Springbok Ratings: Failure at fullback to dynamic De Villiers as Boks fall off their perch in Perth

This match was always going to be a banana skin game for the weary Springboks, but few could have predicted the disparity in output between the fringe players who started and the experienced Bomb Squad. The Australians looked hungrier and had a spring in their step while the South Africans looked flat.

IOL Sport rates the Springbok players.

15 Aphelele Fassi (3): Silly forward pass to unmarked Ethan Hooker. That cost the Boks a try. Could not take an aerial bomb, which led to Australia scoring. Dropped a pass to end a promising backline move.

14 Edwill van der Merwe (7) — Finished neatly for his seventh try in his eight Tests. Almost scored an acrobatic try.

13 Canan Moodie (8) — his defensive reading of the Wallabies attack was excellent. His best performance yet at outside centre. He was full of strong running.

12 Andre Esterhuizen (6.5) — Superb long pass that put Moodie away to set up Van der Merwe’s try, and also some softer passing touches from the big guy.

11 Ethan Hooker (6) — Typically busy game from Hooker. He was pinged for a too-upright tackle and on another occasion for holding on in the tackle. It was one of the days where he did not get the bounce of the ball.

10 Handre Pollard (7.5) — Missed an early touch finder, but his goalkicking was imperious. Very good game management.

9 Herschel Jantjies (7.5) — Crisp passing from the scrumhalf. He will be pleased with is comeback game.

8 Marco van Staden (5.5) — He was penalized for clumsily playing the ball on the ground. Did not look too comfortable out of position at No 8.

7 Elrigh Louw (5.5) — A lot of effort but made too many errors, including giving away three points for a ruck indiscretion.

6 Paul de Villiers (8) — Picked up where he left off in his last appearance for the Boks, winning turnover penalties. Impressive loose forward play. Probably the best Bok.

5 Franco Mostert (6) — Penalised for going off his feet at a ruck to undo a fine aerial take by Pollard. He was understandably rusty after his long injury break.

4 Eben Etzebeth (8) — A polished all-round performance from the veteran. A towering exhibition in the lineouts and mauls.

3 Zach Porthen (6) — Penalised for not staying on his feet at a ruck. No big scrumming impact.

 2 Johan Grobbelaar (6) — Took his maul try well. A reasonable performance but did not shoot the lights out.

1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (5.5) — He did not have the impact he would have liked. Some of his play was reckless.

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Replacements

Malcolm Marx (7) — He helped change the flow of the game, as you would expect from the world’s best player. But why did he not pass to an unmarked teammate for a certain try towards the end…?

Ox Nche (7.5) — Massive scrumming impact and some big ball carries.

Wilco Louw (8) — Destroyed his opposite number when he came on.

Lood de Jager (6) — Could not catch the ball in an important attacking lineout.

Jasper Wiese (7) — Busy as usual and played a big part in the comeback.

Morne van den Berg (8) — He again showed what a classic scrumhalf he is. He is now the Boks’ No1 scrumhalf.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (8) — Looked lively from the moment he came on. His best performance this year.

Quan Horn (6) — Lost an aerial contest by not going up for the ball. An average game.