[ad_1]
Aaron Goile is a Stuff senior sports reporter.
OPINION: The All Blacks have one hand on the Rugby Championship trophy after powering to a 40-14 final-round win over the Wallabies in Auckland on Saturday night.
With the Bledisloe Cup already locked away, New Zealand are in prime position to keep more silverware in the cabinet after a much more convincing display against their trans-Tasman rivals.
Here are Stuff’s player ratings from the match at Eden Park.
Beauden Barrett: First test start at fullback since 2020 and showed one brilliant bust and nice left-foot chip along with nice short balls for Jordan’s breaks. Didn’t see the ball so much after. Off with 10 minutes to play. 6
Will Jordan: Scored a sensational opening try of the game with all his searing pace and swerve on show. Continued to slice and dice on a game-high 119 metres. Unlucky bat back which gave the Wallabies their first try. Worryingly limped off in 68th minute. 8.5
Rieko Ioane: Clearly fired up at haka time again with a few stares and words, then followed it up with a 100-metre display on a couple of strong bursts, though was guilty of running away from Jordan on one attack. 7
Jordie Barrett: Shift to No 12 proved a real success, with all his skills on offer closer to the ball. Physical presence in continuously powering over the advantage line on game-high carry (17) and defenders beaten (7) numbers, and defending stoutly while also offloading and kicking, too. Surely a big option for Ian Foster going forward. 9.5
Caleb Clarke: Showed fine work under the high ball then was his typically hard-carrying self in coming in off his wing looking for work. 7.5
Richie Mo’unga: Had a couple of questionable pass/kick options, including one charge down which led to the Wallabies’ opening try, as most of the work came one place outside him. Kicked 5/7 off the tee. 6
Aaron Smith: Looked to have taken a step up in distribution speed, and enjoyed a great ride from the pack. Made way in the 57th minute. 6
Ardie Savea: Back from his week off and had a couple of early issues at the back of the scrum, before warming to the task, including one relieving turnover win on own line and casually logging a half century of metres. 7
Dalton Papali’i: Big chance in the absence of captain Cane and tackled solidly for a game-high 16 without a miss, without really stamping his mark at the breakdown or with ball in hand, which included having a pass picked off by Foley. 6
Akira Ioane: Didn’t do much to solve any No 6 questions. Aside from a ripped ball near his own line, nothing much to catch the eye apart from showing his skills with a deft left-foot kick and speedy chase. Replaced in the 70th minute. 5.5
Sam Whitelock: Took the skipper’s armband and was an absolute beast over the ball, and in the thick of every breakdown, working tirelessly till the end of a dominant pack performance. 8.5
Brodie Retallick: Got busy with the ball and even put on a wonderful sidestep and pass to set a deep attack alight. But showed all his renowned ability in tight, too, wrapping up an Aussie maul to win a turnover. Off in 66th minute. 7.5
Tyrel Lomax: Coming of age test. Enjoyed a heap of strong carries alongside his powerful scrum work, and even showed off a beaut of an offload near his own line. Did endure a team-high five missed tackles, though. Replaced, with the rest of the front row, in 57th minute. 8.5
Codie Taylor: Hunger would have been huge in his big recall, and it showed. Did his core roles well and got hands on the ball plenty, showing some of what we hadn’t seen from him in a while in open space, before bagging a rolling maul try. 7.5
Ethan de Groot: Bad start in early miss on charging Jed Holloway and will still be seeing a rampaging Harry Wilson in his sleep. Clearly felt the pinch with the pace, but put his body on the line well, including a huge hit late in his stint on Len Ikitau. 7
RESERVES
Samisoni Taukei’aho: Injected in final quarter as part of all-new front row and soon powered his way over off a maul to extend his lead at the top of the competition’s tryscoring chart. 7
Ofa Tuungafasi: First test since Ireland series, this time covering loosehead, and helped continue the hosts’ scrum dominance. 6
Nepo Laulala: Also back after a couple of months away and backed up the starters’ fine efforts, tackling strongly till the end. 6
Tupou Vaa’i: On for final quarter of an hour but will still be craving more gallops. N/R
Hoskins Sotutu: Played the final 10 minutes with the match well and truly won. N/R
Finlay Christie: Pressured Nic White well to help force an error soon after a scrum, but then got his own medicine with laboured distribution. Put body on the line. 5
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck: Finally a second test chance, and got a hero’s welcome when he entered for the last 10 minutes. Made four tackles without touching the ball. N/R
Sevu Reece: First game since Ireland series and got the final dozen minutes, making his impact felt with a huge shot on Reece Hodge and then a big turnover. 7
[ad_2]
Source link