A few rays of hope in a poor display
There was much for Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus to ponder as a committed England showed up the home side’s deficiencies.
Most valuable player: Pieter-Steph du Toit Rating: 7/10
If the Springboks had 23 players like Du Toit, they would have whitewashed England. He was absolutely everywhere. When there was an England ball-carrier to be tackled, Du Toit made the tackle, when there was a ball to be slowed down, Du Toit was there to lend a helping hand. His energy and never-say-die attitude are indicative of how much he treasures every opportunity to wear the Bok jersey, and he is a definite candidate for the captaincy should Siya Kolisi ever be unavailable.
1: Beast Mtawarira Rating: 4/10
He probably suffered as a result of the pack not being as dominant and physical as they were earlier in the series. Mtawarira produced a few runs without making an impact, before being replaced by Thomas du Toit, but his commitment was never in doubt.
3: Frans Malherbe Rating: 6/10
One can only wonder how much stronger the tighthead will grow with the more game time he gets. In his 46 minutes before being substituted, he performed his main duty in the scrums. He is also becoming more visible in open play and made a few telling tackles.
7: Duane Vermeulen Rating: 6/10
Though not as influential as he was earlier in the series – perhaps because he was watched more closely by England – Vermeulen was again at the forefront of the Boks’ physical approach. He will miss the Rugby Championship after declaring himself unavailable.
12: Andre Esterhuizen Rating: 4/10
Given a golden opportunity by coach Rassie Erasmus to prove he should be a regular starter, Esterhuizen lacked the creativity he showed in his debut against Wales, but he probably deserves another chance in drier conditions.
2: Chiliboy Ralepelle Rating: 5/10
With a lack of discipline letting the Boks down on a few occasions, the hooker was exposed a few times as the culprit, but he justified his selection with a lively performance at the contact areas. He also defended well on quite a few occasions.
4: RG Snyman Rating: 5/10
The big Bulls lock should be pleased with his performance in the series, but one has to wonder if the rib injury he nursed during the week did not trouble him in general play. Nonetheless, he again contributed immensely in the physical exchanges.
9: Faf de Klerk Rating: 6/10
The nippy little scrumhalf was among the Boks’ standout players. He never stopped trying and remained calm despite getting a lot of ball on the back foot. Playing in England has also taught him to stay composed in unfavourable conditions.
13: Jesse Kriel Rating: 3/10
Perhaps it was due to frustration, as the entire team struggled to stamp their mark on the game, but Kriel again died too often with the ball in hand, and his decision-making for an experienced player was poor despite scoring the Boks’ only try.
5: Franco Mostert Rating: 6/10
The Lions lock’s energy levels are never in question, and he displayed another workmanlike performance. Mostert was at the forefront of the collisions, but as a ball-carrier he was nullified by the England pack who played better as a unit than the Boks did.
10: Elton Jantjies Rating: 3/10
Like Gelant, the experienced Lions pivot showed that he is not at ease in wet conditions. Jantjies made countless errors, and with a pack that could not dominate and give him front-foot ball, his limitations were clear. Ultimately, he let himself and the team down.
14: S’bu Nkosi Rating: 6/10
Despite turning out in only his third Test, Nkosi played like a veteran and was one of a few backline players who did not look out of place in the conditions. He needs to get more opportunities to showcase his incredible ability, and he’s definitely here to stay.
6: Siya Kolisi Rating: 5/10
The captain made himself very visible at the breakdowns and contact areas where he played more than his part. In general, however, he struggled to create a spark in the team, and they lacked the hunger and energy displayed in the first two Tests.
11: Aphiwe Dyantyi Rating: 5/10
It was not a game in which he was handed multiple try-scoring opportunities because of the poor weather, but he impressed with his work off the ball. His energy to look for work was impressive, and his composure under the high ball has improved.
15: Warrick Gelant Rating: 3/10
The fears before the game that he could struggle in the wet weather were justified. He looked rattled in the conditions and lacked his normal composure. To his credit, Gelant delivered a great chip for centre Jesse Kriel to score the Boks’ only try of the match.