Wallabies player ratings from Bledisloe Cup game two at Eden Park
WHO starred and who struggled as the Wallabies went down to the All Blacks at Eden Park in Bledisloe Cup game two:
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THE Wallabies improved but so did the All Blacks crank it up an extra two notches at their formidable home at Auckland’s Eden Park. When the All Blacks possess such speed their counter-attack creates major stress and the gold defensive line was erratic with its spacing and not going up together. The Kiwis picked off slow forward defenders and bang...40-12
Who starred and who struggled for the Wallabies:
Dane Haylett-Petty. Ably filled the huge boots of Israel Folau. Beat the first tackler most times and regularly involved from fullback with 11 runs for 142m. Rating: 6
Jack Maddocks. Beautifully weighted kick in a fine Wallabies raid that nearly produced a try, a fine cover tackle on Jack Goodhue that nearly saved a try and excellent hands in the cauldron. Composed for 21. Rating: 6.5
Reece Hodge. A couple of strong tackles early, backed up Bernard Foley for his try but never the punch of a Samu Kerevi for outside centre. Rating: 5
Kurtley Beale. Two neat touches in the near-try of the first half and tackled Ngani Laumape well early until brushed aside in the build-up to the Liam Squire try. Rating: 5.5
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Marika Koroibete. Bustling energy as ever but defensively caught out like so many others when the All Blacks cranked up the pacy counter-attack. Rating: 5
Bernard Foley. It’s cruel to compare him at flyhalf to a 10-out-of-10 Beauden Barrett on a four-try rampage. Foley made one break for the Hodge try but quiet with no real tricks to unravel the Kiwis. Rating: 5
Will Genia. Always at his best when he darts and the Wallabies are so much better for it. A far stronger scrum allowed him to dart for his try and do the same to ignite the Hodge strike. Rating: 7
David Pocock. Huge heart to power on in the breakdown duels when neck soreness was obvious and borderline Kiwi neck-rolls to shift him didn’t help. All Blacks targeted the one Wallaby forward they fear. Rating: 6.5
Michael Hooper. Better display than in the Sydney Test. The flanker will lament that the Wallabies’ defensive line was a mess at worst and just unable to scramble and delay the All Blacks at all on their turnover attacks. Rating: 5.5
Lukhan Tui. Still making two of his 12 bumping ball-carries in the 80th minute so his resolve and promise are unquestioned. Part of the improved lineout. Will still wonder what just happened against such speed. Rating: 6
Adam Coleman. Strong tackling, charge down and ball-running early but faded as the All Blacks ran rampant. Rating: 5
Izack Rodda. Good early lineout steal but the speed of the All Blacks gets to the big lock at times. Couldn’t get a shot on Joe Moody when he torpedoed for a try. Rating: 5
Allan Alaalatoa. Key part of the four-scrum pressure that generated the Will Genia try. Willing ball-carries too in his 51 minutes. Rating: 6
Tatafu Polota-Nau. Lineout was improved but the hooker seemed a little off the hot southern hemisphere pace. Rating: 5
Scott Sio. Strong in much-improved Wallabies’ scrum as the new prop. Plenty of workrate. Rating: 6
Reserves:
Folau Faingaa. Rating: NA
Tom Robertson. Stripped of the ball by Brodie Retallick in the lead-up to one try; Rating: 5
Sekope Kepu. Hard not to look slow in this rampage. Rating: 4.5
Rob Simmons. Has slowed and the veteran lock looks off the speed of Bledisloe Cup rugby. Rating: 4
Pete Samu. Rating: NA
Nick Phipps. Rating: NA
Matt Toomua. Little to do on the backfoot. Rating: NA
Tom Banks. Rating: NA
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Originally published as Wallabies player ratings from Bledisloe Cup game two at Eden Park
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