New Zealand U20 player ratings vs Scotland | World Rugby Junior World Championship 2026

New Zealand U20 player ratings: The Baby Blacks endured another difficult afternoon at scrum time but ultimately had enough juice to overcome Scotland and secure a 36-26 victory.

New Zealand was always in the lead, although they lost control of the game at times, with Scotland knocking at the door and flirting with a different scoreline.

Captain Haki Wiseman, Kele Lasaqa and Caleb Woodley were among the standout performers as the Baby Blacks secured their second win of the campaign.

1. Henry Stuart – 5
Another day, another underperformance come scrum time. The New Zealand front row was put under immense pressure, and neither Henry Stuart nor Ethan Webber was able to withstand it, conceding two penalties before the break. As for Stuart’s individual performance, the loosehead was penalised twice and made a few tackling mistakes in a far-from-ideal afternoon for the prop.

2. Josh Findlay – 6.5
The Baby Blacks lineout didn’t experience any issues with Josh Findlay’s timing of his lifting pods, ensuring a reliable attacking platform. The hooker was reliable in most areas, helping his side in any way he could throughout the game.

Fixture

World Rugby U20 Championship

New Zealand U20

36 - 26

Full-time

Scotland U20

All Stats and Data

3. Ethan Webber – 4.5
Like Henry Stuart, Ethan Webber had a subpar outing, struggling to gain a foothold as Scotland’s front row consistently got the better of him at scrum time. Unfortunately for the tighthead prop, three conceded penalties proved costly and ultimately dragged his rating down.

4. Max Fale – 6.5
Had less impact compared to last Saturday’s game, with Scotland closing in well when the blistering lock went into contact. Nevertheless, the lock put in a solid defensive shift, recording six effective tackles over 80 minutes.

5. Jake Frost – 6.5
Worked tirelessly to hold the Baby Blacks’ scrum together and brought plenty of industry to the breakdown, where he helped keep New Zealand’s ball secure while causing headaches for the Scottish forwards.

6. Bradley Tocker – 7
Tocker is quickly becoming a thorn in the side of New Zealand’s opponents as the utility forward added two more lineout steals, a turnover and a dominant tackle to his growing highlight reel. However, he looked a bit lost when trying to counter the Scottish driving maul, like most of his teammates. He wrapped up the game as the top tackler with 10, two of which were dominant.

7. Caleb Woodley – 7.5
Spectacular work off the ball, finding unnerving ways of getting under the skin of the Scottish pack, which helped New Zealand keep control of the game even when under pressure.

8. Patrick Mauga – 5
Like a fish out of water, Patrick Mauga struggled to find his way into the game and bring any X-factor to the New Zealand game plan, with the No. 8 missing out on the chance to make a case for another start on Tuesday.

9. Charlie Sinton – 6.5
It was a mixed afternoon for the scrum-half, who orchestrated several promising passages of play and injected tempo into the Baby Blacks’ attack, but also committed several costly errors, including an intercepted pass midway through the first half.

10. Mika Muliaina – 8
Provided more than a few key passages of play that woke New Zealand from a light slumber, putting his kicking game to good use. He made the assist for Cohen Norrie’s first try and linked well with Kele Lasaqa to crack open the Scottish defence out on the wing, while not missing a kick from the tee.

11. David Lewai – 7
While he was not as elusive as Kele Lasaqa in breaking down the Scottish defence, he still posed a consistent threat with ball in hand. Across eight carries, he racked up 50 metres, two line breaks and produced the kicking nudge that led to Logan Williams’ opening try.

12. Haki Wiseman – 8
The Baby Blacks skipper made quite the statement through his tackling, grinding a few Scottish bones and muscles, and producing a decisive tackle that led directly to his side’s first try. Coupled with more than a handful of running lines, Wiseman acted like a relentless battering ram that pushed New Zealand to clinch a second win in two games.

13. Siale Pahulu – 7
Replaced before the 10th-minute mark due to an HIA, but was allowed to carry on and ultimately had an impact on his side’s win, as he produced two key passes that sent Kele Lasaqa on a triumphant sprint.

14. Kele Lasaqa – 8
Kele “The Codebreaker” Lasaqa lived up to his reputation, tormenting the Scottish defence with his sharp, electric footwork. The SVNS Rookie of the Year beat six defenders, made two clean breaks, scored a try and set up another in a dazzling attacking display, adding more depth to his side’s attack.

15. Cohen Norrie – 7
Norrie went from passenger to protagonist in the space of half a second, with the full-back having a field day against the opposition after the break, unlocking the Scottish padlock to guide his team safely towards the in-goal area. The Baby Black ‘Harry Potter’ claimed two tries and produced a superb offload for Siale Pahulu.

Replacements

16. Alani Fakava – N/A
Didn’t play long enough for a fair rating.

17. Dane Johnston – 6
Performed slightly better than Webber but still couldn’t avoid conceding a scrum penalty. Unfortunately, he had to hobble off before the full-time whistle.

18. Alex Hewitt – N/A
The same criterion as for Fakava applies.

19. Johnny Falloon – 7
Scored a try and made an impact with ball in hand.

20. Micah Fale – 7.5
Far better than Mauga, Micah Fale made a compelling case for a return to the starting side, forcing four Scottish errors and helping New Zealand address some of the issues it encountered at scrum exits.

21. Jackson Hughan – N/A
Played two minutes.

22. Logan Williams – 7
Came on early for Pahulu and quickly made his presence felt by bagging New Zealand’s first try of the afternoon. Overall, a sound performance.

23. Kobe Brownlee – 6
Three tackles, one carry and a good set-piece contribution from the loose forward.