Wallabies player ratings vs All Blacks | 2026 Bledisloe I

The Wallabies have lost their first game under coach Les Kiss, falling away during the second half in a 50-19 defeat to the All Blacks at Eden Park. It’s seen the All Blacks retain the Bledisloe Cup for another year, ahead of Bledisloe II in Sydney next week.

Tom Wright sliced through New Zealand’s defence to score the opening try in the seventh minute, before captain Harry Wilson crossed for another just before the break. But the second 40 was practically always one-way traffic, with the hosts winning big in the end.

1. Angus Bell – 7.5
Bell was the second player to reach the 20-tackle mark, highlighting the loosehead prop’s remarkable effort against the All Blacks. Incredibly, Bell didn’t even play an hour, coming off for former All Black Aidan Ross in the 57^th minute. The 26-year-old was a workhorse in defence and contributed to a reliable set-piece at scrum time.

2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa – 7
Australia won 100 per cent of their 10 lineouts with ‘BPA’ out in the middle, with the front-rower enjoying another solid night in the gold jersey. Paenga-Amosa was top five for tackles completed and second overall for total carries before coming off for Josh Nasser early in the second half. The lineout has become a strength of the Wallabies this season, with Paenga-Amosa among those leading that charge.

3. Allan Alaalatoa – 7
Alaalatoa was quite good against the All Blacks. It certainly seemed like an improved performance from the tighthead, following the win over the Springboks. In his 26^th Bledisloe Cup appearance, the 95-Test Wallaby made the fifth-most tackles out of any Australian before coming off around the 50-minute mark. Alaalatoa contributed to a confident Wallabies scrum and made a dent around the park, particularly in defence.

4. Jeremy Williams – 7
Williams walked off the field with 58 minutes and 18 seconds up on the clock, having delivered another impressive shift for the Wallabies. Williams was the primary lineout target for Brandon Paenga-Amosa, and he even won a steal on the All Blacks’ throw in the first half. The 25-year-old got over the ball and won a pilfer penalty in the 22^nd minute and was sixth overall for tackles made by the time he was replaced, but also finished with three penalties conceded.

5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto – 6
Salakaia-Loto made some physical moments with the carry game, and stepped up as a leader at the set-piece in place of the injured Josh Canham. There seemed to be a real presence about the lock in attack, but the All Blacks were just too good on the night. Salakaia-Loto made 13 tackles from 14 attempts, carried well when called upon, and played the full 80.

6. Rob Valetini – 7
Valetini came off the field with the scoreboard reading 43-13 in favour of the All Blacks, but the loose forward still managed to make an impact. ‘Bobby V’ finished in double digits for tackles completed with 13, made the third-most carries of any Wallaby at that stage with seven, and ran for just shy of 30 metres. Valetini is a consistent high-performer for both club and country, and this effort backs up that fact.

7. Fraser McReight – 7
McReight is absolutely a player young backrowers should look to emulate. The white headgear-wearing openside was constantly in the thick of the action and was able to get in good positions over the ball. Whenever McReight wasn’t in or around a ruck, the number seven was always moving – surveying the field, anticipating the play and where to go.

If we start with effort, McReight is one of the standouts in that area. The loose forward was able to make a particularly noticeable impact in defence as a result, among the five players already in double digits for tackles completed by half-time. But McReight was uncharacteristically quiet with the ball during the first half, and that continued in the second half.

8. Harry Wilson – 8
Wilson made a game-high 15 tackles during the first half, which certainly points to the type of influence the skipper was able to have on the Test. The backrower crossed for the final try of the first half too, and was looked to as an option at lineout time. That high level continued during the second half, with the red headgear-wearing captain clocking in with just shy of 30 tackles. There were also things that can’t be shown in the stat sheet: work rate and effort plays off the ball. The scoreboard shows it wasn’t the Wallabies’ night, but the captain’s efforts remain a real positive.

9. Ryan Lonergan – 6
Lonergan prevented what looked like a certain All Blacks try early in the second half, picking off a Will Jordan pass that was intended for Wallace Sititi. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing, with the usually sharp goal-kicker missing a shot 30 metres out from in front. Those were two contrasting plays from the No. 9’s return to Eden Park, but it was another good performance in gold. Lonergan put up some contestable kicks, helped dictate phase play with a quick passing game, and he seemed to add leadership in key moments.

10. Ben Donaldson – 5.5
A two-minute period in the first half summed up Donaldson’s performance against the All Blacks. Donaldson pulled off a spectacular tip pass to keep the play alive, with the ball finding Max Jorgensen, who set up Tom Wright for the opener. But off a midfield scrum that followed soon after, the fly-half sent a kick into touch on the full.

Donaldson did a lot of things well in his third consecutive start in the No. 10 jumper, but made some mistakes too. The 27-year-old’s best moment was another moment of magic just before the break, slicing through the All Blacks’ defensive line to set up skipper Harry Wilson for a try under the sticks.

11. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii – 7
Suaalii was heavily involved during the opening half-hour, with the winger getting plenty of opportunities to run the ball and defend. ‘Su’ took the first hit-up of any Wallaby, running the ball hard at the All Blacks off a scrum. The 23-year-old was beaten under the high ball by Jordie Barrett soon after, and the All Blacks made the most of it, with Peter Lakai crashing over for some crucial points moments later. Suaalii shifted to the midfield after an injury to Len Ikitau. The utility finished in double digits for tackles completed and was one of the Wallabies’ game leaders for carries.

12. Len Ikitau – 5.5
Ikitau seemed to be building into the Bledisloe Cup series opener when another setback struck. The 2025 John Eales Medallist (Wallabies Player of the Year) sustained an ankle injury against the Springboks last month, and walked off the field with a limp in this Test. Ikitau had put some kicks through for others to chase, including an exciting early opportunity for Isaac Henry out wide, but finished with three runs, four passes and five tackles in less than 30 minutes of game time.

13. Isaac Henry – 6
The selection of Henry was one of the big talking points this week, with coach Les Kiss deciding to stick with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii on the wing. Henry got an early touch after a small cross-field kick from Len Ikitau, but was otherwise fairly quiet in attack. But the outside centre was one of the away side’s best in defence, finishing with 100 per cent tackle success from 15 attempts.

14. Max Jorgensen – 7
Jorgensen helped the Wallabies get off to a dream start, with the winger benefiting from a magic Ben Donaldson tip pass, before setting up Tom Wright for the opening try. ‘Jorgo’ put a huge shot on Damian McKenzie later in the first half, as the Wallabies made a real game of it during the first half. The No. 14 helped turn nothing into something to start the second term, linking up with Tom Wright as the Wallabies turned a kick-off reception into an attacking opportunity. Jorgensen had some good moments, even though the match didn’t go the away side’s way.

15. Tom Wright – 6
Wright couldn’t have started the match much better, with the fullback splitting four defenders to score the opener in front of 46,352 fans. The Wallabies dominated the first 10 minutes with 90 per cent possession, and Wright played a key part in that. Wright was kept fairly quiet as the match went on, as the hosts took control of both possession and territory.

Replacements – 5
It was a tough night for the bench, with the All Blacks running away with a big win during the final quarter. The stat line will show that Harry Potter missed three tackles after coming on during the first half, while others couldn’t quite make an impact. Massimo De Lutiis and Josh Nasser were solid up front, but it just wasn’t to be for the men in gold.