NELSPRUIT – It was a night of firsts and frustrations as the Springboks downed Georgia 55–10 at Mbombela Stadium in a match that offered moments of magic, some rust, and plenty of selection headaches for Rassie Erasmus.
The Boks started sluggishly, conceding a try within the opening two minutes — though it looked questionable on replay. It took some time to settle, but debutant Boan Venter got the hosts on the board with a powerful finish for his first Test try.
That score sparked a short burst of momentum, with the Boks crossing the line a few more times before errors crept back in, disrupting rhythm and stalling their progress. At halftime, they led 22–10 — not quite the dominance expected.
The second half followed a similar script: glimpses of brilliance, followed by basic handling mistakes. Only in the final ten minutes did the Springboks truly shift gears, ending proceedings with a flurry of points and securing a 55–10 win that, while comfortable, felt underwhelming in parts.
Still, there was plenty to be encouraged about. Rassie Erasmus continues to tinker with combinations, blood new talent, and sharpen options ahead of a brutal Rugby Championship. Let’s dive into the player ratings.
Player Ratings: South Africa vs Georgia
Starting XV
15. Aphelele Fassi – 6/10
A quieter night by his usual high standards. Contributed with some solid territorial kicks and a few probing runs.
14. Edwill van der Merwe – 8/10
Electrifying. Grabbed a brace and continues to show why he’s forcing himself into the Bok reckoning. Our wing depth is in great shape.
13. Canan Moodie – 8/10
Strong with ball in hand and solid in defence. His evolution into a Test-level outside centre continues impressively.
12. Damian de Allende – 8/10
Rock solid. Carried with power, tackled hard, and provided composure in the midfield.
11. Kurt-Lee Arendse – 8/10
Buzzed around the park and finished clinically. As lively and dangerous as ever.
10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu – 5/10
A tough outing. Missed several kicks at goal and didn’t quite find rhythm. Valuable learning experience for the talented youngster.
9. Grant Williams – 7.5/10
Sparked attacks with his speed and sniping. Kept the Georgian defence guessing.
8. Cobus Wiese – 7/10
Impressive showing in an unfamiliar position. Brought physicality and commitment to the back of the scrum.
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit – 8/10
A workhorse performance. Dominated the collisions and cleaned out with typical intensity.
6. Siya Kolisi – 7/10
Back from injury and looked sharp. Took a big hit but soldiered on. A good foundation to build from.
5. Ruan Nortje – 8.5/10
A revelation. Owned the lineouts and worked tirelessly in open play. A deserved Man of the Match.
4. Eben Etzebeth – 7/10
Physical and uncompromising as always. Set the tone early with big hits.
3. Neethling Fouché – 7/10
Anchored the scrum well and made his presence known. Yellow card was a blemish on an otherwise solid outing.
2. Marnus van der Merwe – 8/10
Dynamic at the breakdown and accurate at lineout time. Grabbed a couple of well-earned tries.
1. Boan Venter – 7/10
What a way to announce yourself. Scored on debut and was generally solid, despite conceding a scrum penalty.
Replacements
16. Bongi Mbonambi – 6/10
Steady and reliable. Did his job without fanfare.
17. Thomas du Toit – 5.5/10
Struggling to find form. Needs to sharpen up heading into the tougher games.
18. Vincent Koch – 5.5/10
Showed glimpses of the old Koch but may be losing a step.
19. RG Snyman – 7/10
Brought his trademark offloads and lifted the tempo. Always entertaining.
20. Kwagga Smith – 7/10
Mr. Reliable. Stole a few balls and made key interventions around the breakdown.
21. Faf de Klerk – 6/10
Injected some energy and produced a pinpoint kick assist for Edwill’s second.
22. Handré Pollard – 7/10
Calm, composed, and capped off the game with a smartly taken try.
23. Damian Willemse – 6.5/10
Added flair late on. Beat defenders with ease but didn’t get enough time to truly influence.
Coach’s Corner: Rassie’s Selection Dilemma
Across the series against the Barbarians, Italy, and now Georgia, Rassie Erasmus has managed to test almost every player in the extended squad. Some grabbed their chances with both hands, others left question marks hanging.
The challenge now? Whittling down this squad to a group that can become the first Springbok side to go back-to-back Rugby Championship winners. It’s a good problem to have — but a problem nonetheless.
What’s Next
The Rugby Championship looms large, and the time for experimenting is over. The Boks have depth, power, and hunger — now it’s about building cohesion, sharpening execution, and peaking at the right time.
Bring it on. Let’s go defend that title.
What the ratings mean
10 – World-Class: A flawless, unforgettable performance. Dominated every aspect of the game.
9 – Outstanding: Nearly perfect. Played a crucial role and made a big impact.
8 – Excellent: A top-tier display with strong contributions throughout.
7 – Very Good: Reliable and effective. Did the basics well with a few standout moments.
6 – Solid: Decent shift. No fireworks, but they held their own.
5 – Below Average: Mixed performance. Some good, some shaky.
4 – Disappointing: Struggled to influence the game. Too many errors or missed opportunities.
3 – Poor: Lacked composure and execution. Clearly off their game.
2 – Very Poor: Frequently exposed. A performance to forget.
1 – Nightmare: Completely out of sorts. Arguably cost the team.