The Wallabies dropped yet another Test to Wales overnight.
How did each of the players fare?
1. Scott Sio 4.5
Was pinged twice in the first half in a Wallabies' scrum that struggled and didn't have a significant impact in general play.
2. Tolu Latu 5
Latu is as rocks or diamonds as they come. One minute he is showing some sublime breakdown skills or the hands of a playmaker, the next he is giving away easily avoided penalties at the ruck. His lineout throwing is still not consistent enough to be a regular starter at Test level.
3. Allan Alaalatoa 5
Wasn't the chief culprit at scrum time but didn't exactly star either. Had some nice carries through the middle of the park, an element of Australia's game which was severely lacking.
4. Izack Rodda 5.5
Had a critical lineout steal in the first term and that continues to be part of his game which excels. Still needs to assert himself on the game around the ground but that will come with time.
5. Adam Coleman 7.5
A cracking game from the star lock. Thumped blokes in defence, trucked the ball up in attack. Some Coleman clones would be handy.
6. Jack Dempsey 6
Great to see Dempsey back in the starting XV. He's an important part of Australian rugby's future but he could only muster a couple of nice touches in the middle of the park. Will warm into his work.
7. Michael Hooper 6
Worked hard - as he always does - but guilty of a bad handling error in the second half which killed a modicum of attacking momentum.
8. David Pocock 7
A Test doesn't go by without Pocock plucking a couple of pilfers right when the Wallabies need them. No surprise to see him leading the charge once again. Like Coleman, coach Michael Cheika could do with a Pocock clone.
9. Will Genia 6
Saved some Australian blushes by cleaning up loose balls and making cover tackles where required but had almost no go forward to work with and subsequently failed to have a huge impact with ball in hand.
10. Bernard Foley 5.5
The Wallabies' attack was too lateral and the buck stops with Foley on that front. Both the Wallabies flyhalf and Kurtley Beale failed to create the sort of attacking opportunities generated in Yokohama.
11. Sefa Naivalu 5
Did well with the little ball that he had but was rather absent otherwise.
12. Kurtley Beale 4.5
Like Foley, struggled to straighten the Australian attack when it desperately needed some of Beale's line bending bursts. Far too much aimless kicking which gifted the ball to the Welsh back three. Beale running lateral and isolated sums up the Wallabies' struggle at the moment.
13. Samu Kerevi 5.5
Like Dempsey, did not have the kind of impact he would have hoped in his return to the starting XV. Is often used as the crash ball man out of set piece and that is a role he is well placed in but when he gets a one-on-one opportunity with opposition defence he must capitalise.
14. Israel Folau 5
In a similar boat to Naivalu in that the ball rarely found its way into his hands. Opposition teams have now almost entirely quelled his high ball threat by running cheeky yet completely legal blocking lines.
15. Dane Haylett-Petty 5
Wasn't able to beat first up tackles with the sort of regularity we have come to expect.
Reserves
16. Tatafu Polota-Nau 5
Had an immediate impact when forcing a scrum penalty on opposition ball but overcooked a critical lineout throw soon after.
17. Sekope Kepu 5.5
A couple of strong carries in midfield coupled with the shoring up of the Australian scrum enough to make Kepu's bench cameo a solid one.
18. Taniela Tupou 5.5
Like Kepu, contributed some carries in midfield where the Wallabies lacked go forward and played a big part in the aforementioned Polota-Nau scrum penalty.
19. Rob Simmons 4.5
Popped a highly questionable pass which was subsequently turned over and moments later, Wales forced the match winning penalty.
20. Ned Hanigan 4
Only played the 12 minutes but gave away the match winning Welsh penalty in the wrong place and at the wrong time.
21. Nick Phipps NA
Didn't get on.
22. Matt To'omua 6
Sunk a clutch penalty to level the score at 6-all and added a calm head to a Wallabies playmaking core which was too haphazard in its approach.
23. Jack Maddocks 5
Limited involvements.
