Super Rugby player ratings: Round 16

Here are my player ratings from Round 15 of Super Rugby. Submit your own, keeping the figures for mediocre scores aside for reasons of brevity and so that the focus is on the best and worst performers.

Scores should be between anyone over 7 and anyone below 4, i.e. for very good and poor performances. Half scores are allowed i.e. 7.5, 3.5 and so on.

Please submit your own scores for a whole team. The minimum is one team, there is no obligation to score all the games. I average the scores per team by the number submitted. I will compile every ones submitted teams scores and produce Wallaby form teams later in the week. There will be one team of the round and three accumulative teams.

Brumbies-Bulls
The headline could read the Bulls mauled the Brumbies. The Bulls were better in attack and were also better in the scrums and won the battle of the forwards. David Pocock once again made the difference in the forwards, he was everywhere.

That said it was Henry Speight that won the game for the Brumbies. Speight was outstanding, while the Brumbies were rusty from the bye as most teams have been and I believe this made the game closer than it should have been.

The Bulls sacked the Brumbies’ mauls from the lineout yet the Brumbies were unable to sack the Bulls’ lineout since they placed the ball back early. They should have stepped away and not made a maul. Nic White did his best to give away a close game at the death again.

S. Sio 7.5/10
J. Smiler 7.5/10
D. Pocock 8/10
I. Vaea 7.5/10
N. White 3.5/10
H. Speight 8.5/10

Sharks-Rebels
The Sharks dominated the Reds at the lineout, while the scrum was fairly even with a light edge to the Sharks. It was an even contest at the breakdown and collisions with a slight edge once again to the Sharks.

The Sharks continued their very niggly play and their backs were better and made the difference. Scott Higginbotham kept the Rebels in the game with two great tries. The Rebels also kicked very well and in general handled the kick and chase of the Sharks well.

L. Weeks 3/10
P. Alo-Emile 7.5/10
P. Leafa 3.5/10
S. Higginbotham 9/10
L. Jones 8/10
D. Shipperley 3.5/10

Force-Reds
The Force are a very limited team both in personnel and tactics. Their plan A of kicking and hoping for mistakes did not work and they had no plan B. The Reds forwards gave the backs good front-foot ball and Quade Cooper – back from injury – revelled in it. His game was sublime and Will Genia responded by running and playing with more confidence.

The Force tried their usual tricks in the scrum through fading and dropping, but it found them little reward.

Force
P. Cowan 3/10
T. Faulkner 3/10
A. Coleman 7.5/10
D. Haylett-Petty 8/10

Reds
J. Slipper 8/10
J. Hanson 7.5/10
G. Holmes 8/10
W. Genia 8.5/10
Q. Cooper 9/10
S. Kerevi 8/10
C. Feauai-Sautia 7.5/10
L. Turner 8/10

Lions-Waratahs
The Lions were hungrier and played with more energy. The Waratahs’ discipline was very poor, with more lifting tackles and tackling players off the ball. The scrums were even with the Lions outsmarting a stronger scrum.

The Lions pushed early or faded or angled in for a combination. Benn Robinson was found wanting but Sekope Kepu held his end up well. Jaco Kriel totally outplayed Michael Hooper who was a hardly sighted. The Waratahs missed Will Skelton enormously as they were outmuscled in the contact.

They used Taqele Naiyaravoro as an extra backrower. He was the one ‘Tahs player who won the collisions. The Lions held the Waratahs up in the tackle causing turnovers. The final score flattered the Waratahs. The one positive for the Waratahs was they never gave up and despite being exhausted at altitude they fought back and gained a vital bonus point.

B. Robinson 3.5/10
S. Kepu 7.5/10
A. Ashley-Cooper 8/10
T. Naiyaravoro 8/10