Player Ratings: New Zealand

OPINION: The Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tour for 2026 kicked off at DHL Stadium in Cape Town between the All Blacks and the Stormers, where Dave Rennie’s team started the tour on a winning note.

Dave Rennie’s side secured a 38-21 victory over the Stormers in front of 47,130 spectators.

While it was not perfect, the fixture provided a valuable opportunity for Rennie to assess his squad against quality opposition.

Here is how the All Blacks players were rated:

15 Josh Moorby
The fullback endured a relatively quiet outing but grew into the contest as it progressed. While he experienced a few nervy moments under the high ball, he recovered well and crossed for a second half try. However, his performance was overshadowed by a dangerous tackle on Warrick Gelant, which resulted in a yellow card and a penalty try.
6/10

14 Leroy Carter
The winger was a constant menace out wide. His pace and energy kept the Stormers under pressure throughout, while his willingness to take quick throw-ins instead of settling for conventional lineouts repeatedly caught the defence off guard and helped maintain the All Blacks’ attacking momentum. Carter capped off an impressive display by getting his name on the scoresheet.
8/10

13 Billy Proctor
The midfielder played with plenty of intent, although his eagerness occasionally led to unforced errors, including a couple of knock-ons. Despite that, he still delivered a solid performance, with his superb loop pass proving instrumental in setting up the All Blacks’ second try. His evening ended prematurely with what appeared to be a shoulder injury.
6/10

12 Anton Lienert-Brown
A yellow card in the 11th minute for a dangerous tackle disrupted his evening, with the Stormers capitalising during his absence. However, the experienced centre responded superbly after returning, finishing with 14 carries and several dominant defensive hits.
7.5/10

11 Rieko Ioane
Back in the black jersey after helping Leinster lift the URC title, Ioane looked sharp on the winger. He got into the thick of things with some explosive running and footwork. However, when he moved to centre in the second half and looked more composed and got his name on the scoreboard.
7/10

10 Beauden Barrett
One of the biggest talking points before kick-off was Barrett’s opportunity to reaffirm his status as the All Blacks’ first-choice flyhalf. The veteran’s response was not convincing. Yes, it was a composed and intelligent performance, using his experience to control territory with well-executed cross-kicks, but he did not steer his side into the right areas of the field. His second half began poorly after fumbling the restart.
6/10

9 Cortez Ratima
With the battle for the No.9 jersey intensifying, Ratima produced another polished display. His service from the base was quick and accurate, allowing the attack to flow, while his clearance kicking relieved pressure and helped the All Blacks control territory.
7/10

8 Peter Lakai
The Hurricane made an immediate impact with a powerful break in the opening minutes before his influence dipped slightly as the match wore on. Despite that, he remained incredibly busy around the park, making multiple carries and two-line breaks. His superb offload created Leroy Carter’s try, while he finished with 17 tackles. His only blemish was a costly missed tackle in the build-up to Seabelo Senatla’s try.
9/10

7 Anton Segner
One of the most industrious players on the park. He completed 10 tackles and made 12 carries, contributing strongly on both sides of the ball. He also tried to impose himself at the breakdown
8/10

6 Simon Parker
Parker’s evening got off to a difficult start when he was shown a yellow card in the 14th minute. He became the second All Blacks player to head to the sin bin, leaving his side reduced to 13 men and under immense pressure. The Stormers capitalised by scoring during his absence, while the visitors were also forced to contest scrums with only seven forwards. To his credit, Parker responded well after returning, crashing over for a crucial try just before half-time to hand his side the lead.
6.5/10

5 Patrick Tuipulotu
Not one of Tuipulotu’s standout performances, but the All Blacks captain did the basics well. He put in a solid 80-minute shift, worked tirelessly in the tight exchanges and finished with 10 tackles. While he wasn’t at his dominant best, his experience and leadership helped provide stability throughout the contest.
6/10

4 Fabian Holland
Holland was solid at the line-out and expertly marshalled the maul and maul defence.  He also contributed 10 tackles and produced a try assist. His influence became even more apparent after he left the field, with the visitors’ maul losing both accuracy and cohesion in his absence.
7.5/10

3 Pasilio Tosi
It was a mixed bag at scrum time for the tighthead prop, with the set piece producing inconsistent results. However, Tosi made up for it with an industrious defensive display, particularly around the maul. He finished with eight tackles before leaving the field early in the second half.
5/10

2 Samisoni Taukei’aho
The hooker was accurate with his line-out throwing, consistently finding his jumpers while making a big impact around the park. He carried strongly throughout the contest, finishing with 11 carries, and was a physical presence in both attack and defence. The hooker also crossed for the opening try of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tour.
7/10

1 George Bower.
Bower laid a solid platform in the scrums at the start, but eventually unconvincing as the Stormers gained the upper hand after the break. The loosehead prop battled hard before being replaced in the 56th minute.
5/10

Replacements:

16 Asafo Aumua (on for Taukei’aho, 61st minute)

Not enough time to be rated.

17 Ollie Norris (on for Bower, 56th minute)

18 Siale Lauaki (on for Tosi, 47th minute)

Struggled in his debut, especially at the scums.

5/10

19 Sam Darry (on for Holland, 58th minute)

His first carry was strong and his cover defence was incredible as he prevented a try.

7/10

20 Ethan Blackadder (on for Senger, 59th minute)

An impressive shift from the loose forward, making some strong carries.

7/10

21 Kyle Preston (on for Ratima, 73rd minute)

Not enough time to be rated.

22 Josh Jacomb (on for Barrett, 68th minute)

Not enough time to be rated

23 Caleb Clarke (on for Proctor, 45th minute)

Had the responsibility to keep Hacjivah Dayimani intact out wide but proved up for the challenge. He also made seven carries.

6/10