Rugby: Player ratings - The best (and worst) All Black of the year

Kieran Read leads the haka before the All Blacks test against Ireland in Dublin. Photo / Getty

It seems it wasn't the best year for Sonny Bill Williams.

According to the Herald player ratings, which are produced after every test, hooker Codie Taylor had the best ratings average of any All Black who made the field in four or more tests. SBW, was at the other end of the list.

Taylor, who started 12 tests this year, had an average player ranking of 7.8 out of 10, with a high of eight and a low of six.

Lock Brodie Retallick wasn't far behind with an average ranking on 7.5, brought down by a score of five off the bench against the Wallabies in the Yokohama test.

Three All Blacks achieved perfect scores of 10 in test matches this season - Prop Karl Tu'inukuafe in Buenos Aires, George Bridge, who scored two tries off the bench against Japan, and Retallick against England.

Vaea Fifita (7.33), Damian McKenzie (7.2) Ardie Savea (7.1) and Beauden Barrett (7.1) close out the top five.

It was a close thing between the Barretts trio with Scott and Jordie both averaging scores of seven, just behind Beauden.

Williams was the lowest rated All Black with an average rating of 5.4 across five tests including a score of three in South Africa.

All Blacks 66 Italy 3
All Blacks 9 Ireland 16
All Blacks 16 England 15
All Blacks 69 Japan 31
All Blacks 37 Wallabies 21
All Blacks 32 South Africa 30
All Blacks 35 Argentina 17
All Blacks 34 South Africa 36
All Blacks 46 Argentina 24
All Blacks 40 Wallabies 12
All Blacks 38 Wallabies 13
All Blacks 49 France 14
All Blacks 26 France 13
All Blacks 52 France 11

Players ratings for 2018

Codie Taylor - 7.8 (12 tests, high 8, low 6)
Brodie Retallick - 7.5 (7 tests, high 10, low 5)
Vaea Fifita - 7.33 (4 tests, high 9, low 6)
Dane Coles - 7.3 (4 tests, high 9, low 5)
Damian McKenzie - 7.2 (11 tests, high 8, low 6)
Ardie Savea - 7.1 (13 tests, high 9, low 5)
Beauden Barrett 7.1 (11 tests, high 9, low 5)
Scott Barrett 7 - (13 tests, high 8, low 6)
Jordie Barrett 7 - (7 tests, high 9, low 6)
Karl Tu'inukuafe - 7 (13 tests, high 10, low 5)
Ngani Laumape - 7 (6 tests, high 8, low 6)
Patrick Tuipulotu - 7 (5 tests, high 8, low 6)
Anton Lienert-Brown - 6.9 (11 tests, high 8, low 5)
Richie Mo'unga - 6.9 (9 tests, high 8, low 6)
Joe Moody - 6.8 (6 tests, high 8, low 6)
Shannon Frizell - 6.8 (4 tests, high 8, low 6)
Sam Whitelock - 6.8 (12 tests, high 9, low 5)
Luke Whitelock - 6.8 (5 tests, high 8, low 6)
Rieko Ioane - 6.8 (11 tests, high 9, low 5)
Ofa Tuungafasi - 6.8 (12 tests, high 9, low 6)
Matt Todd - 6.8 (4 tests, high 8, low 5)
Kieran Read - 6.7 (9 tests, high 8, low 6)
TJ Perenara - 6.7 (13 tests, high 8, low 5)
Sam Cane - 6.6 (7 tests, high 7, low 6)
Ben Smith - 6.6 (12 tests, high 8, low 4)
Jack Goodhue - 6.6 (7 tests, high 8, low 6)
Liam Squire - 6.4 (8 tests, high 9, low 5)
Owen Franks - 6.4 (11 tests, high 7, low 6)
Nepo Laulala - 6.3 (4 tests, high 7, low 6)
Aaron Smith - 6.2 (11 tests, high 8, low 5)
Ryan Crotty - 6.1 (9 tests, high 8, low 5)
Nathan Harris - 6.1 (9 tests, high 8, low 5)
Waisake Naholo - 6.1 (8 tests, high 7, low 3)
Tim Perry - 5.8 (6 tests, high 7, low 5)
Sonny Bill Williams - 5.4 (5 tests, High 7, low 3)

Three tests or fewer
George Bridge - 10 (1 test)
Dillon Hunt - 8 (1 test)
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi - 7.7 (3 tests, high 8, low 7)
Dalton Papali'i - 7.5(2 tests, high 8, low 7)
Angus Ta'avao - 7.3 (3 tests, high 8, low 7)
Jackson Hemopo - 7 (3 tests, high 9, low 5)
Gareth Evans - 7 (1 test)
Matt Proctor - 7 (1 test)
Brett Cameron - 7 (1 test)
Mitchell Drummond - 6 (1 test)
Liam Coltman - 6.7 (3 tests, high 7 low 6)
Nehe Milner-Skudder - 6 (2 tests, high 7, low 5)