Player Ratings: South Africa

The Springboks opened their 2026 international season with an emphatic 80-31 win over the Barbarians at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday.

South Africa crossed the whitewash 12 times to the Barbarians’ five, with wing Edwill van der Merwe stealing the headlines with a superb hat-trick.

The Barbarians played their part in an entertaining spectacle, showcasing flashes of brilliance through slick handling and dazzling footwork. But as the contest wore on, the Springboks’ superior power, precision and conditioning proved overwhelming.

Here is how the Boks rated:

15 Aphelele Fassi

Making a return to the field following his injury in February during the Sharks’ URC match against the Lions, the fullback showed signs of rustiness, which is a given. However he didn’t hesitate to get involved. He looked dangerous whenever he ran from deep, and his cover defence at the back denied the Barbarians two tries. His outing was blemished by a yellow card for a high tackle on TJ Perenara, while a late spill under the high ball prevented an otherwise assured display.
6.5/10

14 Cheslin Kolbe

Another reminder of why Kolbe remains one of the most influential players in world rugby. The wing seamlessly took over the kicking duties and rarely put a foot wrong throughout the contest. There was an early scare after colliding with a cameraman, leaving him with a cut above the eye, but it did little to slow him down. He kicked 10 conversions.  Kolbe even shifted to scrumhalf during Grant Williams’ spell in the sin bin and promptly made his mark, pouncing on a loose ball from a scrum to score. His only blemish came when he was bumped off by the Barbarians’ No.8 Miracle Fai’ilagi and missed a tackle on the No.8 in the build-up to one of their tries.
8.5/10

13 Jesse Kriel

Not one of Kriel’s most influential outings, but still a solid performance from the Springbok. Defensively, there were moments when the Bok looked vulnerable, while on attack, he made a handful of carries without fully imposing himself on proceedings. But he finished strongly, capping his performance with a late try.
6.5/10

12 Andre Esterhuizen

Esterhuizen got the Springboks over the gain line and provided valuable momentum through the middle of the field. The powerful midfielder was rewarded with a try and finished with 10 carries, although a couple of missed tackles slightly dented an otherwise effective display.
7/10

11 Edwill van der Merwe

A clinical performance from the wing. Van der Merwe was excellent under the high ball, chased tirelessly and consistently threatened whenever he got into space. His pace and finishing ability were on full display as he grabbed a deserved hat-trick. Three line breaks and three tries made it a memorable evening for the speedster.
8.5/10

10 Quan Horn

His selection at flyhalf has been a major talking point this week. The Lions star has built a reputation as one of the most exciting fullbacks in South African rugby, combining a relentless work rate with an eye for the tryline, and was entrusted with the No.10 jersey. While he was not spectacular, he certainly was not out of place.

He missed a crucial tackle in the lead-up to the Barbarians’ first try, but his sidestep in the first half gave us a glimpse of his incredible prowess and helped set a platform for Riley Norton’s try.
A steady rather than spectacular outing.
6/10

9 Grant Williams

Williams brought his trademark energy and tempo to the Springbok attack.

His contestable kicking game was effective, and his service from the base helped keep the Barbarians defence under pressure. The scrumhalf also showcased his vision, taking full advantage of the Boks’ two-man overlap with a perfectly timed long pass that sent Edwill van der Merwe over for his second try. His biggest setback came with a yellow card for a deliberate knock-down. During his absence, the Barbarians managed to score three tries and claw their way back into the contest.
7.5/10

Continues below…

8 Jasper Wiese

A typically abrasive performance from the No 8. Wiese was at his destructive best with ball in hand, consistently winning collisions and driving the Springboks forward. He was also effective when it came to kick-off and brought his usual physical edge to the contest. His efforts were rewarded when he rounded a defender from a line-out move to score one of the Boks’ many tries.
8/10

7 Pieter-Steph du Toit

The two-time World Rugby Player of the Year once again delivered a tireless all-action display. Du Toit was relentless on defence, put in several trademark dominant tackles and provided the Springboks with another dependable line-out option. He also got on the scoresheet and continued to impose himself.  A superb line-out steal in the second half underlined his influence.
8/10

6 Siya Kolisi (captain)

Kolisi led from the front with a powerful and energetic display.

