The Springboks will look back on their 33-16 defeat to the All Blacks at Ellis Park with plenty of frustration. South Africa had strong periods and dominated the set piece, but missed opportunities and a dramatic second-half collapse ultimately proved costly.
Several players delivered powerful individual performances, while others struggled to impose themselves on a match that demanded composure and leadership.
Here are our revised Springboks player ratings from the opening Test.
WHO FIRED?
Bok Front Row — 9/10
The Springboks’ front row was one of the biggest positives of the night.
South Africa dominated the scrum battle and consistently put the All Blacks under pressure at the set piece. From the starting trio to the replacements, the forwards showed why the Springboks remain such a formidable force up front.
It was a remarkable individual and collective effort—made all the more frustrating by the eventual result.
Jasper Wiese — 8/10
Wiese was one of South Africa’s standout performers.
Powerful carries, aggressive defence and a relentless work rate made the No. 8 a constant presence around the park. He repeatedly put his body on the line and provided much-needed physicality when the Springboks were searching for momentum.
A performance worthy of a higher-profile result.
Pieter-Steph du Toit — 7/10
The stand-in captain led from the front and was heavily involved in the Springboks’ strongest passages.
Du Toit brought his trademark intensity to the collisions, while his work at the lineout added another dimension to South Africa’s forward play.
He wasn’t able to drag the team over the line, but his effort and physical presence were difficult to fault.
Andre Esterhuizen — 7/10
Esterhuizen was thrown into the action earlier than expected after replacing Kurt-Lee Arendse in the first half.
The powerful back immediately made an impact, scoring South Africa’s only try and adapting to a demanding role across the backline.
His versatility and physicality were among the few attacking positives for the Springboks on a difficult night.
WHO FLOPPED?
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu — 4/10
This was a night to forget for the young playmaker.
With the pressure of controlling the Springboks’ attack, Feinberg-Mngomezulu struggled to find his rhythm and influence proceedings consistently.
South Africa needed greater composure and attacking direction from their chief playmaker, particularly when opportunities presented themselves. Unfortunately, he couldn’t provide it.
Grant Williams — 4/10
Williams also endured a difficult evening.
The scrumhalf had moments where he looked dangerous, but too many errors and ineffective decisions disrupted South Africa’s attacking rhythm.
Against an All Blacks side that punished mistakes ruthlessly, the Springboks needed greater control from the base of the ruck.
🚑 Injury concerns add to Erasmus’ headache
The result wasn’t the only concern for Rassie Erasmus.
South Africa also emerged from Ellis Park with injury worries surrounding key players, including Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe.
With the second Test in Cape Town approaching, the Springboks face an important selection dilemma. They need to improve their execution, regain attacking confidence and potentially reshuffle the backline—all while dealing with the physical aftermath of a bruising opening encounter.
The verdict
The Springboks’ pack can take plenty of confidence from their performance, particularly their dominance at scrum time.
But rugby matches aren’t won on one aspect of the game.
South Africa created opportunities, failed to capitalise and then allowed the All Blacks to seize control after half-time. The next Test will demand a much more clinical performance.
The big question heading into Cape Town is simple:
Which Springboks will respond—and which players will be given another chance to prove themselves?
