Springbok utility back Kurt-Lee Arendse during his all action display in the second Test against Wales. Picture: Charle Lombard/Gallo Images
A thrilling three match series against the visiting Welsh team came to an end with a strong 30-14 win for the Springboks over the past weekend, handing the home side a 2-1 series win.
Despite being pushed all the way by a team that wasn’t expected to put up as big a challenge that they did, the Boks had a number of players who put their hands up and did their reputations a world of good.
Here are five players who have raised their profile ahead of the Rugby Championship.
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Springbok utility back Damian Willemse was my personal player of the series, after he put in fantastic displays whenever on the field. He was one of only four players to feature in every game, along with Eben Etzebeth, Malcolm Marx and Vincent Koch, with him starting the first and third games while playing off the bench in the second.
Willemse had a lot to live up to with coach Jacques Nienaber calling him the next Frans Steyn, and he answered the call with some sparkling displays. He showed his amazing versatility, playing at fullback and flyhalf in game one and fullback and centre in the third match, playing with aplomb wherever he was stationed.
A surprise candidate for player of the series, Jaden Hendrikse missed out on selection the first match, before an assured performance in the second saw him preferred to Faf de Klerk for the decider, with him then putting in his best performance.
Nienaber explained that they had been watching Hendrikse over the entire season and that along with his second game performance that had forced them to tip their hand and back him for the final.
Nienaber also admitted that De Klerk now had to fight for his starting berth, and with Hendrikse putting in a top showing in the decider, he has made sure that De Klerk will know that it won’t be an easy feat going forward.
Had he not had to play off the bench in every match of the series, Marx could have been a contender for player of the series, but instead had to settle for being my impact player of the series.
Bongi Mbonambi had a strong series himself and didn’t do anything wrong, but the spark brought by Marx every time he hit the field was undeniable. That may have been made even more obvious due to the Boks struggles at the breakdown over the series, with Marx proving an immense presence in that aspect of the game, however his ball-carrying, scrum, tackling and lineout work was all superb as well.
The Boks, as always, are blessed to have two completely world class front rows.
Although not the perfect Bok return, Pollard’s performance in the third Test decider warrants his inclusion on this list. With the Boks only backing two specialist flyhalves for the series and Elton Jantjies producing a horror show in the first Test, all the attention shifted to Pollard who was back at 10 for the second, with him also captaining the team.
He put in a decent performance in the second Test, but looked to still be finding his feet, while he also missed a crucial penalty that would have kept the Boks far enough ahead in the match.
But his third Test showing was then miles better with him nailing all his kicks and attacking the line brilliantly throughout the match as he scored 20 of the Boks’ 30 points and arguably should have seen him handed the man-of-the-match award.
The Boks’ second Test outing saw them name an experimental team of largely inexperienced in-form players from the past season, with 19 changes made to the match 23 from the opening game and six debutants spread across the starters and bench.
One of those debutants was Bulls utility back Kurt-Lee Arendse who lined up on the wing and put in a sparkling display. He showed exactly what he can do on attack with a number of exciting runs in the match, but it was on defence where he fronted up the best, showing that despite his small stature he was more than able to match up to the physicality of Cheslin Kolbe, with him making some superb tackles.
With Kolbe picking up an injury in the third Test decider and now a doubt for the Rugby Champs, Arendse may get a chance to shine once again.
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