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All Blacks player ratings vs Lions | Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026
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The All Blacks’ midweek clashes against South African URC sides are all said and done, with Dave Rennie’s side coming back from a halftime deficit to defeat the Lions in Johannesburg, 41-35.
Rennie’s side, featuring only three players from the first Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, battled back in the second half at Ellis Park, overpowering a valiant South African URC effort.
While it wasn’t a picture-perfect team performance, there were some standouts in black, as the bench provided Rennie’s men with sensational impact.
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Here’s how the All Blacks rated at Ellis Park.
1. Siale Lauaki – 5
Lauaki infringed once in the first half at scrum time, for his brake foot shifting. Scrum started to go backwards in the second half, not helped by Tosi losing his footing. Straight down in the 68th minute, clearly having to push on with Rennie and the coaching staff preserving Xavier Numia.
2. Samisoni Taukei’aho – 6
One error at lineout time, and would have liked to impact the game more with ball in hand during the first half. Scrum was far from dominant, but the Chiefs hooker improved as the contest went on. Left the field in the 62nd minute, adding eight carries and seven tackles.
3. Pasilio Tosi – 5
While the scrum didn’t struggle as such in the first half, they also couldn’t assert dominance. Then, in the second half, Tosi lost his footing at scrum time, resulting in the Lions powering over from five meters out. Not the standout performance the Hurricanes prop would have liked, after a tough first outing on tour.
4. Sam Darry – 5
Penalised early for a cleanout past the ball, before his quick-tap eventuated in the Lions winning the ball back. Counter-rucked brilliantly to win a turnover, while his aerial work off kick-offs was effective. Darry then made another rushed decision, this time in their own 22, passing an offload after Blackadder fetched the ball from the breakdown. Some key contributions around the ruck, but it was a clunky performance from the big lock. Lost a game-high four turnovers.
5. Patrick Tuipulotu – 6
The stand-in All Blacks captain had a quiet night for his busy standards, only making three tackles and four carries. Had limited lineout work in his shift. Off at 48 minutes, clearly with an eye to the weekend.
6. Wallace Sititi – 6.5
Provided the All Blacks with significant go-forward during the opening quarter, often finding weak shoulders when getting over the gain line. Quieter second 40 minutes, but it was a performance Sititi can build on.
7. Ethan Blackadder – 9
On a tough night for the All Blacks, Blackadder was a shining light. Blackadder’s abrasive ball-carrying ability was a highlight in the first half, getting through a mountain of work. The Crusaders loose-forward put the finishing touches on a superb All Blacks counter-attack, dotting down before halftime. Led the carry-count at the halfway mark with eleven. Secured another turnover, his second of the game, but the All Blacks then gifted possession back. Managed to dot down for his second of the evening, on the back of his own offload, following the play like a hawk. Led the game with 16 carries.
8. Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa – 6
Tupou Ta’eiloa had an impactful night in the contact areas, without breaking the game open. The Moana Pasifika enforcer often beat the first tackler with ball in hand, but couldn’t win back a turnover on multiple attempts at the breakdown. Off in the 54th minute with six carries.
9. Noah Hotham – 5
Nightmare start for Hotham, as his first actions included a box-kick that sailed straight out on the full, and a misjudged pass that fell into the hands of Sibabalwe Mahashe to go in under the posts. Bounced back in the next small period, following Narawa’s break to dot down for the All Blacks’ first. Passes struggled to stick from the base during his 54 minutes on the field.
10. Richie Mo’unga – 7
Prominent in his first match back. A couple of solid moments early on with ball in hand, but kicked a prime penalty opportunity dead in the first 15 minutes. Mo’unga, in his first appearance for the All Blacks since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final, looked calm and composed at Ellis Park, without setting the world alight. The Crusaders made a line break late in the game that the All Blacks couldn’t capitalise on.
11. Emoni Narawa – 8.5
Holding the ball in one hand, Narawa produced a piece of individual brilliance to get the All Blacks back into the contest, linking up with Hotham. Every time the Chiefs outside-back got his hands on the ball, he either put the Lions under pressure or kept the ball alive. Strong first half, with nine carries and a game-high three line breaks. Narawa clinched the All Blacks’ final try of the evening, off a Barrett try-assist.
12. Timoci Tavatavanawai – 8
Tavatavanawai’s signature breakdown work was on show, winning a midfield turnover during the first half, while his work in attack helped the All Blacks get back in the game. His break, off a counter-attack, led to Narawa’s try in the opposite corner. Added three offloads in the first 40 minutes and started the second half with the same intensity with ball in hand.
13. Rieko Ioane – 8.5
Although Ioane had a mixed night with some errors, his experience and big-moment plays got the All Blacks out of trouble. Got done by a dummy from Nico Steyn that led to the Lions’ first try, but reacted well to that moment, making a line break in the 14th minute. Got caught over-covering Tavatavanawai on multiple occasions on defence, before stitching up Beauden Barrett with a short-ball in contact. Missed four tackles in the first-half. Scored a much-needed try in the 50th minute, sliding through the Lions defence and putting the foot down. Read a Lions attack in the 56th minute like a book, intercepting a midfield pass to score his second of the evening. Shifted to the left wing, also adding a try-assist for Blackadder. Led the All Blacks’ tackle count with ten.
14. Fehi Fineanganofo – 6
Fineanganofo looked dangerous when given opportunities, but surprisingly, the game didn’t fall his way. Broke a couple of tackles on multiple occasions after carrying from the edge. Thought he dotted down in the corner, but the TMO ruled a forward pass in the build-up.
15. Beauden Barrett – 7
Paired with Mo’unga in the playmaking positions, Barrett was solid in the first half, often weighing up his options effectively, especially for Narawa’s first. Barrett mistimed a cleanout down the left-hand side, before referee Gardner penalised him for a side-entry. Barrett’s went one from two during the first half off the boot, although from the sideline. In an outrageous piece of skill, Barrett regripped the ball and kicked it ahead in the lead-up to Fineanganofo’s no-try. As he did in the first 40, Barrett’s execution out of the back of attacking shape was sharp, setting up Ioane in the 50th minute, and Narawa late on. Not at his game-breaking best, but an important cog in Rennie’s attack.
Replacements
16. Bradley Slater – 8
Slater secured his three lineout throws, an improvement from his first All Blacks match, while he contributed to the improved scrum. Important shift.
17. Xavier Numia – 8.5
Numia only managed ten minutes, but immediately won the All Blacks two scrum penalties alongside the power of Slater and Saula Ma’u. A couple of aggressive carries. Surely his performance helped lock down a bench role for the weekend, with Ethan de Groot nursing a concussion.
18. Saula Ma’u – 7.5
On All Blacks debut, Ma’u carried strongly in his short shift. The Highlanders prop had a couple of strong moments on both sides of the ball, including multiple powerful shoves at scrum time.
19. Jamie Hannah – 7
Having landed in Johannesburg only a matter of days ago, Hannah was everywhere in his stint in the second half. One charge down, and a couple of nice lineout moments.
20. Peter Lakai – 6
The versatile loose-forward entered the frame midway through the second half and made an immediate impact off a lineout carry. Helped the All Blacks become more dominant late on.
21. Kyle Preston – 6
Preston, who has featured in every contest so far on the tour, managed 26 minutes off the bench. Added some quicker ruck speed compared to Hotham.
22. Josh Jacomb – N/A
23. Anton Lienert-Brown – 7.5
Just the type of performance the All Blacks needed off the bench. Lienert-Brown provided a steady hand when Rennie’s side were behind, helping organise and lead a comeback.
