Dave Rennie asked for a response, and that’s exactly what the Wallabies delivered in Brisbane as they beat the All Blacks 24-22 to keep the Tri Nations firmly alive.
With the exception of 15 scrappy minutes in the lead up to half-time the Wallabies were excellent. The Reece Hodge selection worked a treat; their debutants showed some real vigor; the Wallabies’ wingers showed that the modern game isn’t just about scoring tries; Matt Philip was sensational in tight; and Rennie’s finishers were the difference in the match.
Here are our player ratings from the Wallabies’ Bledisloe Cup win, which extended their winning run at Suncorp Stadium to seven matches.
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Tom Banks – 8
Close to Banks’ best performance in Wallaby gold.
The fullback still doesn’t look he’s quite found his feet like he has at Super Rugby level, but it was another assured performance.
Banks’ early involvements were crucial; a safe take under the high ball followed by an excellent decision to take on the line and offload in contact to send in Tom Wright.
Later in the match, Banks’ quick hands unleashed Wright again in the 54th minute.
The area of the game he must improve though is his passing on the run as evident with his left-to-right pass that hit the deck in the 16th minute and went well behind the attacking line.
Tom Wright – 9.5
Just about the perfect entrance to Test rugby.
Wright had to bide his time throughout this Bledisloe series and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands; just as importantly, he looked assured, played within himself and doesn’t leave you feeling that anything could happen when he gets the ball.
Wright scored with his first touch of the ball in the third minute.
He cleaned up Ngani Laumape’s grubber splendidly in the 13th minute and managed to clear superbly with a left-foot kick to 30m out.
Great in-and-away in 18th minute, but could have passed on the inside to an unmarked Harry Wilson.
His excellent footwork and decision to test the big men in the middle rather than kick the ball away led to Ofa Tu’ungafasi’s red card in 23rd minute.
Later, in the 54th minute, some quick hands from Banks released Wright in 54th minute. This time he passed inside, but Nic Wright couldn’t reel it in. It was a great in-and-away to get around Anton Lienert-Brown.
Jordan Petaia – 7
Didn’t quite get the involvements he would have craved, but that’s what happens when you have a ball-running fly-half.
Even still, Petaia’s decision-making was much better and he also treasured the ball – something he hasn’t done since coming off the bench in Auckland last month.
Petaia also earned his side a scrum at the breakdown in 61st minute with pressure on TJ Perenara at the breakdown. At the time, the All Blacks had the ball 20m out from the Wallabies line.
Hunter Paisami – 7.5
It’s important to acknowledge that this was Paisami’s first match at second playmaker all year, having lined up at outside centre in his rookie season. It’s a massive shift, particularly with a brand new No.10.
And right from the outset, Paisami was excellent in his new role.
He made a half break with his opening run in the 2nd minute before being brought down from behind by Ardie Savea.
All evening he straightened the line of the attack, including two strong tackles in the 27th minute. He also showed off some skills with a competent passing game and one important clearing kick in the 60th minute up to halfway.
Defensively he made a couple of important dominant tackles, but still needs to wrap up the ball carrier more. An example of that was his missed tackle on Jordie Barrett in the sixth minute, which allowed Sevu Reece to make the best part of 30 metres in the lead up to the All Blacks’ opening try.
🎯 Man on a mission! @MarikaKoroibete
— Wallabies (@wallabies) November 8, 2020
🗓️ Saturday 21 November 7:45PM AEDT
🏟️ McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
🎟️ https://t.co/z47Xtkmbx8
#AUSvNZL #Wallabies #BledisloeCup #TriNations #YourTeam #OurJourney pic.twitter.com/PRxmeHhaQz
Marika Koroibete – 9.5
Probably the player of the match despite being yellow carded on the stroke of half-time.
The highlights reel of a winger generally features scoring tries, but Koroibete saved his best week for the defensive side of the game.
He made a trysaving tackle on Reece in the 51st minute on his own line.
Later, his double effort after the full-time siren on Damian McKenzie and Jordie Barrett sealed the Wallabies’ win.
Offensively, too, he made two great weaving runs in the 16th minute off the back of a poor Beauden Barrett kick.
His second top run in the 20th minute earned his side a penalty as he powered through the middle of the All Blacks' defensive line from a clever set-piece play at back of the lineout.
🧢 Mr Composed @reecehodge94
— RUGBYcomau (@rugbycomau) November 8, 2020
#AUSvNZL #BledisloeCup #TriNations pic.twitter.com/taezN8Ef4Q
Reece Hodge – 9
Assured. That’s what Hodge’s performance was.
Hodge made his tackles, kicked the majority of his goals and his kicking game was phenomenal.
The chip kick that found grass in the third minute made the highlights reel.
But you know what was just as good? His clearing kick in the 63rd minute, as he kicked from deep inside his own goal line and found touch up on halfway. It was a Morne/Francois Steyn effort and it showed the benefit of having a cannon-of-a-boot on the field, standing in the playmaking position.
His trysaving effort on Codie Taylor on his own line off the back of a rolling maul in the 40th minute was a dead set trysaving effort as he somehow managed to get underneath the hooker.
Nic White – 8
White’s kicking game, save for the box kick he failed to find touch from in the seventh minute, was excellent. He forced Rieko Ioane (17th minute) and Beauden Barrett (66th minute) to drop the ball and on both occasions the Wallabies came away with points soon after.
He was, however, a little slow to the breakdown, particularly later in the first half between the minutes 26-30.
Pundit Rod Kafer made the astute observation that the Wallabies’ attack had all come off White, which was necessary with Hodge not being a ball-playing fly-half, and that meant the No.9 was forced to work harder.
