the Year. Du Toit not only showed that he can still mix it as a lock at the highest level but terrorised defences in the wider channels, maintaining a mind-boggling work-rate while doing so. He has also become a real threat at the breakdown as a jackler which we had not seen much of from him until this tournament. He picked up 8s and 9s during the competition in our ratings but considering the consistency of his performances we felt it necessary to give him full marks. 10
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Siya Kolisi: He is a different beast in the Springboks jersey and hardly ‘transparent’ as the captain was back to his best. Brown’s attacking plays made the most of his bullish ball carries and after fracturing his nose his performances went up a level, almost as if that was a red flag waved in bull’s face. He was outstanding against the All Blacks in Cape Town and equally brilliant in the final Test match on home soil against Los Pumas. 8
Ben-Jason Dixon: After bright performances in Australia, Dixon had an underwhelming shift against the All Blacks in Johannesburg. Still, the Springboks coaches welcomed him back for the clash against Los Pumas in Santiago. There he was back to playing some of his better rugby, illustrating why he is held in high regard with the Bok coaching team and is seen as a successor to Du Toit. 7
Marco van Staden: Rather unlucky with his selections as he featured twice against the Wallabies and in the defeat to Argentina, missing both All Blacks’ Tests due to Eben Etzebeth and Kolisi proving their fitness. However, he impressed Down Under with strong performances on defence, with ball in hand and his bread and butter; the breakdown. He was stretched on defence against Los Pumas but on the whole, it was a solid Championship. 6
Kwagga Smith: You know what to expect from Smith and he seldomly doesn’t deliver. He is possibly the best impact player in the world and he was used in that role in each of the side’s Tests this Rugby Championship. He gets through an insane amount of work during his cameos and pitched in with two tries for good measure. 8
Jasper Wiese: After missing the Springboks’ first six Test matches of the year through suspension, Wiese returned with a point to prove and he did so unequivocally. He hit the ground running with a barnstorming performance against the All Blacks and kept the pace throughout his three other outings, with him and Louw providing a mighty double-punch in the number eight jersey. 7
Locks
Eben Etzebeth: Another player who played all six matches despite Erasmus’ tinkering throughout the Rugby Championship in an attempt to let the Springboks great celebrate his milestone on home soil. Still, he was no passenger as Etzebeth thundered towards becoming the most capped Springbok in style, producing standout performances in every Test match he started and he made huge impacts in the ones he came off the bench. 8
Ruan Nortje: In the same boat as Louw, Nortje was on the outers of the squad before the tournament but earned his call-up to ease the locking crisis and man did he. The Bulls skipper had his struggles in being the lineout general but there was no lack of effort around the park as he clocked up some serious ruck entry numbers in every Test. A relentless presence around the park, he was not shy to throw his shoulder into the attackers and offer himself as carrier or distributor, doing a fine job with both. 7
Salmaan Moerat: The 26-year-old skippered the side in two of his three appearances in the competition but never really stamped his mark with a concussion ending his game against Australia early. Erasmus has hailed his calmness in decision-making on the pitch and while he wasn’t poor in his performances, he was not a standout either. 5
Hookers
Malcolm Marx: It’s clear to see that the Springboks hooker still has a slight ‘hangover’ having not played a full club season, as his lineout darts just weren’t to his incredibly high standard, but he was not lacking in the other areas of his game. He continued his climb up the Springboks’ all-time leading try scorers list, entering the top 10 after dotting down for four tries in his six appearances. He was also a pest at the breakdown and effective with his carries and tackles. 7
Bongi Mbonambi: The powerhouse front-rower had fewer issues at the lineout than his fellow rake but he was less prolific, although his only try was a crucial one in the victory over the All Blacks at Ellis Park. He played his part in a dominant scrum too and was strong around the park. 7
Johan Grobbelaar: Just the one appearance for the Bulls star who started the victory over the Wallabies in Perth. He had his struggles at lineout time but was energetic and effective around the field and was probably unlucky not to get another crack in the team. 6
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Props
Frans Malherbe: Showed his class in the scrum as he continued to put opposing looseheads under pressure throughout the competition. The veteran tighthead is often overlooked for his work-rate but does make important contributions at the breakdown, highlighted by him racking up the second-highest tally against Los Pumas in Nelspruit despite playing just 55 minutes. He was sensational in Brisbane and Nelspruit while enjoying a tight tussle against the All Blacks. 7
Ox Nche: This year might finally be the year that a prop is nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year and Nche would be fully deserving as he not only decimated most packs he encountered but was incredibly mobile and impactful around the park. The cake-loving prop was on top form throughout the competition but falls millimetres shy of full marks. 9
Gerhard Steenekamp: Perhaps the least well-known Bok front-rower but not in any way less effective, Steenekamp continued his excellent July form in the Rugby Championship as he blasted off the bench with the ‘Bomb Squad’ throughout the tournament. The powerhouse Bulls loosehead filled Steven Kitshoff’s void with no fuss – which is saying something – and has created a healthy selection headache for Daan Human and co. 8
Vincent Koch: A veteran of the ‘Bomb Squad’ as the tighthead prop took his cap tally in Green and Gold off the bench to 46 during the competition. He featured in all six matches in the number 18 jumper and made an impact in every fixture with his scrummaging prowess and heavy hitting, with and without the ball. 7
Thomas du Toit: The Bath star earned just two starts in the competitive Springboks front-row and impressed with both shifts, scoring 8/10 and 7/10 by our writers. He never took a step backwards in the scrum during those showings and was unlucky not to get more reward in Argentina. Du Toit was lively around the park as he landed 17 tackles and made nine carries, which should see him being recalled in November. 7
Jan-Hendrik Wessels: He could well have featured at hooker as well but he played more at prop than in the middle of the scrum this tournament. Wessels’ versatility and raw talent has caught the eye of the selectors and in his two performances, he delivered strong outings. He held his own at scrum time at prop and impressed with his work rate and speed for a front-rower against Australia while enjoying a bright cameo in the defeat to Argentina. 6
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