Springboks player ratings: Fantastic Fassi soars high

The Springboks recorded a 48-7 bonus point win to clinch the Rugby Championship title in stunning fashion in Nelspruit on Saturday.

Needing just one save point to win their first Rugby Championship since 2019, the Springboks did much more than that to bring home the trophy.

The home side were relentless in their quest for victory from the start and for all their talk of taking the game to the Springboks, Argentina had no answer to South Africa’s attack.

The Rassie Erasmus-fueled charges ultimately saw the visitors go seven tries to one to not only avenge their defeat in that game a week earlier, but also be crowned the undisputed champions of the 2024 Rugby Championship.

With that in mind, here are some key player ratings for the Springboks based on outstanding individual contributions.

SUPER SPRINGBOKS BRIGHTNESS

Aphelele Fassi skinned Los Pumas — 9/10

Fassi epitomizes what is good about the Springbok team and the current crop of players. He was recently left out of the squad by Rassie Erasmus to work on and improve some aspects of his game. When he returned to the Sharks he completed his homework exactly as Erasmus ordered and was soon recalled to the team.

Not only is he part of the team now, but Fassi is also the Springboks’ primary full-back and increasingly looks like he has won the No.15 jersey ahead of Willie le Roux.

In this match he established himself as the Springboks’ second playmaker and, apart from his excellent distribution in this role, Fassi scored two excellent tries in the first half. In a word, perfect.

Libbok silences the naysayers — 8/10

All week long Manie Libbok has been crucified for missing a penalty against Los Pumas in Argentina, with many fans calling for him to be dropped from the matchday squad.

But Rassie Erasmus refused to give in to outside noise and chose Libbok as the Springboks’ starting playmaker, with Handre Pollard on the bench.

However, Libbok was relieved of place-kicking duties and that responsibility fell to attacking half Jaden Hendrikse. And it was a masterful strike from Erasmus, with Libbok deftly leading the Springbok attack with the kind of finesse and tactical kicking skills that few players in the team possess.

Ox Nche beat Los Pumas’ offense — 9/10

The big man not only solidified the Springbok attack but also feasted on the opposition in one particular set; So much so that Argentinian Joel Sclavi walked backwards every time and conceded countless penalties.

What sets Ox apart from others is also its exceptional work rate in freelancing. His unique game and tireless work on the breakdown were still present today.

Pieter-Steph du Toit doing Pieter-Steph du Toit stuff — 9/10

We’ve gotten used to Du Toit making one massive change after another, the things he does sometimes going wrong, especially when his less consistent team-mates perform well.

Hard-working and physical, Du Toit overcame difficult terrain in clashes today and was like a hunter stalking his prey when he navigated the wider channels.

The powerful back row player, who created a variety of mismatched positions while running straight at all opponents in sight, was rewarded with two great tries to cap off another superb display from him.

Pieter-Steph du Toit is a frontrunner for both the SA Rugby Player of the Year and World Player of the Year awards.

WHO WILL YOU CROWN AS MAN OF THE MATCH?

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