All Blacks player ratings: ‘Marvellous’ Jordie Barrett ignites Scott Robertson’s misfiring charges to overcome sluggish start
Following the All Blacks’ series sweeping 29-19 victory over France, here is how we rated Scott Robertson’s men in Hamilton.
All Blacks player ratings v France
15 Ruben Love: The brilliance of the French kicking game caused all kinds of havoc for the rookie full-back, with Gabin Villiere in particular making life difficult for the Hurricanes star. Still, he had some bright moments in attack and showed real confidence to attempt a drop goal which wasn’t too far from coming off. A promising performance and one to build upon. 6
14 Will Jordan: One of the few All Blacks who did not struggle in the backfield, and like Sevu Reece, he chased the kicks over the top of the French defence well, grabbing a try for his efforts. He was given the freedom to roam around the pitch and did so superbly. A brilliant rugby mind as he assisted with the marshalling of the attack. What a talent. 8
13 Anton Lienert-Brown: Grabbed a crucial try just before the break, which got the All Blacks within striking distance, but overall, it was a strong return from injury for the veteran midfielder. Sure, there was the occasional dropped ball, but he made good decisions in attack and defence. 7
12 Quinn Tupaea: Some good, strong carries into the heart of the French defence, but the excellent Gael Fickou limited his impact. Oddly, he and Damian McKenzie had issues linking up in attack. A penalty and a turnover conceded before he was replaced by Jordie Barrett. 6
11 Sevu Reece: Was not afraid to get stuck right back into the thick of it after his sickening injury in the opening minute of the first Test. He chased the All Blacks’ kicks with real intent and was rewarded when an excellent rip led to Du’Plessis Kirifi’s try. Like the rest of the back-three, he struggled under the high ball but really caused the French some headaches with his work-rate and popped up in tricky areas with ball in hand. 7
10 Damian McKenzie: Not sure what he was doing joining the driving maul in the build-up to France’s first try. Struggled to control the All Blacks’ exit plays while there were attacking plays that stuttered, but that wasn’t all his doing. Some smart plays, like his kick, led to Kirifi’s score. Some issues under the high ball and in the backfield, one of which almost led to a try if it weren’t for Barrett and then Ardie Savea. Advantage Beauden Barrett in the playmaker battle for the Rugby Championship. 6
9 Cortez Ratima: He and McKenzie do need to take some of the responsibility for the poor clearances from the 22 that created opportunities for the French. Ratima’s kicking game was not nearly as effective as Cam Roigard’s has been this series. Too often, his passes were misplaced, meaning that the carrier had to check their run, disrupting the attack, and allowing the French defence to fly up in their faces. Some bright moments like his kick for Jordan’s try, but he was outplayed by Nolann Le Garrec today and comfortably. 4
The forward pack
8 Ardie Savea: Underwhelming in the first half as the All Blacks skipper made two errors leading to six points for the French, but it is seldom that you see Savea have a poor 80 minutes, if ever, as he grew into the game and put in a clichéd captain’s knock. A mammoth second-half effort where he dominated the gainline and got purchase at the breakdown, winning a clutch penalty in the 22. 8
7 Du’Plessis Kirifi: Grabbed an opportunistic try, but that was a result of his incredible work-ethic. Les Bleus bossed the breakdown for much of the match, but Kirifi battled away manfully in what was a lively performance overall. 7
6 Samipeni Finau: One of the busiest carries during his time on the pitch, but on the whole, the French shut him down with little fuss. He was a handy lineout option but it was far from a compelling shift from the flanker who was easily held up with a poor carry close to the line. 5
5 Fabian Holland: The lineout went wayward in the second half after operating smoothly in the first. That was partly down to debutant Brodie McAlister’s throws but also some miscommunication from the two locks too. Still, Holland has really impressed in the All Blacks’ second-row in this series with his work-rate and accuracy on both sides of the ball. New Zealand lacked a bit of depth in the second-row but with Holland and Tupou Vaa’i impressing along with Barrett and Tuipulotu, the stocks don’t look bare anymore. 7
4 Patrick Tuipulotu: A few soft moments, including a penalty conceded and being driven back with ball in hand but like Savea, he grew into the match and was a standout in the final quarter of the match. 6
3 Tyrel Lomax: Pretty much what’d you expect from the world-class All Blacks tighthead. Solid in the scrums, disciplined around the park, strong in defence and powerful at the breakdown. He wasn’t a standout but did his job and did it effectively. 6
2 Samisoni Taukei’aho: A wobble or two at lineout time, but accurate enough. Very busy around the park getting his hands on the ball plenty, and tackled strongly. Not quite as excellent as Codie Taylor has been, but not poor. 6
2 Samisoni Taukei’aho: A wobble or two at lineout time, but accurate enough. Very busy around the park getting his hands on the ball plenty, and tackled strongly. Not quite as excellent as Codie Taylor has been, but not poor. 6
