The Springboks secured a tough victory over Argentina with a score of 17:10 in Buenos Aires on Saturday evening. This win allowed them to maintain their unbeaten streak in 2026, despite a late push from their opponents.
The world champions struggled to contain the Pumas for a significant portion of the match. Considering the upcoming major rugby rivalry against the All Blacks, coach Rassie Erasmus and his staff have serious work ahead of them. An additional negative point was the injury to captain Siya Kolisi.
Springboks' performance assessment in Buenos Aires
Assessments were conducted on the performances of the Springboks players in Buenos Aires. Apelele Fassie received a rating of 4 because his kicking game was not ideal, and the fullback also found himself in an unfavorable one-on-one tackle situation, although he did draw the last defender during the first half.
Edwill van der Merwe received a rating of 6; he energetically chased several balls, but they were out of reach, yet he demonstrated his speed to bypass the defense on the sideline and score a try. Kanaan Moody also received a rating of 6, noted for his excellent handling when setting up Van der Merwe's tries. He was relatively quiet at the start of the game but then became active and earned an important penalty.
Andre Esterhuizen received a rating of 6, but conceded a dropped pass in a good attacking position, after which he fell on Kolisi, leading to his injury. Nevertheless, he showed a strong burst and cleared the ball during the first half.
Ethan Hooker received a rating of 6; the winger constantly looked for attacking opportunities, but unlike Van der Merwe, he did not always succeed; nevertheless, his play was satisfactory due to several good runs.
Sasha Feinberg-Mngomezulu received a rating of 5, as he failed to launch the 'Wings' attack and made several unsuccessful kicks, leading to loss of possession. However, his defense as a playmaker was strong.
Cobus Reinach received a rating of 5; he was not the most accurate in the scrum work, and the referee asked him several times to remain calm. His kicks also let the team down several times.
Backline movements
Cameron Hanekom received a rating of 7, making a high tackle that brought the first three points to Argentina, but after that, he demonstrated strong defense. He also advanced with slight effort, gaining meters for the 'Boks'. Elrig Lou received a rating of 6; he missed an early tackle and lost the ball, but his physical strength in intense clashes was commendable.
Siya Kolisi received a rating of 4; he made strong runs in his first match of the year, but left the field after 24 minutes due to a hamstring injury. Lud de Jager received a rating of 5; he was physically strong but had not yet reached the desired level. He missed several initial tackles and tackles, but showed development. Eben Etzebeth received a rating of 6; unfortunately, he dropped the ball after being tackled without hands near the lineout. He used his strength in contact and broke through the ball.
Not what the fans wanted to see
Thomas du Toit received a rating of 5; he did not achieve the desired results in the scrums for most of the time and struggled on his side, although he made some strong runs and tackles. Johan Grobbelaar received a rating of 5; he lost an important lineout and did not have the greatest impact in the battle for the ball. Nevertheless, he demonstrated some work rate and defensive work. Boan Winter received a rating of 5; he won the first penalty for the 'Boks' after overcoming his opponent and was active in defense.
Substitutions:
Jan-Hendrik Vessels received a rating of 5; his scrum work was excellent, and he made several good tackles. Gerhard Steenkamp received a rating of 7; he helped change the course of the scrum with several strong pushes. Zachary Porten received a rating of 7; his footwork technique and dominance during the scrum were assessed. Ben-Jason Dixon received a rating of 5; he brought the necessary power for the 'Boks' runs, although the penalty was unjustified. Cobus Wiese received a rating of 7; he follows in his brother Jasper's footsteps with his physical strength and changed the course of the game with his runs. Marco van Staden replaced Kolisi and was physically active in defense and in runs. Morne van den Berg received a rating of 4; his kicks let the team down several times. Handre Pollard received a rating of 5; he came to stabilize the game with his composure and made good kicks, helping the 'Boks' move forward.
