Bok ratings from a turgid Test

Tank Lanning

If I was not calling the game live on Ballz Radio, I might actually have switched channels! And after the high the Baby Boks gave us on Friday night, and then the absolute masterclass from the All Blacks as they made the Irish look like the Sweet Valley under 12 F team, the rugby on show in PE was particularly turgid …

Granted, the rain made it tough for the players, and because of that, the wings were always going to be spectators, but it was abundantly clear that the Poms had targeted the number 12 channel, and Manu Tuilagi was not going to die wondering if he could bash his way through Wynand Olivier. I think I used Jonathan Joseph’s name once in the entire commentary.

Speaking of Mr Olivier … I am not going to go as far as to say that I was wrong about the man – because he was still part of a backline that did not fire at all, and will need to put in a few more performances like that before I concede – but he was outstanding in marshalling England’s pocket battleship, and was perhaps the only back in green on the day who looked remotely threatening with ball in hand. A good effort from a man much maligned in the buildup.

I was concerned about the physical onslaught the Haskell and Waldrom infused pack would bring to PE, especially in a dead rubber, and together with power performances from both locks, Palmer and Parling, so it came to be. The Boks did not get the front foot ball they got in the first half of the second Test, and by making mistakes at crucial times, they never came close to bossing this game.

Throw in a sluggish service from Hougaard (not so easy from a broken deck chair on a windy beach – unlike the leather couch he was afforded last week), and a dismal kicking performance from Steyn, and this was about trying not to lose, rather than going for the win.

My Bok player ratings:
15 Gio Aplon – 6
Tried his level best to inject some electricity into a back line that seemed to have forgotten to put in the plug. Not shy in the air, even if one brave leap did lead to a knock on. Got up from a monster tackle by Chris Ashton as if it never happened! Gutsy.

14 JP Pietersen – 6.5
Still prone to the odd ball juggle, but finished well after taking a top pass from Ruan Pienaar, dotting down for the Bok’s only try. Not a lot of ball went wide on this rainy day.

13 Jean de Villiers – 5.5
Part of a back line that failed to ignite, and skipper to a side that looked a little flat. Did more than his fair share on defence, although most of that happened inside him.

12 Wynand Olivier – 7
Take a bow. Took heat prior to the game, including from this very scribe, and the English, via Manu Tuilagi, had obviously targeted his channel. Not only did he keep the Pommy battleship in check, but also made a few yards with ball in hand.

11 Bryan Habana – 6
In the wet, and outside a back line the was making more errors than yards, this was never going to be the flyer’s night. Chased kicks with the usual vigor, which put the English under pressure.

10 Morné Steyn – 4
No Bok deserves to be booed, but an entertainment free game had obviously upped the crowd frustration stakes in PE. As said last week, the primary reason for this man being in the Bok side is his metronomic pink and white right boot, yet it went AWOL again on Saturday. A lot of his kicking out of hand was also largely aimless.

9 Francois Hougaard – 5
Industrious with intent, but intent did not always translate into territory. Again a little slow in getting the ball away. Even with the pesky worm giving him more space in which to work, still managed to have a kick charged down. Tactical kicking lacked tact.

8 Pierre Spies – 5
Such a fine physical specimen, and brought a new dimension to Bok rugby when he first arrived on the scene. 50 Tests later, and wonders where it went wrong? Defended well, but off a standing start, which he find himself doing a lot of on Saturday, he is ineffective with ball in hand.

7 Jacques Potgieter – 5
Had monster boots to fill, and on debut, did not come close to filling those boats left behind by Willem Alberts. Jury obviously still out as to whether he can take the step up to International level.

6 Marcell Coetzee – 7.5
Without doubt my man of the match. Like the Energizer Bunny, just never ever gave up. Admittedly did not make as many yards with ball in hand, but not sure that is his job in any case. But covered the park like rice covers a sushi roll.

5 Juandré Kruger – 5
Less convincing than in the first 2 tests. Head of a lineout that started showing a few cracks. Showed up in the physical stakes by both England locks.

4 Eben Etzebeth – 5
Close but no cigar. Obviously keen, and fired up, but like his partner in crime, Kruger, was shown up by the England pack when it came to making yards with ball in hand, something he was so good at in the second Test. Has played a lot of rugby this year!

3 Jannie du Plessis – 6
Bar one abomination toward the end of the game, a scrum Du Plessis was not part of, the scrums were solid on the Bok put in. Did not disrupt England scrum ball, though, and MIA with ball in hand.

2 Bismarck du Plessis – 6
So good last week, the Bok hooker looked a little flat in the face of the physical England onslaught. Missed at least 2 crucial lineout throws.

1 Beast Mtawarira – 5.5
Solid with run on front row, but part of a scrum that got smashed late in the game, leading to the penalty that leveled the scores. His ball carrying, normally a big part of the Beast’s game, has been largely missing in this series.

Bench:

16 Adriaan Strauss – 6
Has to be some concern re his scrumming given that it is when the bench has come on that the Bok scrum has suffered. But as always, a physical presence round the park.

17 Werner Kruger – 4
Second appearance, second time the scrum has suffered because of it.

18 Flip van der Merwe – 6
Looks like he belongs at this level, but failed to make a big impact on the game.

19 Ryan Kankowski – 6.5
Missed a tricky little inside pass from Habana, but part of a huge hit on Thomas Waldrom. Relatively prominent in what was a very physical game. Had an impact on the game.

20 Ruan Pienaar – 7
Has definitely benefitted from playing in Ireland, where he has been allowed to play primarily at scrumhalf, and more importantly, home his game in difficult conditions. He brought an air of calm decisiveness onto the field with him.

Not enough game time to warrant a review:

21 Elton Jantjies
22 Bjorn Basson