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At a rain-soaked Optus Stadium in Perth, the All Blacks showed why they have not been beaten by the Wallabies since 2020. Though the conditions were far from ideal, New Zealand imposed structure, discipline and took the key moments against a Wallabies side that were letting ill-discipline and basic errors creep back into thier game.
Quinn Tupaea proved a matchwinner with two tries than put the All Blacks out in front and allowed McKenzie to just keep ticking over the pints through penalties. The hosts never folded, but were unable to convert possession into scoreboard points. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough to secure The Rugby Championship, but Razor will be bouyed by back-to-back wins over their Trans-Tasman rivals as they search for concsistency.
Tamaiti Williams – 7.5/10
Dominated the scrum early and forced veteran Slipper into giving away scrum penalties. Returning to the city we he grew up, he was big physical presence and made critical defensive hits
Codie Taylor – 7
Reliable lineout throws in difficult weather, and his experience steadied the tight exchanges. Missed one strike deep in the match but otherwise solid.
Fletcher Newell – 7
Scrummaged well, held shape in the set piece and did his defensive work. Quiet but dependable, getting through a mountain of hard-nosed work in the rucks when the skyies opened up.
Scott Barrett (c) – 7
Led his team supurbly as captain, managing the game and the ref well with the game in the balance. Made strong carries, won lineouts, and while he erred defensively once, his influence was felt across phases.
Fabian Holland – 7
Thrown into the breach after Vaa’i’s injury, and he delivered. Sharp in lineouts and worked hard defensively. Showed no panic when thrust into the deep end and is proving he belongs at test level.
Simon Parker – 6.5
A workman’s shift. Didn’t blow you away, but got through plenty of tackles and ruck work, doing the unseen things that count.
Ardie Savea – 7
His usual energy was evident, and his team look to him to lead the charge. Won a crucial breakdown turnover and carried when thingsstarted to get messy.
Wallace Sititi – 6
Slowed Australia’s momentum at the breakdown and kept his workload high. Not quite dominant with ball in hand, but effective.
Cam Roigard – 9
An absolute standout. Crisp passing, clever disruptions and a match-turning 50-22 set up territory at key moments. His big body at the base of the ruck and his ability to scamper into holes caused trouble for the Wallabies.
Damian McKenzie – 6
Mixed night. His running was solid and he made some pressure kicks, but won’t be happy with his goal kicking. He didn’t fully seize the opportunity to dominate at in the 10 jersey in difficult conditions.
Leicester Fainga’anuku – 7
Strong return to the All Blacks set-up, with many pundits now saying his selection should have come sooner. Carried hard into contact and consistently made yards. Didn’t always destroy defenders, but space was created around him.
Jordie Barrett – 8
The glue in the backline. Defended well, ran options smartly and his kicking created uncertainty. Low error count, but very suspect when it came to rolling away in the ruck late.
Quinn Tupaea – 9/10
The centre of attention, and for good reason. Continues to wrack up the tries with two before the half that put the All Blacks in front. He was a constant threat, with perfectly timed support lines. His best performance in the black in a long while.
Leroy Carter – 7
Effective in getting involved around the ruck and found some gaps. Defended hard, chased kicks, and when called, made the hard carry. He may not flash, but he contributes.
Will Jordan – 7
Safe under the high ball, clean in defence, and always ready to counter. Not a standout night by his standards, but a dependable performance.
Bench & Replacements
Samisoni Taukei’aho - 6
Came on late to reinforce forward power. Packs a punch in the scrum and was solid at line-out time.
George Bower – 6.5/10
Perhaps the highlight bench impact. Bower powered over for a try after the siren to secure the bonus point.
Pasilio Tosi - 5
Came on in the second half as the big forwards were fatiguing. No major highlights, but held shape and contributed defensively.
Patrick Tuipulotu – 6
Solid covering lock, offered fresh legs in the second half. Didn’t have many game-changing moments, but kept the pressure on the lineout going.
Wallace Sititi – 6
Made his physical presence felt when the game got frantic.
Cortez Ratima – N/A
Safe passing, good awareness, didn’t force the game but held his own. Too little time to fairly judge an impact.
Rieko Ioane – 5
Came on to add spark. Had a few clean carries and some good defensive work. Not dominant, and doesn’t look like he will get the 13 jersey back based on that showing
Ruben Love – N/A
Injected pace late with 8 minutes to play. Had some handy darts on the outside of the Wallabies defence.