All Blacks player ratings vs Ireland | Rugby World Cup 2023
The All Blacks have defied the odds with a well-deserved 28-24 win over Ireland in Paris to progress through to the World Cup semi-finals.
Despite spending 20 minutes with 13 players on the field, New Zealand led the match from start to finish – but it still required over 30 phases of defending to shut out the game.
How the did the All Blacks rate in the win?
1. Ethan de Groot – 7
Held up his side of the scrum. Penalised once at the breakdown for not releasing the tackled player. Hit double figures in the tackle count despite not being on the field for the All Blacks’ big defensive effort at the end of the match. Off in 64th minute.
2. Codie Taylor – 6
Wasn’t able to get his running game going but was industrious on defence. Yellow-carded for bringing down a maul – although it probably could have been given to any All Black forward. Hit his lineout targets without too much trouble.
3. Tyrel Lomax – 8
Had the better of Andrew Porter despite spending plenty of time on the sidelines in recent weeks. Made countless tackles. Off in 64th minute.
4. Brodie Retallick – 7
Disrupted Ireland’s first lineout but wasn’t able to complete the steal. Secured an important breakdown turnover when Ireland were looking likely. Off temporarily in 65th minute.
5. Scott Barrett – 7
Another to put in a big shift on defence – and hit plenty of rucks. Moved to the backrow for the final quarter, where he was simply asked to make more tackles and hit more rucks.
6. Shannon Frizell – 5
Penalised in front of the posts off a kick-off for shepherding. Johnny Sexton duly converted into three points. One of two players stepped by Bundee Aki as the Ireland No 12 scored his side’s first try. Shifted plenty of bodies in the first half. Off in 60th minute.
7. Sam Cane – 8
A huge captain’s knock. Delivered a big tackle on Caelan Doris, facilitating a good opportunity for his loose forward teammate to initiate a steal. Forced a turnover of his own in of Ireland’s next attacking forays. Made a couple of nice runs with the ball. Made some more big hits late in the game and finished with 23 tackles, the most of any player on the park. Off in 75th minute.
8. Ardie Savea – 8
Huge on the carry (hitting double figures) but a bit overzealous at times on defence and in the breakdown. Pinged early at the breakdown for an illegal steal attempt but won one back moments later. Dotted down for a nice try in the corner with a great dive. Penalised again near the end of the first half and was then caught out when Jamison Gibson-Park dived over for a try from the following lineout drive. Forced another key penalty in the second spell and NZ scored a great long-distance try from the following lineout.
9. Aaron Smith – 5
A nervous game from the experienced halfback. Fluffed his first two passes. Yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on. Might have saved a try at the time, but Ireland scored anyway from the ensuing possession. Plucked a Jamison Gibson-Park wide ball out of the air.
10. Richie Mo’unga – 8
1/1 pen, 1/2 con. Sent his first Gary Owen directly up in the air but mostly came right after that. Popped one chip kick over the line which Savea collected. Deputised well at halfback with Smith in the sin-bin. Measured up to Peter O’Mahony under the high ball. Made a great break off a lineout to spark the All Blacks’ third score. Penalised once for a high tackle.
11. Leicester Fainga’anuku – 6
Grabbed the opening try of the match after some nice back and forth with Rieko Ioane. Struggled at times to contain Mack Hansen and later Jimmy O’Brien. Stripped of the ball by Doris at one stage. Did some good work under the high ball. Off in 64th minute.
12. Jordie Barrett – 8
Threw himself into contact. Timed his pass to perfection in the build-up for the opening try. Made good use of his hefty boot. Kicked a nice penalty from near halfway. In what was perhaps the biggest play of the match, somehow prevented what looked like an almost certain try, holding Ronan Kelleher up over the line off a driving maul with fewer than 10 minutes to play.
13. Rieko Ioane – 7
Stepped by Bundee Aki. Delivered two try assists with two key passes in the wide channels. His speed in the outer channels helped shut down one Ireland counter-attack. Penalised once for not rolling away from the tackle.
14. Will Jordan – 7
Kicked a nice 50-22 – although NZ had the penalty advantage regardless. Missed Gibson-Park for the halfback’s try. Scored a try of his own after running a good support line off Mo’unga.
15. Beauden Barrett – 7
Sparked New Zealand’s opening try with a well placed chip and chase in the middle of the park. Looked cool as a cucumber on defence and covered the backfield well.
Reserves:
16. Dane Coles – N/A
On in 65th minute.
17. Tamaiti Williams – 5
On in 64th minute. Maintained the scrum standards but was otherwise quiet.
18. Fletcher Newell – 7
On in 64th minute. Continued Lomax’s good work at the set-piece and earned a penalty at his first scrum.
19. Sam Whitelock – 7
On in 60th minute. Pinged for not rolling away at the breakdown. The hero in the 83rd minute, forcing a breakdown penalty to end the match.
20. Dalton Papali’i – N/A
On in 75th minute.
21. Finlay Christie – NA
Unused.
22. Damian McKenzie – N/A
Unused.
23. Anton Lienert-Brown – 6
On in 64th minute. Delivered one big tackle late and rallied well late.
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
5 Go to comments