Wallabies v England: Player ratings from Twickenham Test
An underpowered backrow, big question marks over our top playmaker and a misfiring game style. That’s the bottom line from the loss to England. WHO STARRED, WHO FLOPPED?
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Losing a ninth Test from the 13 they have played this season has left fewer positives for the Wallabies to build-on than any other top nation entering next year’s World Cup.
An underpowered backrow, big question marks over Australia’s top playmaker and a misfiring game style. That’s the bottom line from the 37-18 loss to England at Twickenham.
Jim Tucker hands out his Wallabies’ player ratings for the final loss of a lamentable season.
ISRAEL FOLAU: Rating: 7
He re-energised the Wallabies with a magnificent running angle to score a stunning try at the 35-minute mark. See what a difference a decent lineout makes. The ball swept the full width of the field to the left and then he surged off the Sekope Kepu pass when it came back the other way. England’s good contestable kicking didn’t give him many kick-return chances. Scored again on full-time off a Bernard Foley grubber kick.
JACK MADDOCKS: Rating: 5
The winger only played the first 40 minutes. Did his job on the end of the line to punch ball ahead in the lead-up to the Folau try but missed a tackle earlier on the elusive Elliot Daly. Little kick-chase pressure.
SAMU KEREVI: Rating: 5.5
Several strong surges in the first half when the Wallabies utilised him wide near the sideline. One lovely off-load and was more astute on when not to throw them. The Wallabies were too disjointed in attack to get him rolling regularly.
BERNARD FOLEY: Rating: 5
No influence from inside centre and should never play there. Neat grubber after the show was over to present Folau with his second try.
DANE HAYLETT-PETTY: Rating: 6
Started poorly when he had a kick charged down after 90 seconds but the abysmal exit strategy of the Wallabies was more to blame. Looked to have scored a strikeback try but his own pass earlier in the move was ruled forward. Looked to have big England winger Joe Cokanasiga covered midway through the second half but was bumped off and the try for 27-13 was the end for Australia. Great credit for fighting back with two fine, stepping runs late in the game, including the one that set up the late Folau try. In all, 156m from eight runs and nine tackle busts.
MATT TOOMUA: Rating: 5.5
No moment of brilliance or a dart into space to elevate a regulation display at No.10 against smothering defence. Never really unravelled how to beat England’s rushing defenders who always gave him glimpses of space on the edges. Throwing a long pass over the sideline wasn’t the way that’s for sure. The Wallabies need more creativity at No.10 but England’s dominance for an hour of the Test was always going to limit his play. Starchy defence. When he put up kicks, too few chased. His goalkicking has become a plus.
WILL GENIA: Rating: 5
A wonderful milestone of 100 Tests but not the halfback’s best. The wayward early pass that didn’t find Matt Toomua was a miscommunication somewhere. Genia grabbing an intercept could have been his memorable snipe but it stalled with his poor pass to Foley on the touchline.
PETE SAMU: Rating: 5
A neat strip to win a turnover off Maro Itoje in the second half. Unsighted as a ball-carrier in his hour on the field. No big ball-carting backrower is a chronic Wallabies problem when England No.8 Mark Wilson was bullocking 25m off the back of a scrum and racking up 17 ball-carries in all on one count.
MICHAEL HOOPER: Rating: 6
The flanker made a super try-saving tackle on winger Joe Cokanasiga and toiled away with his tackling and willingness to work. He plays a different game to the absent David Pocock and not being able to stem England’s advance with a key pilfer was missing. The Wallabies could marshall nothing for him over a poor closing 38 minutes.
JACK DEMPSEY: Rating: 6
Has a quick step and there were a few flashes from him. It wasn’t enough which can be said of most of his teammates. A nice steal when the Wallabies were rolling late in the first half. The November tour has got him back into the flow of Test rugby after his injury-ruined season so the bigger picture for him is brighter.
ADAM COLEMAN: Rating: 6
Some big shots in defence during the period when the Wallabies were in the contest either side of half-time. Importantly, the Wallabies won their seven lineouts in the opening hour so the lineout general had things going there before the team coughed up a few to finish.
IZACK RODDA: Rating: 6.5
Looked headed for a memorable try on half-time with a big rampage but the shoulder charge of England’s Owen Farrell skittled him. The lock made the most ball-carries (nine runs for 44m) of the tight forwards and won five lineouts before losing the handle on another which was the trigger for the Farrell try.
SEKOPE KEPU: Rating: 6
A strong hour from the veteran prop. He was willing with his running, threw a lovely pass for the Folau try and another one-handed off-load looked to have been part of another until the “no try” ruling on the Haylett-Petty dot-down. Scrum was not the solid platform it has been. Penalised for a silly run from the ruck when off-side.
TOLU LATU: Rating: 5.5
The Wallabies front-row was bulldozed at the first scrum and conceded a try on the shortside. He did find his mark with his lineout throwing which was good. He’s still a work in progress.
SCOTT SIO: Rating: 5
Looked under stress in the opening scrum. Battled away.
REPLACEMENTS
SEFA NAIVALU: Rating: 5
Not much to do in the second half. Got close to the England line on one raid but the infield fling nearly turned into an English try 95m downfield.
TATAFU POLOTA-NAU: Rating: 5
The Wallabies could really have done with far more from the veteran hooker this whole season. No great impact in 30-plus minutes.
ALLAN ALAALATOA: Rating: NA
Came on for Kepu at prop and toiled away.
NED HANIGAN: Rating: 5
The Wallabies didn’t get an assertive run from any of their backrowers at Twickenham. Hanigan blended into the scenery.
J ERMAINE AINSLEY. Rating: NA
MARIKA KOROIBETE. Rating: NA
ROB SIMMONS. Rating: NA
NICK PHIPPS. Rating: NA
Originally published as Wallabies v England: Player ratings from Twickenham Test