Springbok player ratings: ‘Magnificent’ Ox Nche disappointed by Argentina defeat : Planet Rugby

After a 29-28 defeat to Argentina in the Rugby Championship clash in Santiago del Estero on Saturday, here are the Springboks’ player ratings.

15 Aphelele Fassi: A few mistakes here and there but a real threat in attack, continuing his progression this season after establishing himself in the Springbok XV. 6

14 Kurt-Lee Arends: He just made a small mistake in his tackle and deserved a yellow card. He didn’t see the ball much in attack but he was always ready, especially outside of the pursuit kicks. 6

Grand opening

13 Jesse Kriel: An incredible first half of the match, during which he was at the heart of South Africa’s start to the match. His influence then diminished, but he was still good at both ends of the pitch. 7

12 Lukhanyo Am: He linked up pretty well with Kriel early in the game, but I’m not sure he’ll be a 12 going forward. It feels like it’ll be 13 or nothing for Am, who hasn’t been as influential at centre. 5

11 Makazole Mapimpi: He never stops working and chases kicks all day long. He is not as threatening with the ball in his hands as he used to be, however, and has struggled to make breakthroughs. 5

Pumas player ratings: ‘Classy’ ‘El Mago Nuevo’ sets tone in HISTORIC win over Springboks

10 Main Pollard: There were several moments of class early in the match before the Springboks lost control of the game. Pollard made it clear he would not be out of the running in the battle for the fly-half jersey, even if he was not perfect. 7

9 Cobus Reinach: He moved the ball quickly as the Boks took the lead and then scored a crucial try to put them back in contention after Argentina’s explosive 20 minutes, but there were a couple of mistakes. 7

No big carry

8. Jasper Wiese: Surprisingly quiet from the number 8. We didn’t see his usual runs and he also failed to make a big impact in defence. 5

7 Ben-Jason Dixon: The flanker is making progress in Tests. His contribution to Kriel’s try was excellent and there were other good moments too. 7

6 Marc van Staden: He made a couple of big turnovers as he showed his worth in the breakaway stages but, like Dixon, Van Staden was replaced early in the second half. 7

5 Ruan Nortje: An absolute workhorse throughout the game, even if there were a few touchline misses. He has made a good start to his Test career though. 7

4 Salman Moerat (c): He was influential early on but struggled to make an impact once the Argentinians got into the game and was one of those who were held back after the break. 5

Domination in the scrum but problems in the lineout

3 Thomas du Toit: The scrum wasn’t a big factor when he was on the pitch, but when he had to drop back, Du Toit was dominant. He also managed an excellent turnover in a good performance. 7

2 Malcolm Marx: The touches went wrong too many times, while Marx failed to make the impact he usually does in the game. A surprisingly poor match. 5

1 Nche of beef: It’s rare for a Springbok prop to last more than an hour, but Nche did so in a magnificent display. In the scrum, in the carry, in the tackle, the left prop was superb. 9

Replacements: The famous ‘Bomb Squad’ simply didn’t make enough of an impact. Eben Etzebeth, as expected, was excellent on his day when he equalled his record, while Vincent Koch played well in the scrum, but the others failed to make their mark. However, if only Manie Libbok had won that final penalty. It’s hard to single out players, but you just have to get them right. 5

READ MORE: Los Pumas beat shocked Springboks in Santiago thriller to set up Rugby Championship title decider