Player Ratings: New Zealand

OPINION: The All Blacks will be disappointed with their second-half performance in their 24-29 defeat to the Springboks in the third Test of the Greatest Rivalry series.

With the scores locked at 12-12 at half-time, New Zealand could not match the intensity the Boks showed at crucial stages in the last 40 minutes.

See the Player Ratings below:

15 Damian McKenzie
The All Blacks needed a bit more from him in this game. The fullback was quiet on attack for large periods of the game, and there were some nervy moments when the Boks sent the ball high.
5/10

14 Will Jordan
He was lethal out wide. There was a great steal on the ground when his team was under severe pressure in the 33rd minute. His skills were shown when he launched a neat grubber for Leroy Carter before getting the return pass to score his team’s third try. Made a huge mistake in the 64th minute when his deep kick went dead, which eventually led to Malcolm Marx going over for a try after a scrum penalty and a line-out.
8/10

13 Quinn Tupaea
He was tough as nails on the field before he left with an injury early in the second half. One example was when Eben Etzebeth bounced off him with an attempted tackle. He was a powerful ball carrier, and he made some metres.
6.5/10

12 Jordie Barrett
There were a few good passes out wide to his wings, and his vision on attack was good, especially in the first half.  The veteran also had his fair share of work to do at first receiver.
7/10

11 Leroy Carter
The speedster was shocking on defence. He missed two tackles in the build-up to the Boks’ first try. He made up for it with a strong run down the touchline to set up Savea’s second try. There was another try assist when he collected Jordan’s grubber before offloading to his fellow wing for a try in the 56th minute. However, his defending let him down again with a poor attempt on Jesse Kriel, which allowed the centre to run in for a try.
5/10

10 Ruben Love
The playmaker was under constant pressure with the Boks’ defence coming off the line with speed. He also received a yellow card in the 37th minute for repeated infringements. The goal-kicking was not the best as well, and a few more points could’ve helped when it mattered. He was still a constant threat when he ran at the Boks.
6.5/10

9 Cam Roigard
Some fans view him as the best scrumhalf in the world at the moment, and he showed why as he kept the Boks guessing when he had ball in hand. He had a good eye for the gaps around the fringes, and that sucked in some defenders on attack.
8/10

8 Ardie Savea (captain)
He was everywhere in that first 30 minutes before he left the field with an injury. He scored two tries and was just a big influence in the physical exchanges.
8/10

7 Luke Jacobson
There was some dynamism, and he was a good linkman when it came to the forwards and the backs, especially in the first half. However, he disappeared a bit in the second 40.
7/10

6 Peter Lakai
Lakai won a crucial turnover in the fourth minute in his own 22 when the Boks were on attack, and there were a few occasions when he had the home side on the ropes with some strong carries.
7/10

5 Sam Darry
His line-out work was good, and at times he stood up well to the physical challenge that Eben Etzebeth and Ruan Nortje brought.
6/10

4 Tupou Vaa’i
The lock had a golden opportunity from a Manie Libbok restart, but he couldn’t control the ball with the tryline in front of him. He showed his skills with a neat step and run in the build-up to Savea’s second try. There was some aggression and physicality, but he seemed to run out of steam in the second half.
6.5/10

3 Tyrel Lomax
There was stability at times in the scrums. However, he got absolutely obliterated by Ox Nche in a scrum late in the first half, which led to a penalty try for the Boks. He did his fair share of work around the park, but nothing to write home about.
4.5/10

2 Asafo Aumua
Made serious metres from a line-out before Ardie Savea scored the first try. His line-out throwing was good, and it was a mixed bag in the scrums. He was strong with ball in hand, and it often took more than one defender to bring him down.
6.5/10

1 George Bower
It was a tough outing in the scrums. He was under pressure and gave away a scrum penalty in the 15th minute, and he also went backwards when the Boks won a penalty try late in the first half. His game ended when he gave away another scrum penalty in the 46th minute.
4/10

Replacements:

16 Samisoni Taukei’aho (On for Asafo Aumua)
There were some huge hits on defence, and he scored the final try of the game, which came too little, too late.
6/10

17 Xavier Numia (On for George Bower)
Collapsed a scrum in the 50th minute, but more often than not he was solid. He did some work with ball and on defence.
5/10

18 Fletcher Newell (On for Tyrel Lomax)
Seemed to be doing a lot with a little impact. Gave away a silly offside penalty in the 73rd minute.
4.5/10

19 Fabian Holland (On for Sam Darry)
The All Blacks needed some much-needed energy in the pack, and it just never came from him.
4/10

20 Wallace Sititi (On for Ardie Savea)
Shifted momentum early in the second half by winning the ball with a huge rip. His strength with ball in hand was there for all to see with several carries.
7/10

21 Kyle Preston (On for Cam Roigard)
Not enough time to be rated.

22 Anton Lienert-Brown (On for Quinn Tupaea)
There were a few good runs, but he was mostly running back to defend in the second half when the momentum was on the Boks’ side.
5/10

23 Josh Moorby (On for Leroy Carter)
Not enough time to be rated.