SA v NZ: All Black player ratings
Sat, 16 Aug 2008 21:27
The All Blacks placed one hand on yet another Tri-Nations title when they neutralised the Springboks in a 19-0 win at Newlands in Cape Town.
The All Blacks shifted into a higher gear in the second half to take the honours in the contest. rugby365.com's Phil Coetzer rates the Kiwi performances...
15 Mils Muliaina - Had an assured game at the back for his team. No alarms and no surprises from a very good professional. 7/10
14 Richard Kahui - The young man might not be an out-and-out wing, but he has brought a physical presence that has solidified the All Black defensive line. 6/10
13 Conrad Smith - A good performance that will repair plenty of the damage his reputation sustained against Australia at Sydney. Good pace for his try as well. 7/10
12 Ma'a Nonu - Always a threat on attack and a hard man to stop. Yet another solid day at the office, and a big influence in the physical battle. 6/10
11 Sitiveni Sivivatu - Injured quite early in the match, but seems to be struggling to convert his Super 14 form for the Chiefs into Tests. 5/10
10 Dan Carter - There won't be many days where this great player misses five kicks at goal, yet it didn't make a difference to the outcome of the match. His superb acceleration and try probably spelled the beginning of the end for the Boks. 7/10
9 Jimmy Cowan - Very polished performance by a player who outshone his opposite number. Two great showings in a row from Cowan shows that he is serious about becoming first-choice scrumhalf for the All Blacks. 7/10
8 Rodney So'oialo - Part of a winning loose-trio that had the beating of their Bok counterparts hands down, especially at the breakdown. 7/10
7 Richie McCaw (captain) - Simply a force to be reckoned with. His mere presence on the field transforms the All Blacks into something special, and his workrate on the day was stunning. So crafty at the breakdown, and always hovers on the edge of the laws, winning countless turnovers for his team. Even added a successful grubber to his repertoire. 8/10
6 Jerome Kaino - A player that doesn't often grab the headlines but his performance was highly rated by his coach Graham Henry. Who are we to disagree? 7/10
5 Ali Williams - A good match by the lock without being spectacular. A missed tackle here and there, but all in all a good contribution. 6/10
4 Brad Thorn - Had a storming game in terms of doing the dirty work for his team. Made a number of bone-crunching hits in defence, and generally got up the noses of the Boks. Outshone his flashy lock partner on the day. 7/10
3 Greg Somerville - Played second fiddle to the outstanding Tendai Mtawarira in all phases. 6/10
2 Andrew Hore - A seasoned campaigner who brought a typical rough edge to the Kiwi tight five. 6/10
1 Tony Woodcock - Average Test match for the All Black front row, as the Boks dominated much of the scrums in the dry weather. 6/10
Replacements (20 minutes or more to be rated):
16 Keven Mealamu (replaced Andrew Hore in the 60th minute) - Was busy around the park and got the final try (although gift wrapped by Jean de Villiers) that sealed the deal for the All Blacks. 7/10
17 John Afoa (replaced Greg Somerville in the 49th minute) - Had a good run off the bench, always looking for work and never far from the ball. Almost scored a great try, but just couldn't finish. 7/10
18 Anthony Boric - Did not play long enough to be rated.
19 Adam Thomson - Did not play long enough to be rated.
20 Piri Weepu (replaced Jimmy Cowan in the 53rd minute) - Crisp service and quick decisions meant that Weepu added plenty to the All Black cause after replacing Cowan. Always a tough competitor. 7/10
21 Stephen Donald - Did not play long enough to be rated.
22 Isaia Toeava (replaced Sitiveni Sivivatu in the 30th minute) - He got bounced hard by a massive tackle on his first touch of the ball, but recovered well and showed good composure. 6/10
