How the All Blacks rated in their 43-10 defeat to the Springboks in Wellington.
15. Damian McKenzie – 6
Was valuable in the broken-play running that gave All Blacks first-half momentum, but had a weird moment of uncertainty in 36th minute and ended up chipping a tame ball to aBok defender when a half-break looked on. Sharp under the high ball. Tidy under high ball.
14. Will Jordan – 4
Few opportunities other than one nice weaving break that ended with a dud pass to Carter and his own late chance that fell short. Effective in defence, but one too-long hoof put Boks on attack in 64th minute.
Try-saving whack on little Cheslin Kolbe in ninth minute. Found a few half gaps and was instrumental in keeping the sweeping first-half breaks alive.
11. Leroy Carter – 8
Former sparky was brightest light for All Blacks in his debut, showing confidence to spot and exploit gaps and linking well with teammates. Carter looked right at home in international rugby.
10. Beauden Barrett – 4
Good long, driving punts and called the attacking options smartly. Rarely sighted in late collapse.
9. Noah Hotham – N/A
Unlucky knee to the head early when tackling Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Replaced by Finlay Christie in ninth minute.
Sharp running, handling and breakdown work in first half. Seldom sighted in second.
7. Ardie Savea – 4
A couple of turnovers in first half, but was unable to tame the Bok beast and had few opportunities to get the thighs pumping.
6. Simon Parker – 5
Plenty of first-half impact from another newbie who looks like he could settle in nicely at this level. But the players he needed to learn from in Wellington were all wearing green jerseys, and Parker was less visible as the Boks rose.
Simon Parker is dejected after defeat against the Springboks. Photo / Photosport
5. Tupou Vaa’i – 5
Athletic and dynamic in the early exchanges, but was subdued as the Boks built up steam.
4. Scott Barrett – 3
Skipper couldn’t rally his troops when desperation mounted. Set piece should be his domain and it was a shambles. Took a few knocks and seemed off pace by the end of the match when Boks ran riot.
3. Tyrel Lomax – 2
The rot of the second-half collapse began in the scrums. Lomax was decent in open play, but the frontrowers need to figure out how to match the green-and-gold scrum before we tour to Africa next year and get creamed in three tests.
2. Samisoni Taukei’aho – 4
Terrific charge when he spotted a gap from the base of a messy ruck. But Taukei’aho had a couple of lineout wobbles and got boomfahed by Jasper Wiese just before halftime.
1. Ethan de Groot – 3
Conceded an early scrum penalty and then spent most of the remaining scrums backpedalling. Nice spacial awareness and distribution in the old Brodie Retallick role. But mate, those scrums!
Substitutes:
16. Brodie McAlister – 2
Second test cap, forced a knock-on as soon as he got on there by driving into a ruck. Over-thought lineout in 60th minute led to Damian Willemse’s try.
17. Tamaiti Williams – 4
Scrum struggles were barely lightened when two new props rumbled out on the 43-minute mark.
18. Fletcher Newell – 4
A 37-minute stint of chasing shadows and staring at the turf in wobbly scrums.
19. Fabian Holland – 3
Beaten in an important lineout by Pieter-Steph du Toit, but got one back shortly afterwards. Was largely a spectator as the Bok men he must emulate show how it has to be done. Here’s hoping he learned.
20. Du’Plessis Kirifi – 3
A thankless task. His 15-minute stint as a loosie in a black jersey gave him the best seat in the house for one of Springbok rugby’s greatest moments.
21. Finlay Christie – 5
Continued smart work of Eden Park, kicking well and distributing sharply.
22. Quinn Tupaea – 3
Twenty minutes of bad times to be on the field. Couldn’t get a break on defence or attack.
23. Ruben Love – 3
Came on for the final quarter for the star debutant, Leroy Carter – and might have wished he hadn’t.
