Angus Gardner graded after Springboks victory against All Blacks

The Australian was a late appointment after Nika Amashukeli failed to recover from illness, stepping into one of the biggest Tests of the year with just days’ notice.

Gardner had plenty to manage, particularly at scrum-time following New Zealand’s complaints to World Rugby about South Africa’s tactics before the match.

He repeatedly spoke to both front rows as scrums collapsed and reset, at one stage warning there would be “no more games”. All Blacks boss Dave Rennie actually praised Gardner afterwards for being strong around the set-piece, despite maintaining his concerns about the Springboks’ approach.

However, supporters were far less united.

One fan wrote: “Meh Angus Gardner was coaching rather reffing.”

Another added: “My frustration with Angus Gardner is that he wants to tell the best front row in the world how to scrum instead of just focusing on his job of managing and refereeing the contest.”

A third was more critical: “Angus Gardner was not very good at all. Set aside a whole list of rugby rules. High tackles, offsides, head contacts... why?”

There were complaints from both sides, with another supporter claiming six All Blacks put-ins ended with collapsed scrums without New Zealand being penalised.

Gardner also produced a late yellow card for Springbok lock Lood de Jager, a decision described as “soft” by one South African match report.

Not everyone was unhappy, though. One Japanese supporter described Gardner’s officiating as impressive and said the game was easy to watch without stress.

Gardner faced an incredibly difficult assignment at short notice and generally kept a ferocious Test under control. However, the lengthy scrum discussions, inconsistency highlighted by supporters and several contentious late calls prevent this from ranking among his better international performances.

But despite the convincing result, several players failed to make the most of their opportunity. With the third Test now looming, Rassie Erasmus faces some big selection calls, with three underperformers potentially making way for fresh faces.

After a disastrous showing in the first Test, Feinberg-Mngomezulu was dropped before being recalled to the squad following Handre Pollard's ankle injury during the week. However, he didn't produce much of a response to last week's performance.

While there was some improvement, he was still far from outstanding. The youngster was fortunate when his kick was charged down, with the ball bouncing out of play rather than being dotted down for a try.

After moving to fullback, he showed some hesitation in the backfield for Leroy Carter's try, allowing the winger a relatively simple finish that brought the All Blacks back into the contest.

The original plan was for Handre Pollard to start, and his wealth of experience makes him a hugely valuable option.

He has built a reputation as one of rugby’s ultimate clutch players, so if there is ever a time for him to return to the squad, it is for the third Test with the series finely poised. Providing he recovers fully from his ankle injury, he should come straight back into the team.

Willemse has been decent in both of the first two Tests, but has struggled to make a significant impact on either match. He began the Cape Town Test with a shaky take from a deep kick before being replaced at half-time.

A change at fullback could give the Springboks more attacking spark, with the backline yet to fully click. Composure is valuable in a Test of this magnitude, but when it comes at the expense of attacking inspiration, it becomes a concern.

That may have contributed to Erasmus' decision to make the change at the break.

Despite Willemse’s struggles, he remains regarded as one of the best players in his position in world rugby, and bringing someone else in would likely be a step backwards. Back him to respond and give him the opportunity to put things right in the third Test.

Hooker was far from terrible, but his involvement was largely limited to dealing with the high ball.

With the series on the line, Erasmus' more conservative approach and reliance on the box kick was understandable. However, the Springboks will likely need to be more positive in attack when they head into the third Test.

Kurt-Lee Arendse could offer a more direct threat on the wing, potentially helping the Boks get their attack flowing more effectively. They were outscored in tries by the All Blacks in Cape Town, highlighting an area that will need to improve.

Arendse was forced off with a head injury in the first Test and was then a late omission from the squad after Cheslin Kolbe was cleared to play this week.

If he has fully recovered, Arendse would offer a more well-rounded option than Hooker and provide a greater threat with ball in hand.

De Jager was shown a yellow card late in the match, and while it ultimately did not cost the Springboks, it gave the All Blacks a lift heading into the final minutes.

The lapse in discipline could also leave him vulnerable to being dropped for the third Test.

De Jager was only used from the bench anyway, while the All Blacks have opted for a hybrid lock as their third option.

The Springboks could consider a similar approach by using Pieter-Steph du Toit as the third lock and bringing an additional flanker onto the bench.

With the quality available in the back row, that could provide another injectio

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