Scott Barrett protects the ball in the Bledisloe Cup match in Melbourne. Photo / Getty Images
How the All Blacks and Wallabies rated in the opening Bledisloe Cup clash in Melbourne.
15. Beauden Barrett - 8
Some moments of uncertainty bringing the ball forward out of kicking duels, but was often potent when stepping into first receiver.
14. Will Jordan - 7
Death, taxes and Will Jordan scoring tries. The lightning quick winger has now dotted down in each of his five starts against the Wallabies.
13. Rieko Ioane - 7
An evening of hard work and heavy hits. The ex-winger’s flash and dash is well known, but Ioane is carving out a niche for himself as the thunder alongside Jordie Barrett’s lightning.
12. Jordie Barrett - 7
Hit the line hard and brings lovely subtle touches to the black No 12 jersey. Midfielder is playing very smart rugby. An earthy tackling style that pleases traditionalists.
11. Mark Telea - 8
After being quiet against the Boks, the slick winger had a busy night in a jersey where the All Blacks have a heap of quality options. Skinned, bounced and burnt defenders all night long. Was unlucky to miss out on a quick-thinking first-half try. Got his reward in the 62nd minute.
10. Richie Mo’unga - 7
His selection confirmed coaches have the Crusader marked as preferred No 10, playing swapsies with Beauden Barrett in the early stages. Runs a clean ship, kicks smartly and keeps his backline assets primed.
9. Aaron Smith - 7
A little inaccurate in some big moments, but brought more control to his side of the pack than his opposite number could manage. The veteran is still a sniping threat around fringes, and his nous continues to pay dividends for the team.
8. Ardie Savea (c) - 8
On his fifth outing as skipper, the Hurricanes star was heavily involved in breakdowns and nabbed the key one on his own line in the 48th minute, just as the Wallabies subs bench had poured on the field with fresh energy. Found chance to run in frantic later stages.
7. Dalton Papali’i - 7
On a rare test start in his preferred jersey, the Aucklander got through a mountain of breakdown and defensive work. Good grind.
6. Shannon Frizell - 6
Monstered the Boks a fortnight ago and pounced for easiest try of his life in Melbourne. From there, it was more shoulder to the wheel than foot to the floor. A night of bruising hard work to set the tone.
5. Scott Barrett - 9
Phenomenal work rate and terrific rugby brain. Seemed to know more about the Wallabies’ exit plan from that first defensive lineout than the Wallabies did. Pretty much folded poor wee Tate McDermott in half to set up the opening try and the mood of the night. The Aussie pack must be sick of the sight of him, carting the ball up relentlessly and piling into rucks. Ran like an impact substitute for all 80 minutes, and did everything with great accuracy and venom. That old debate about whether he’s a lock or flanker? Last night he was both.
4. Brodie Retallick - 6
Got in a tangle trying to stop Mark Nawaqanitawase in build up to Australia’s opening score, and fluffed his mark in a key early ruck allowing the Wallabies to release pressure.
3. Tyrel Lomax - 7
Heavily involved in early exchanges with deft touches and smart passing. He’s your man for the tight exchanges, but showed in Melbourne how sweetly he can chime in around the park.
2. Codie Taylor - 8
Ticks all the boxes for a modern hooker – runs and links smartly in space, moves bodies in breakdowns and hits clever options in lineouts. A well-deserved try from a lineout drive in the 34th minute had the feeling of inevitability about it.
1. Ethan de Groot - 6
Powerful work cleaning out at breakdowns, and the grunt of de Groot ensured the black scrum had the edge. Broke Wallabies skipper Allan Alaalatoa towards end of first half.
RESERVES:
16. Samisoni Taukei’aho - 6
Short stint for the big bopper.
17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi - 6
Slapdash tone of final stages didn’t suit his tempo.
18. Nepo Laulala - 6
Carried the ball usefully.
19. Sam Whitelock - 5
Surely the most-capped substitute in world rugby. Ran on for his 144th test as well-seasoned closer.
20. Luke Jacobson - 5
A brief bit of defensive work in helter-skelter finale.
