The All Blacks blew the Wallabies away during a 20-minute period to run in five quick tries in the first-half.
They were bigger, faster and stronger than the Wallabies and it showed. They won the collisions, generated fast ball at the ruck and Les Kiss’ men had few answers during the 43-21 defeat. So how did the men in gold rate?
1. Aidan Ross - 4.5
Was part of a tight-five that was well-beaten by the All Blacks.
2. Josh Nasser - 5.5
Made 14 tackles and didn’t miss one. Nasser fought hard and his set-piece work was acceptable.
3. Allan Alaalatoa - 5
Alaalatoa made 13 tackles, but missed a few as the All Blacks’ pace got the better of the Wallabies tighthead. But he wasn’t able to influence the match like he would have wanted.
4. Jeremy Williams - 5.5
Scored a try in the 29th minute but was sent to the sin bin two minutes later for getting in the passing channel of Cam Roigard. It was a tough lesson to learn.
Williams later made a lineout steal in the 71st minute. The second-rower also made 13 carries for 36 metres.
5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto - 4.5
The All Blacks’ locks Scott Barrett and Fabian Holland collectively made 48 tackles. It was work-rate aplenty. Salakaia-Loto was beaten to the punch too often and outplayed by Holland, who was brilliant on his return.
Salakaia-Loto made a couple of big carries, but it wasn’t enough. The big lock dropped the ball in the 42nd minute, and the All Blacks capitalised by scoring off the back of it.
6. Rob Valetini - 5
A few tough carries, but the damaging blindside flanker wasn’t able to influence the game for long enough. He also lost the ball on the deck from a kick restart after Williams’ try and the All Blacks scored soon after.
7. Fraser McReight - 5.5
The Wallabies’ openside flanker might be one of the nation’s best, but for the second straight week he had little impact. The All Blacks were all over the fetcher.
McReight spilled the ball at the back of the maul in the 15th minute. It proved a coach killer, with the All Blacks only leading 5-0 at the time. Dave Rennie’s side then went down the other end and scored. The tries kept coming, too.
McReight was also held up over the line in the 39th minute. It was another missed chance. Rubbing salt into the wound is that Beauden Barrett intercepted Max Jorgensen a minute later to score the side’s sixth try of the first half.
While McReight topped the Wallabies’ tackle count with 16, there is a school of thought that Carlo Tizzano, who is slightly bigger and more physical, could be better suited to starting against the All Blacks. His opposite Peter Lakai, meanwhile, was named player of the match.
8. Harry Wilson - 5
Struggled to back up his brilliant Test a week earlier. Wilson tried his backside off and carried for a team-high 14 carries. He also made 11 tackles. But the impact wasn’t there.
9. Ryan Lonergan - 5
Got on the ball a couple of occasions, including a key turnover in the 14th minute. The Wallabies countered and should have made the All Blacks pay. But along with his good work over the ball, the little No.9 missed a bunch of tackles. He also couldn’t get his running game going, nor control the Test, because of the serious pace and power the All Blacks were playing with.
10. Declan Meredith - 6
Thrown in the deep end against the All Blacks, Meredith won plenty of fans for his hearty display. The Brumbies playmaker never stopped trying. He almost scored and he denied Beauden Barrett a third try too. He also set up the Wallabies’ only try of the first half by offloading to Williams to score next to the sticks. But Meredith, 27, also kicked out on the full twice from restarts in the first half and kicked dead from a penalty in the 73rd minute.
11. Harry Potter – 4
Struggled to get into the match. The Wallabies winger found the touchline from a pass in the 37th minute.
12. Isaac Henry – 4.5
A sitting duck at times in the first half as the All Blacks’ attack burned the Wallabies. Henry made a couple of strong and direct runs, but he wasn’t seen nearly enough.
13. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii – 5
The Wallabies’ most expensive player was on show early and sparked a line break with a fine offload. He also won a kick restart in the 14th minute. But Suaalii was found out a fair bit in defence, missing five tackles.
14. Max Jorgensen - 5.5
The Wallabies’ star winger experienced a real rollercoaster of a ride. Jorgensen made seven clean line breaks but his decision-making didn’t always pay off. The rising star also coughed up two tries either side of half-time, throwing an intercept for Beauden Barrett and being outfoxed by Moorby out wide.
15.Tom Wright – 5
Just like Jorgensen, Wright had a night filled with razzle dazzle but some serious lows too. He helped the Wallabies spark a couple of line breaks inside the opening 10 minutes, and he scored in the 54th minute, but he also dropped a simple pass in the second half and threw a ball into touch.
Replacements
16. Billy Pollard - 5
One or two nice efforts in the second half after replacing Nasser, but didn’t look like a world beater either.
17. Angus Bell - 6
One of the Wallabies’ best. Bell replaced Ross in the second half and immediately made a difference. The loose-head prop was direct and thundering.
18. Massimo De Lutiis - 4.5
Barely sighted after replacing Alaalatoa.
19. Josh Canham - 5
Made an immediate impact when he came on and had one surging run in the 56th minute. But Canham also gave away a few penalties, including at the lineout.
20. Carlo Tizzano - 6
Brought onto the bench to provide some impact and energy, Tizzano got straight into the action and won a penalty in the 49th minute.
21. Kalani Thomas - 5.5
Had limited minutes, but Thomas made the most of it during his cameo. He helped deny Samisoni Taukei’aho by holding the giant hooker up along with Jorgensen.
22. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips - N/A
Wallaby 1001, McLaughlin-Phillips got seven minutes at the end and was busy. He threw one nice pass and took the ball to the line on a couple of occasions.
23. Filipo Daugunu - 5
Another who provided some energy in the second half. Daugunu scored one try but he also gave away a penalty and dropped one ball.
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