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New Zealand U20 player ratings vs France | World Rugby U20 Championship
By Ian Cameron
New Zealand U20 player ratings: The Baby Blacks edged France U20 34-26 in a thrilling semi-final at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Viadana.
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In sweltering conditions, the Baby Blacks produced moments of individual brilliance and dug deep defensively to hold off a powerful French side. Early tries from Stanley Solomon and Mosese Bason set the tone before impact off the bench helped seal a place in the final after a breathless, back-and-forth contest.
Here’s how we rated the New Zealand U20 players:
1. Sika Pole – 6
Struggled early in the scrum against the hulking French pack but stuck to the task. Subbed on 57 minutes after a solid enough defensive shift.
2. Manumaua Letiu – 7.5
Carried with real venom and provided a reliable throwing option. Part of a pack that gradually worked its way into the contest.
3. Robson Faleafa – 6
The 124kg White Rhino got pinged for a neckroll that handed France a platform but grew into the match and scrummed better as the tide turned.
4. Xavier Treacy – 8
Big engine and never stopped grafting. Gave up some mass to the French locks but made up for it with work rate. Shades of a young Guzzler?
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5. Jayden Sa – 7.5
Reliable at the lineout and a key cog in disrupting French mauls. Not flashy but effective.
6. Finn McLeod – 7.5
Broke tackles for fun at times and gave NZ punch in attack. One of the more effective carriers in black.
7. Caleb Woodley – 7
Didn’t impose himself with ball in hand but led the team in first-half tackles and was relentless on defence.
8. Mosese Bason – 8.5
Finished a vital try off a Vaenuku offload and was everywhere—dominant at times, erratic at others. Fumbled one high ball badly but was a constant threat.
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9. Dylan Pledger – 8
Mixed bag. Missed a key tackle for France’s opener and got stepped again for a disallowed try. Then pulled a ridiculous dummy to help set up Vakasiuola’s crucial score. Classic halfback stuff.
10. Rico Simpson – 8
Kicked well early and pulled off a massive intercept to deny a try. Tackling suspect in patches, but controlled the game in moments that mattered.
11. Maloni Kunawave – 5
One lovely break and offload hinted at his talent, but handling errors and a deathly quiet performance saw him score poorly.
12. Jack Wiseman – 6.5
Took his try well off a sharp attacking sequence but earned a yellow for an upright tackle. Steady in midfield otherwise, did plenty of the dirty work.
13. Cooper Roberts – 7
Came off with a 3rd-minute HIA and returned to be a menace with and without the ball. Sliced through the French line on 42 minutes and set up Wiseman’s try. Classy outing.
14. Frank Vaenuku – 8
Another electric performance. Perfect pop pass for Wiseman’s try and provided the assist for Bason’s opener. Yellow card blotted the copybook.
15. Stanley Solomon – 8
Grabbed a sublime solo try to open the scoring. Alert, opportunistic and composed under pressure. A bright spark throughout.
REPLACEMENTS – 8
Massive impact. Oudenryn made a try-saving turnover, Vakasiuola bulldozed over for a critical score, and the replacement props helped steady the scrum after a rocky start. Bench swung the match.
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