Winners & Losers: Springboks

South Africa cruised to a convincing victory over Georgia in Nelspruit, delivering a performance that balanced power, precision, and experimentation. With several debutants in the mix and a handful of younger players given a chance to stake their claim, the Springboks showed their depth and intent ahead of a packed international season. While there were clear standouts, a few players missed the mark in a match that was as much about evaluation as it was about dominance. Here's a look at who impressed, and who didn’t.

Winners

Ruan Nortje

Put in a strong shift in the second row. Did the hard work in the tight phases and was solid in the lineouts. Quietly effective and reliable throughout.

Canan Moodie

Powerful and explosive. Scored a brilliant try by cutting through defenders and looked dangerous every time he had the ball. A standout in the backline.

Losers

Georgia Defence

Started strong with an early try, but after that, they struggled. The Springboks found holes in their defence repeatedly, and Georgia couldn’t cope with the pace or physicality.

Grant Williams

Had a mixed performance. He provided quick ball at times and had a hand in one try, but also made a few poor decisions and looked off-rhythm for parts of the game.

Edwill van der Merwe

Scored two tries, but it wasn’t his best game. Defensively he looked shaky and didn’t get involved much outside of his finishes. Needs to find more consistency.