Player Ratings: SA 'A'

OPINION: The backline players stole the show in the match between South Africa ‘A’ and Zimbabwe on Saturday.

Mzwandile Stick’s side came out on top with a 40-0 win, and a lot of questions would have been answered when it comes to certain positions for future Springbok roles.

See the South Africa ‘A’ Player Ratings below:

15 Luan Giliomee
The youngster looked like an experienced campaigner on the field, especially when it came to fielding those high balls. His kicking out of hand was good, and he showed how smart he was when it was time to join the line on attack.
8.5/10

14 Jaco Williams
A constant threat on attack – he made Zimbabwe’s defence scramble on several occasions. He produced a try assist for Imad Khan’s try. He then showed great speed to collect the ball from a kick before racing away to score a try in the 80th minute.
9/10

13 Markus Muller
The outside centre position is a key one in terms of defence and he didn’t let his team down in that regard. He was in the right place at the right time to pounce on a loose ball and score his team’s second try in the 22nd minute, and his overall vision on attack was satisfactory.
7/10

12 Lukhanyo Am
There were glimpses of that rugby knowledge on attack that made him a World Cup winner. The midfielder was a calming presence for the young guns around him, and his strong carry laid the foundation for Imad Khan’s try in the second half.
7/10

11 Zekhethelo Siyaya
He had two tries disallowed in the opening five minutes, but his finishing abilities and speed were there for all to see. He also produced a monster tackle in the 21st minute, knocking the ball loose for Markus Muller to score his try. His outing was cut short with what looked like a painful accidental leg to the face.
7.5/10

10 Yaqeen Ahmed
Announced himself with a dummy and a great break before weaving his way over for the first try of the game. He has an eye for the gap, and he kept the opposition guessing. However, he received a red card (upgraded from a yellow) for taking a player out in the air in the 52nd minute, which ended his game.
7/10

9 Haashim Pead
He was quick to the breakdowns, and his distribution to the backline was good. He kept Zimbabwe’s defence guessing around the fringes. The scrumhalf also produced a great dummy to score a try in the 31st minute.
7.5/10

8 Phepsi Buthelezi
He was aggressive on defence and carried the ball with power to gain some metres. Just his sheer power to stay up with the ball with defenders around him was impressive
7/10

7 Bathobele Hlekani
He is a giant on the field, and his stature and physicality kept Zimbabwe’s defenders busy. The big man produced a monster hand-off in the 24th minute before losing the ball on his way to the tryline. His ball-in-hand skills will need some work if he wants to become that all-round player.
7/10

6 Emmanuel Tshituka
Produced a great turnover on defence in the seventh minute, and he had his moments in open play on defence and attack. He shifted to the back of the scrum later in the game, which showed his versatility as well.
6.5/10

5 Ruben van Heerden
He didn’t get the quality he wanted in the line-outs in the opening quarter, but that area gradually improved as the game went on. He was also a key ball carrier in the physical exchanges and a top tackler amongst the forwards
6.5/10

4 Vincent Tshituka (captain)
He ran a great line in the eighth minute, but he was guilty of not giving the ball to his brother in a botched try-scoring opportunity. The Sharks’ leader could have been more imposing up front, and he seemed to fade away in the second half.
6.5/10

3 Neethling Fouche
He was solid in the scrums, but you would’ve thought that he would dominate his opponent more, which wasn’t the case.
6/10

2 Siphosethu Mnebelele
It was a horror opening quarter in the line-outs for the young hooker. He struggled to find his jumpers, but he improved as the game went on. There were also some positive signs with ball in hand in open play.
6/10

1 Boan Venter
He showed his power in a massive scrum in the 10th minute to win Zimbabwe’s ball. There was a powerful driving run in the 24th minute, which nearly resulted in a try. He will also be kicking himself for giving away a scrum penalty in the 44th minute when he should’ve been dominating his opponent.
7/10

Replacements:

16 Liam van Wyk (On for Siphosethu Mnebelele, 62nd minute)
You couldn’t fault him, but he probably didn’t have the time to really stamp his authority on the game.
6/10

17 Oliver Reid (On for Boan Venter, 62nd minute)
Announced himself with a powerful scrum to win a penalty for his side in the 65th minute. A solid cameo off the bench.
7/10

18 Hanro Jacobs (on for Neethling Fouche, 50th minute)
A solid showing in the set-pieces by the big man.
6.5/10

19 Adre Smith (on for Phepsi Buthelezi, 55th minute)
The Stormer certainly caused some bruising in the physical exchanges, but the overall performance could have been more impactful, especially as an enforcer.
6/10

20 Siba Mahashe (on for Bathobele Hlekani, 50th minute)
The Lions star didn’t have the impact that was expected of him in open play.
6/10

21 Nico Steyn (On for Haashim Pead, 41st minute)
He played scrumhalf, and he was out wide at various stages. An elusive customer around the fringes, and he showed his vision by sniping over for a try in the 56th minute. He was also a standout on defence.
7.5/10

22 Imad Khan (On for Yaqeen Ahmed – 20-minute red card)
It was a fantastic introduction when he came onto the field and scored a try. He keeps opposition defences on their toes.
7/10

23 Jurenzo Julius (on for Zekhethelo Siyaya, 36th minute)
The midfielder played out of position on the win when he came on for an injury. He did well, and his speed and strength out wide were assets.
6.5/10