Harry Wilson – 7
It was one of those games where Wilson didn’t quite make the highlights reel, but he carried a lot in tight when the Wallabies needed a forward to settle the game down, control possession and get quick ball away.
Wilson gave away back to back penalties in the 37th minute.
🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺#Wallabies #BledisloeCup #AUSvNZL pic.twitter.com/wmBZw1xmvL
— Wallabies (@wallabies) November 7, 2020
Michael Hooper (c) – 7.5
Hooper’s finest work came late in the match as he made a couple of important carries in tight to get over the gain line.
Defensively, Hooper easily topped the tackle count with 17.
He did, however, give away a couple of penalties in the first half, including the three-pointer that led to Jordie Barrett’s penalty in the 32nd minute.
Lachie Swinton – 5
He shot the Wallabies in the foot with his red card in the 34th minute, but until then Swinton was the best forward on the park.
He was effectively used at the front of the lineout, but it was his dominant shots and strong carries that had helped the Wallabies to the early lead.
Swinton lost five points because off his reckless shot. But he got five because he was brilliant until his foul play.
This is what Kafer said: “I’ll tell you what Clarkie (Greg Clark), I’d turn up and watch that first 34 minutes again to see Lachie Swinton rip in. He’s had a great 34 minutes, well played. He got one tackle wrong and will get the red card and sit the rest of the game out, but gee whiz he’s rolled the sleeves up and he’s caused some angst amongst the All Blacks.”
And Rennie: “I thought Lachie made a big statement in the 30-odd minutes that he was on the field.
“Everything that we asked of him bringing a bit of edge; what we know about tackle, around clean, around work-rate, he was massive.
“He’s pretty disappointed (with the red), but he made a real announcement on the international stage.”
Matt Philip – 9.5
The Wallabies’ best starting forward.
Philip’s lineout steal on the stroke of half time was massive. After the Wallabies gave away five of the last six penalties of the first half and were forced to defend their own line for the best part of 10 minutes, Philip took the gamble, got high, and won his side the ball. It allowed the Wallabies to go in level at half-time.
But it was in the second half that he really came into his own.
His short ball to Allan Alaalatoa in the 44th minute, which put him through a little hole, was great touch.
He then made two very important cleanouts. The first was on Whitelock after White’s settler in the 44th min; ditto in the 66th minute on Wilson to get rid of Codie Taylor. In the earlier Tests the Wallabies give away a penalty there, Philip saved the day on Saturday night.
Rob Simmons – 6.5
Departed the field after 53 minutes and it was a solid display from Simmons in his return to the starting side.
As always, Simmons was strong at the lineout.
But he also made some good shots in defence, including a trysaving tackle to stop TJ Perenara in the 39th minute on his own line.
Allan Alaalatoa – 7
Solid up front.
The set-piece held its own and Alaalaota made 10 tackles too.
Replaced after 53 minutes.
Brandon Paenga-Amosa – 8
One lineout loss at the back, but with the exception of that Paenga-Amosa was very good for the Wallabies.
James Slipper – 7
Became the 13th Wallaby to play 100 Tests.
Replaced on the stroke of half-time after a suspected dislocated arm.
Up until then the scrum had held its own, but it was the 10 tackles in tight that proved important for the Wallabies.
🤗 That winning moment. #AUSvNZL #Wallabies #BledisloeCup pic.twitter.com/drOMwU8Utx
— Wallabies (@wallabies) November 7, 2020
READ MORE
SWINTON BECAME FIRST WALLABY DEBUTANT TO BE RED CARDED. Rennie says he announced himself to the world
KEEPING GROUNDED: Rennie says Wallabies won't get carried away with Bledisloe win
'MIRACLES DO HAPPEN': Hodge leads Wallabies to extraordinary victory over All Blacks in crazy Brisbane Bledisloe
RESERVES
Folau Fainga’a – 7
Came on midway through the second half and didn’t put a step wrong.
Carried well.
Angus Bell – 8.5
Well done, young man.
Brought on in the seconds before half-time, the 20-year-old loose-head prop had a memorable debut.
He earned his side a scrum penalty win in the 58th minute as he drove through Tyrel Lomax.
His 10 metre run from a standing start in the 66th minute proved important too.
Taniela Tupou – 10
Tupou could not have done anything more in his half-hour effort.
It was his try that opened up the Wallabies’ lead in the 74th minute. The gigantic prop carried the ball three times in seven phases to power over, including his former two efforts that saw the Wallabies stampede over the gain line.
The Wallabies’ scrum also smashed the All Blacks in the second half.
Ned Hanigan – 7
Dropped one tough ball that was meant for Bell, but with the exception of that Hanigan was strong off the bench.
He made an important tackle on Ardie Savea in the 60th minute after the No.8s powerful run through the middle.
He also took the all-important kick restart in the 77th minute following Tupou’s try. Remember when Kieran Read managed to win the ball back in Dunedin three years ago? The kick restart is a massive part of the modern game.
Liam Wright – N/A
Came on late for Wilson and made just the one error as he slipped near his own goal line, which allow Tupou Vaa’i to score in the 79th minute.
Tate McDermott – 8
McDermott’s dart from scrumhalf in the 71st minute earned his side a penalty as Asofa Aumua clocked him high. It’s that running game that stresses oppositions, particularly late in matches.
Noah Lolesio – 8
Ran the ball well. Twice in two minutes in the 73rd and 74th minutes to get over gain line.
Kicked the ball out to end the game.
Filipo Daugunu – N/A