The Springbok skipper carried strongly, made good decisions in possession and brought his usual intensity to the physical exchanges. While there were one or two defensive lapses, his overall contribution was significant as South Africa steadily tightened their grip on the contest.

7.5/10

5 Franco Mostert

One of the busiest players on the pitch yet again, which has become standard for him. The workhorse role has become synonymous with his name. A strong mauler who also put in some big defensive hits. Unfortunately, he had to leave the field with an injury in the 56th minute after a line-out.

7/10

4 Riley Norton

A dream outing for the teenage lock. Making his unofficial debut for the Boks, the Junior Springbok captain showed maturity well beyond his years. Norton settled immediately, making the first tackle of the match and never looking overwhelmed by the occasion. Strong in the tight exchanges and composed in the line-out, he completed 10 tackles and capped a memorable performance with a try.

The future looks bright.

9.5/10

3 Carlu Sadie

The Champions Cup winner was part of a front row that laid the foundation for the Springboks’ dominance.

Sadie scrummaged strongly throughout his stint and helped South Africa establish control at set-piece time. He also contributed effectively as a ball carrier and looked comfortable at this level. A solid all-round display.
7/10

2 Andre-Hugo Venter

He found his jumpers at the line-out, scrummaged well, hit rucks effectively and contributed with ball in hand. He left the field briefly before making a turnover in the 53rd minute.
7/10

1 Ox Nche

Nche’s scrummaging was a major weapon and helped the Springboks gain ascendancy early in the match. While he was exposed defensively on a handful of occasions, his overall contribution remained positive.

7/10

Replacements

16 JJ Kotze (on for Andre-Hugo Venter, 44th minute)

Kotze wasted little time making his presence felt. His first involvement was a scrum, where he immediately helped maintain the Springboks’ dominance. He followed that up by crossing for a try from a well-executed maul. An impressive contribution from the bench.
8/10

17 Ntuthuko Mchunu (on for Nche, 47th minute)

Fresh off an excellent season with the Stormers, Mchunu carried that form into his latest Springbok appearance. The loosehead made a valuable impact in the set pieces and was rewarded with a scrum penalty in the 68th minute.
7/10

18 Zachary Porthen (on for Sadie, 47th minute)

Porthen initially struggled in the scrums and found himself under pressure against Stormers teammate Oli Kebble. To his credit, he grew into the game and eventually powered over for a well-earned try.
6.5/10

19 Ben-Jason Dixon (on for Du Toit, 47th minute)

While not as prominent as some of his teammates, he worked hard around the field and helped maintain the Springboks’ physical edge as the game opened up. A useful contribution from the bench.
6/10

20 Paul de Villiers (on for Kolisi, 47th minute)

De Villiers continued the impressive form that has made him such a key figure for the Stormers.

The loose forward brought energy and intensity after coming on and produced one of the moments of the match, his offload set up Faf de Klerk’s try in the 66th minute.
7/10

21 Evan Roos (on for Wiese, 47th minute)

He made an impact off the bench and got over the gain line on a couple of occasions. However, the Stormers star was a little too eager on attack, missing the pass on one or two occasions, but his intent could not be questioned.
A lively impact off the bench.
6.5/10

22 Faf de Klerk (on for Williams, 55th minute)

The crowd greeted De Klerk’s arrival with enthusiasm and the veteran scrumhalf delivered. A threat around the fringes, he brought composure and experience to the Springbok attack and was rewarded with a try midway through the second half.
7/10

23 Vusi Moyo (on for Horn, 49th minute)

The back was instrumental in Faf de Klerk’s try in the 64th minute, beating a defender in the build-up.

He looked calm and composed with the ball in hand despite the huge occasion.
7/10