Wallabies player ratings vs All Blacks | Rugby Championship
The Wallabies have fallen to a sizeable loss at Eden Park, suffering a 40-14 defeat at the hands of their arch-rivals, the All Blacks.
Although it took some time for the home side to get their engines running, the Wallabies weren’t able to prevent NZ from banking two first-half tries – and things only got worse from there.
Australia were able to strike twice late in the game through replacements Folau Fainga’a and Jordan Petaia but never threatened to grab victory from the jaws of defeat.
While the backs did most of the damage for the All Blacks, the Wallabies’ forward pack in general also got taken apart at the set-piece. Pack went for a bold attempt to spin the All Blacks maul but ended up costing a penalty try, two maul tries conceded in the second and issues all night with conceding penalties at the scrum.
Who were the Wallabies best performers on the night?
1. James Slipper – 4/10
Condeded penalty advantages at the first two scrums and was under pressure from the All Blacks front row often. Made a good read and rush tackle in the first half. Penalised for a low chop tackle which led to a penalty try from the ensuing maul. Off at halftime.
2. David Porecki – 4
First big throw of the night was tipped and nearly stolen. Took the yellow card for the penalty try from the collapsed maul. Off in 57th.
3. Allan Alaalatoa – 6
First scrum under pressure wheeling on tighthead side and overall shaky set piece at scrum time. Although he put in a solid defensive load, toiled hard all night with 11 tackles and zero missed.
4. Jed Holloway – 5
Made an early line break in the first minute but a dangerous clean-out moments later on Dalton Papali’i resulted in a yellow card. Pinched a key lineout midway through first half. Showed some nice hands to set up Marika Koroibete on a would-be try. Had some deft backdoor passes in Wallabies attack at times. Had 8 carries, the most of any Australian forward. A mixed bag.
5. Cadeyrn Neville – 3
Solid lineout target and industrious work around the tough stuff. Some sloppy moments though, not rolling away in 46th minute gifted the All Blacks a penalty right in front. Had two turnovers conceded.
6. Rob Valetini – 5
Strong defence up the middle. Carried hard but not as effective as usual. Plenty of effort but not his night.
7. Pete Samu – 7
A loose ball turnover from an erratic Richie Mo’unga pass gave Wallabies a chance for their first try. Penalised a few times at the breakdown but brought plenty of intensity, although some calls went against him. Nearly scored off a trick lineout play after filling in as the thrower. Had a critical steal late in first half after a Will Jordan break. Moved to No 8 in second half, had an opportunist try assist for the Wallabies’ first touch down. The Wallabies’ best in a losing side.
8. Harry Wilson – 5
Solid defence in close channels and good work rate. Had a few execution errors, spilled a key flat pass from Len Ikitau with attack threatening in the first half. Absolutely ripped in off a goal-line drop out like an Origin prop charging into the defence. Off at 48th.
9. Jake Gordon – 5
Huge defensive effort on the night. Made a key cover tackle on Jordie Barrett in the first half and had a good one-on-one strip on Caleb Clarke defending from five out. Defensively caused some problems, but penalised for not rolling away once. Attack was a little off the pace with Gordon’s slight pause before every pass. Box kicks were well placed, just no contest. Off for Nic White in 48th.
10. Bernard Foley – 3
Heckled early by the Eden Park faithful on all his touch finders. Quiet first half until he pulled an intercept but didn’t have the legs, needed more time to beat the All Blacks rush defence. Big heart on defence, didn’t shy away from contact. Got popped on a set-piece play late in the half around halfway and coughed up the ball. Overall just a lack of ball to attack with. Off in 75th.
11. Marika Koroibete – 5
Had his typical brilliant moments on defence. Saved the day early covering a Beauden Barrett chip kick that Caleb Clarke otherwise might have nabbed for a try. Recovered his own chip on a nice piece of counterattack. Unfortunately bombed a walk-over try with a foot in touch. Made a key tackle on Jordan early in the second half and covered a spilled Andrew Kellaway high ball to save another potential try.
12. Lalakai Foketi – N/A
Left the field after 20 minutes with an injury and was replaced by Jordan Petaia.
13. Len Ikitau – 4
Missed an early tackle with over-pursuing on Beauden Barrett leading to a break. Forced into 12 after Foketi injury in the reshuffle. A big cover tackle in the backfield on Ioane saved a potential try, but overall not many chances to get involved in attack.
14. Tom Wright – 3
Some good moments in defence. Took a big risk with a quick tap from a midfield penalty and grubbered through, All Blacks countered quickly with a huge Rieko Ioane break that could have been more. Put under pressure by White on his goal line and dropped it cold trying to evade the defence.
15. Andrew Kellaway – 4
Some good clean-up moments at the back covering kicks in the first half, including a nice mark to spoil a set-piece kick play. Dropped a contestable with the All Blacks coming out of their own end in the second half, and another later in the half that had to be cleaned up by Koroibete after a counterattack and kick ahead by Rieko Ioane. Subbed directly after that spill in the 68th, but back on for Foley with five mins to go.
Reserves:
16. Folau Fainga’a – 5
On in 57th. Scored with his first two touches with a burst following a charged-down exit kick. Had a nice pass and took the return ball backing up.
17. Angus Bell
On at halftime for Slipper, was pushed back on Whitelock’s barge over try. Couldn’t help the scrum issues with another pen conceded early. One strong carry and a turnover penalty won at the ruck.
18. Pone Fa’amausili
On in 66th. Some strong carries and plenty of energy.
19. Nick Frost
A charge-down effort led to Wallabies’ first try.
20. Fraser McReight
On in 48th. Got a holding-on penalty to relieve some pressure late.
21. Nic White
On in 48th. Got involved in the niggle and chirp, but not much else. Put his winger under pressure with a pass on the goal line from a backpedalling scrum.
22. Reece Hodge – N/A
On in 68th.
23. Jordan Petaia
On in the 20th minute. Had a rough introduction to the midfield when Will Jordan beat him for pace for the game’s opening try. Was ripped of possession on his first carry and was hit hard by Jordie Barrett on a set-piece carry running it straight. Spilled a ball cold when Wallabies tries to run it out of their 22 after the first try which summed up his night. Scored on the last play of the game but overall a tough night and will bounce back.
Comments on RugbyPass
The side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
4 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
4 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
4 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
4 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to comments