21. Cam Roigard – 7
Cracking chance to blood a debutant in a game that mattered. Played it straight behind a winning pack, running smartly when required and sharing the ball crisply.
22. Anton Lienert-Brown – 7
Returned from suspension and straight back into the thick of things with surging runs against the shattered Aussie defence.
23. Caleb Clarke - 6
Welcome to the game, mate! Have a try!
15. Andrew Kellaway – 5
Returning from injury, he ran nicely when space opened in early stages of match. But as the black shroud descended, the fullback’s influence was gone.
14. Mark Nawaqanitawase - 6
Blazing opening dash set up Wallabies for Rob Valetini’s opening try. A smart player who always had an eye for menacing movement. Better in space than in contact.
13. Jordan Petaia – 4
Mixed bag for a man returning from injury. He’s more commonly seen for the Wallabies in the outside backs, so naturally Eddie Jones shoves him into midfield against the All Blacks in his first game of footy since May.
12. Samu Kerevi - 5
Dumb penalty with block on Beauden Barrett, then blew a prime attacking spot with ruck infringement. Seldom looked likely to link up with runners in space, but did the heavy carrying as required.
11. Marika Koroibete - 4
Monster early hit on Telea got his team on front foot and out of their own half. Dumb play landed yellow card. For better or worse, he’s always an explosive factor in a test match.
10. Carter Gordon – 4
Poor delivery from a bloke Eddie Jones fancies as a game-running maestro for the World Cup and beyond. Comparisons with Stephen Larkham do him no favours. Erratic boot. Missed chances to add scoreline pressure with kickable threes. Gone in the 49th minute.
9. Tate McDermott - 4
Shovelled out some bad ball that put pressure on the men outside him. Tough night for a newbie 9-10 combination.
8. Rob Valetini - 7
Muscled in for early try, and was consistently the most threatening of Wallabies with ball in hand. Always hit the gainline hard.
7. Tom Hooper – 5
New flanker got knocked around by the Boks, then contained by the ABs. For most of the match, he was dragged into thankless and largely ineffective defensive chores, but made constructive contributions as things opened up in final 20.
6. Jed Holloway - 3
Great work taking a clean catch at that first lineout, mate. Less good putting your halfback on the slab with hasty tap. Has there ever been a worse lineout in the first two minutes of a Bledisloe Cup test?
5. Will Skelton - 5
Did some good breakdown snaffling early on and carried the ball heartily.
4. Nick Frost - 4
Seldom sighted in heavy exchanges as the Wallabies pack spent the night scrambling.
3. Allan Alaalatoa - 3
A painful night on all fronts for the Wallabies skipper.
2. David Porecki - 5
Largely in the shade as his shining All Blacks opposite showed how a great No 2 can tear a test match open.
1. Angus Bell – 6
Given selection nod ahead of co-captain James Slipper, then toiled against brutally efficient All Blacks front row. Piled into a heap of breakdown work. Beaut of a 70th-minute charge.
RESERVES:
16. Jordan Uelese - 4
Aussies sent on all their forward subs in the 47th minute, mimicking the Springboks’ much-hyped Bomb Squad tactic. Sadly for the Wallabies, their crew couldn’t swing momentum.
17. James Slipper - 4
Rolled on in the 47th-minute mass substitution. And off again in yellow-card confusion.
18. Taniela Tupou - 6
Tongan Thor came on in 37th minute for his injured skipper just as the Wallabies seemed wobbly. Announced his presence with mighty defensive hit on Scott Barrett and got stuck into everything. Injury and yellow card marked an unlucky finish to an all-energy 20-minute stint.
19. Richie Arnold - 3
He was there.
20. Rob Leota - 3
So was he.
21. Nic White - 5
Playing his 62nd test, the veteran looked better than the bloke he replaced.
22. Quade Cooper – 4
Needing to settle things down and bring focus in the second half, Eddie Jones turned to his reserves bench and gave 35-year-old Quade Cooper the nod.
23. Izaia Perese - n/a
Limited involvement.
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