Springboks player ratings as Bomb Squad overpowers Georgia

entered the fray early in the second half and made an immediate impact. Their dominance at the scrum created attacking opportunities and helped shift the momentum decisively. Handré Pollard added finesse with a perfectly timed assist for Damian Willemse’s try, while Faf de Klerk injected pace and set up Edwill van der Merwe’s second. Collectively, the bench stabilized the team, increased the intensity, and ensured the result was beyond doubt.

Georgia scored the first try of the game through Vano Karkadze, who powered over the line following some physical phase play in the opening stages. The Lelos went toe-to-toe with the Springboks for much of the first period, going into the break trailing by only 12 points. Three of South Africa’s four first-half tries came from debutants Marnus van der Merwe and Boan Venter, the former scoring a brace from hooker.

Rassie Erasmus’ tactics proved effective in the second half, with his early Bomb Squad substitutions—just minutes after the break—proving too much for Georgia to handle. Their physicality up front created space out wide, which South Africa exploited to score a further five tries while nullifying Georgia’s attack. They crossed the 50-point mark with two tries in the final minutes, courtesy of Kurt-Lee Arendse and Handré Pollard.

South Africa: 55
Tries: Boan Venter (9'), Marnus van der Merwe (14', 22'), Canan Moodie (20'), Edwill van der Merwe (47', 73'), Damian Willemse (56'), Kurt-Lee Arendse (79'), Handré Pollard (80+1')
Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (33'), Handré Pollard (57', 74', 80', 80+1')

Georgia: 10
Try: Vano Karkadze (2')
Conversion: Luka Matkava (4')
Penalty: Luka Matkava (29')

15. Aphelele Fassi – 6
Fassi had a relatively quiet game and struggled to impose himself consistently from fullback. He made a few strong, marauding runs from deep to help push South Africa upfield, but those moments were too infrequent to significantly influence the match. One noticeable error came under the high ball, where he knocked on and handed possession back to Georgia.

14. Edwill van der Merwe – 8
Van der Merwe capitalized on the opportunities presented. He played a key role in the buildup to South Africa’s third try with a smart pass to keep the attack flowing. Later, he finished a well-worked move out wide and added a second try late in the game after latching onto a Faf de Klerk kick—his fifth in three starts for the Boks.

13. Canan Moodie – 7
A constant threat with ball in hand, Moodie looked sharp in open play. Despite a loose offload that briefly disrupted momentum, he made up for it by powering over for South Africa’s third try, carrying two Georgian defenders over the line.

12. Damian de Allende – 6.5
De Allende had an inconsistent outing. A dropped kickoff put the team under pressure, but he responded with a physical charge-down of a Georgian kick on their try line—taking the ball square in the face. He brought plenty of defensive physicality, though his attacking influence was limited.

11. Kurt-Lee Arendse – 7
Arendse had limited attacking opportunities as the ball seldom reached him. However, he made his mark defensively, applying pressure that forced a knock-on near Georgia’s try line. He capped off his performance with a simple finish in the closing stages.

10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu – 5.5
Feinberg-Mngomezulu had a mixed showing. He was overpowered in the lead-up to Georgia’s opening try, though, to his credit, he faced a hooker and nearly held him up. A later misdirected pass struck Cobus Wiese and led to a scrum. His goal-kicking was poor, missing three early attempts and another later in the game. He redeemed himself partially with solid defensive awareness, notably a key tackle on Davit Niniashvili, and converted his final attempt.

9. Grant Williams – 8.5
Williams brought energy and sharp decision-making, maintaining a high tempo throughout. His pace and vision stood out—most notably when he exploited a gap to help set up South Africa’s third try. He also delivered a pinpoint wide pass for Edwill van der Merwe’s score and later assisted Arendse after returning due to Faf de Klerk’s injury.

1. Boan Venter – 7
On debut, Venter made a strong impression. He held firm in the scrum and powered over for South Africa’s first try. His time on the field was brief, but he made a solid impact in the opening exchanges.

2. Marnus van der Merwe – 7.5
Also debuting, Van der Merwe had a mixed performance. He was beaten in contact for Georgia’s first try but rebounded strongly. He threw accurately in the lineout and finished off two powerful maul tries. His influence was primarily felt in the first half before being substituted early in the second.

3. Neethling Fouché – 6.5
Fouché had a low-profile but effective debut. He handled the scrums and breakdowns well, providing a solid platform before being replaced shortly after halftime.

4. Eben Etzebeth – 6.5
Etzebeth had a subdued outing. He conceded an early penalty and was quieter than usual before being subbed off not long after the break.

5. Ruan Nortje – 7
Nortje made an early statement with a thunderous tackle. He was effective at the breakdown and brought work rate and intensity throughout, contributing heavily to South Africa’s forward dominance.

6. Siya Kolisi – 7
After an early HIA, Kolisi returned with intent. He made several strong tackles and absorbed heavy contact without losing composure. It wasn’t a standout performance, but his leadership and defensive work were key.

7. Pieter-Steph du Toit – 7
True to form, Du Toit was a physical presence. He made several hard carries and contributed a few well-timed offloads. It was a solid, if not exceptional, showing from the flank.

8. Cobus Wiese – 7
Wiese threw himself into the action from the outset. He ran hard and tackled with intent, helping set the tone. Though substituted as part of early second-half changes, he made a big impact in his limited time.

The Bomb Squad