Player ratings: Red-letter day
It was also the Boks' first away Rugby Championship victory since 2014, thanks mainly to a brilliant performance by vice-captain Siya Kolisi. The loose forward was outstanding in all facets of the game and was ably supported by captain Eben Etzebeth, who made the captaincy role his own.
It was by no means a runaway victory as the scoreline suggests but the Springboks took advantage of having an extra man on the field to turn a 17-10 half-time lead into an 18-point victory.
Tauriq Ebrahim rates the Springboks!
15 Andries Coetzee
He is certainly a threat on attack but the usually calm fullback let his aggression out to receive a yellow card. Fortunately, it never cost his team.
5/10
14 Raymond Rhule
Attacking chances were minimal but questions will once again be raised about his defensive frailty.
4/10
13 Jesse Kriel
He can run dangerous lines with the ball but that moment on indecisiveness which led to an Argentinian try will leave a blemish on what was a decent outing.
5/10
12 Jan Serfontein
Not a performance to rave about as he had a bit of a mixed bag in all facets.
4/10
11 Courtnall Skosan
Showed once again that there is no substitute for speed as he raced back to stop a definite try. While he is not the biggest guy on the field, he is not afraid to get stuck in.
6/10
10 Elton Jantjies
Two early penalty misses could have negatively affected the rest of his game but he settled into his shift soon after that to dictate play and keep his side on the front foot.
7/10
9 Francois Hougaard
Killed any attacking momentum by insisting on taking a few steps before passing. If his performance proved anything, it is that he is not a natural scrumhalf.
3/10
8 Uzair Cassiem
Pretty sure some cynics will be calling for his head despite putting in a steady all-round shift.
6/10
7 Jaco Kriel
Not the best performance from the usually steady flank but he did what was needed at crucial times.
6/10
6 Siya Kolisi
Baring one forward pass, he was by far the best player on the field. He ran hard lines, tackled like a man possessed and was a menace at the breakdowns.
9/10
5 Franco Mostert
Could not bag a line-out steal or two on the day and never got the chance to show his power but he landed all of his tackles.
6/10
4 Eben Etzebeth (captain)
A robust performance from the leader of the team. Set the standard and led the charge by putting in a complete performance.
8/10
3 Coenie Oosthuizen
Did not match the standard he set in the opening round but he never slipped a tackle and contributed to a solid scrum.
7/10
2 Malcolm Marx
His mobility and athleticism continue to bring a new dynamic to the Springboks' setup.
8/10
1 Tendai Mtawarira
Despite limited chances to carry the ball, he was defensively sound and showed why he is a strong scrummager.
7/10
Replacements:
16 Bongi Mbonambi (on for Marx, 77th min)
Not enough time to be rated.
17 Steven Kitshoff (on for Mtawarira, 52nd min)
Looked to get his hands on the ball in open play to bash through the opposition.
6/10
18 Trevor Nyakane (on for Oosthuizen, 54th min)
Slipped through some tackles to show how much power he has while also sticking all of his tackles.
6/10
19 Pieter-Steph du Toit (on for Mostert, 52nd min)
While his carries may not have gotten the Springboks over the advantage line, his tackling technique helped to stop the opposition.
6/10
20 Jean-Luc Du Preez (on for Cassiem, 52nd min)
Carried the ball nicely when it was needed but that temper of his needs to be addressed -after he got himself involved in some handbags – if he is to remain a regular in the team.
5/10
21 Rudi Paige (on for Hougaard, 57th min)
Not everyone's cup of tea but his service was definitely better than the man he replaced.
6/10
22 Curwin Bosch
Not used.
23 Damian de Allende (on for Serfontein, 72nd min)
Not enough time to be rated.
By Tauriq Ebrahim
@Tauriq365
@rugby365com
