Six Players who FLOPPED in Round Two of The Rugby Championship

Tuesday, 26 August 2025 at 19:16

byRugby Rucker

The second round of the 2025 Rugby Championship lived up to the billing, serving up drama, history, and plenty of headline-making performances across the Southern Hemisphere.

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In Buenos Aires, Argentina stunned the All Blacks 29-23, sealing their first-ever home victory over New Zealand. A landmark moment for Los Pumas, who outmuscled and outsmarted the visitors in front of a raucous home crowd.

Meanwhile, in Cape Town, South Africa bounced back with a gritty 30-22 win over Australia, levelling their mini-series and stopping the Wallabies’ momentum in its tracks.

After two rounds, all four nations sit with one win apiece, leaving the tournament wide open heading into the next stage.

Round three promises fireworks: the Springboks travel to New Zealand, while Australia host Argentina, who will be full of belief after their history-making triumph.

With another chapter closed between the Southern Hemisphere heavyweights, here are our picks for six underperforming stars in Round Two…

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (Australia)

Rugby Pass rated Suaalii 4/10, noting: "Coughed up penalties that led to six Bok points and was outplayed by De Allende. Offered little before being replaced by Tane Edmed."

Planet Rugby were slightly more generous with a 5/10: "Spoke during the week about how Test rugby travel had aided his personal growth since last year’s switch from the NRL, but Cape Town won’t be fondly remembered as his average appearance ended with a half-time HIA. It was his penalised ruck technique that cost the Wallabies three early points. His fumble then led to Wright’s unfortunate injury."

An error-strewn and forgettable outing from Suaalii, who struggled to impose himself and paid dearly for technical lapses before being withdrawn at the break.

Franco Mostert (South Africa)

Rugby Pass rated Mostert 5.5/10, noting: "Struggled to make an impression in the first half, often anonymous in both attack and defence. Did plenty of unseen donkey work but little to get the crowd going. Subbed out as Erasmus looked for more dynamism."

Rugby 365 were harsher with a 4.5/10: "The flanker had a relative quiet first half but put in some big tackles. Doesn’t look entirely comfortable at flank. Replaced in 66th minute."

Planet Rugby agreed with a 4/10: "Another tireless effort from the work-horse forward but had little success. Did the grunt work of hitting rucks and tackles but not his finest outing."

FLO Rugby also gave him a 4/10: "Endless graft, but very little impact. Mostert hit ruck after ruck and finished with double-digit tackles, but he rarely disrupted or carried with any effect. In a role where Pieter-Steph du Toit usually sets the tone physically, Mostert simply couldn’t match that influence."

A workmanlike but uninspired shift from Mostert, whose limitations at flank were again exposed.

Tupou Vaa’i (New Zealand)

Stuff rated him 4/10: "Started with a couple of poor passes which stifled attacks, before nice shortside post-lineout play to set up first try. Couldn’t assert himself at ruck time like last week, slipped off four tackles, and sin-binned (harshly) for deliberate knock down."

Planet Rugby also gave him 4/10: "Less imposing than he has been in recent times and far less busy defensively than his fellow back-rowers. He also spent 10 minutes in the sin bin. Too slow to react to Pablo Matera’s carry for Gonzalo Garcia’s try. The first setback in his transition into a genuine option as a blindside flanker, it will be interesting to see how he responds."

Rugby Pass rated him slightly higher at 5.5/10: "The big Chiefs loose forward was yellow carded for an intentional knock down in the 32nd minute, and didn’t really impose himself with ball in hand with only two carries in the first half. An important lineout malfunction late in the Test match and his yellow card didn’t help the 41-Test lock’s rating."

A frustrating game from Vaa’i, who struggled to impose himself physically and was hampered by costly errors.Rieko Ioane

Planet Rugby scored him a 3/10: "Suspect defensively with some rather average reads, and the Pumas capitalised. Not compelling under the high ball either. Anonymous on attack, even though the All Blacks didn’t have the lion’s share of possession while he was on the park. For an 84 Test cap international, he should be doing a lot better."

Rieko Ioane (All Blacks)

Rugby Pass gave him 4/10: "Looked lost on the wing early after an Argentian midfield bomb, and continued to not pose any threat with ball in hand. Had one opportunity, but couldn’t finish with three Argentinian players getting across to put pressure on. Couple of missed tackles that led to the home side breaking the defensive line."

Stuff also rated him 3/10: "Sent into space to nearly score game’s first try, but that was really it, unable to pounce on a loose ball and found wanting out wide on defence as wing transition continues to raise issues."

Once again, Ioane’s positional shift exposed flaws in his game, leaving fans and pundits questioning his best role in the team.

Sevu Reece (All Blacks)

Planet Rugby handed Reece a 3/10: "Much like his fellow winger, Reece had some poor reads on defence and didn’t fare much better with the ball in hand. He wasted an opportunity after the hour mark with an unkind pass to Rieko Ioane and was manhandled into touch soon after. He crucially was able to manufacture a lineout for his team from being tackled out and Samisoni Taukei’aho scored. Managed to undo his great work with a poor intercept pass attempt that resulted in a yellow card."

Rugby Pass were kinder with a 5/10: "Might not have been Sevu’s best night with ball in hand, but the right winger managed to move some bodies at the breakdown and play halfback when Ratima or Christie were occupied. Great clearing kick when the All Blacks were down to 13 players on the stroke of halftime. Quiet second half until Reece stuck a hand out on defence, where referee Nic Berry deemed it to be an intentional knockdown."

Stuff rated him 3/10: "Two-try effort last week seemed a distant memory as struggled to make any inroads out wide, as well as being caught out defensively and with hands. Silly yellow card for deliberate knock on with game on the line in 73rd minute."

From hero last week to liability this week, Reece’s indiscipline and errors compounded New Zealand’s woes.

Franco Mostert (South Africa)

Rugby 365 were harsher with a 4.5/10: "The flanker had a relative quiet first half but put in some big tackles. Doesn’t look entirely comfortable at flank. Replaced in 66th minute."

Planet Rugby agreed with a 4/10: "Another tireless effort from the work-horse forward but had little success. Did the grunt work of hitting rucks and tackles but not his finest outing."

A workmanlike but uninspired shift from Mostert, whose limitations at flank were again exposed.

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