Saturday’s clash between the Springboks and Georgia left me speechless—and not in a good way. As a passionate rugby fan, I expected more from the world’s No. 1 ranked side. Instead, we were treated to an underwhelming performance that had me on edge from the third minute right through to the 60th. Georgia brought the heat, and the Boks looked anything but settled.
Let me be upfront—this is my first column for The Loosehead, and yes, I bring a different perspective. I’m a woman and a die-hard Bok supporter, and I’m here to say it like it is. This wasn’t the standard we expect from the Green and Gold.
A Shadow of the Real Springboks
The famous Bok scrums? Shaky. Our once-dominant set piece was outmuscled at times. The lineouts? Still a glaring concern. We need a specialist coach, fast. But what really caught me off guard was Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s performance. He hasn’t been the same spark plug we saw last year. Four missed kicks on Saturday—that’s not the Sacha we know.
He wasn’t the only one who looked off the pace. The whole team seemed to lack rhythm and connection. And with the Rugby Championship looming, that’s a real worry.
Player Ratings: Georgia vs Springboks
1. Boan Venter – 6/10
Debut try aside, he didn’t dominate in the scrums. Solid, but not standout.
2. Marnus van der Merwe – 7.5/10
Two tries on debut from a hooker? Impressive. Needs to polish his throw-ins.
3. Neethling Fouché – 5/10
Average outing. If he’s the future after Wilco and Frans, we’re in for tough scrumming days.
4. Eben Etzebeth – 7/10
Still regaining form post-injury, but his tackles hurt. Georgia will remember them.
5. Ruan Nortjé – 9/10
Only blemish: a penalty. Otherwise, full of energy and intent. Deserved Man of the Match.
6. Siya Kolisi – 7/10
Strong leadership but quiet by his standards. A few big tackles, but not yet at full throttle.
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit – 8/10
Almost back to his best. Carried well and did the hard yards with flair.
8. Cobus Wiese – 9/10
Powerful, versatile, and relentless. One of the standouts in green and gold.
9. Grant Williams – 7/10
Fast-paced, but errors crept in—especially that early kick directly out.
10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu – 5/10
Not his day. Missing the spark and confidence from his earlier Springbok games.
11. Kurt-Lee Arendse – 8/10
Heart and hustle all day, though a bit off his usual electric pace.
12. Damian de Allende – 8/10
In great form this season. Physical, smart, and hard to handle.
13. Canan Moodie – 8/10
Back to his best. Hit hard in defense and showed his natural ability to find the try line.
14. Edwill van der Merwe – 7/10
Plenty of potential. Reminiscent of Cheslin, but not quite there yet.
15. Aphelele Fassi – 6/10
Quiet outing. We know what he can do, but he didn’t show it here.
Bench Impact
16. Bongi Mbonambi – 5/10
Everything else felt a step too slow.
17. Thomas du Toit – 4/10
Struggled in the scrum. Didn’t add the usual grunt we expect from him.
18. Vincent Koch – 5/10
Showed glimpses, but not the player he once was.
19. RG Snyman – 8/10
Classic RG. Offloads, hits, and pure Viking energy. Always makes an impact.
20. Kwagga Smith – 8/10
Relentless as always. High work rate and fearless commitment.
21. Faf de Klerk – 5/10
Far from his usual spark. Didn’t provide the expected momentum.
22. Handré Pollard – 9/10
The General is back. 100% off the tee, scored a try, and commanded the field.
23. Damian Willemse – 3/10
Off the pace. Scored a try, but nowhere near the player we know he can be.
Final Thoughts: Rassie, We Need a Reset
Saturday felt like a warning sign, and I hope Rassie Erasmus is paying attention. There’s still time to fix the issues before we face Australia, but this kind of performance won’t cut it in the Rugby Championship. South Africa expects better. The world expects better. And the Boks can absolutely do better.
Let’s hope this was just a bad day at the office. Because if it wasn’t, 2025 might be a very long year.