The results are in! Yesterday, we asked you to rate the Wallabies side that took to the field in Bledisloe 1, and now we’ve added up the data from all of our responders to bring your our DIY player ratings from the Test.
The short version is that, well, the voters weren’t very happy with the performance of the team as a whole or most of the individuals in it – just three players managed to score higher than a five on average.
More Bledisloe 1
» LORD: Wallabies should be ashamed
» WATCH: Video highlights
» Seven talking points
» Match report: NZ whip Wallabies
» Re-live the match with our live blog
David Pocock was the Wallabies’ clear MVP on the night, albeit not against a particularly competitive field. He picked up an average rating of 6.38, while 26 per cent of voters gave him a 7.
Particularly disappointing would have been the form of the Wallabies’ recently re-signed skipper Michael Hooper, and superstar fullback Israel Folau.
Hooper, in his first game after signing a new $6 million contract, copped a rating of 4.74 from the voters.
No doubt Hooper’s average night in comparison with Pocock’s praiseworthy form it’ll lead to more questions being asked over the best positional setup for these two – but in all fairness, it was Hooper’s first game back from injury.
Folau picked up an average rating of 4.11 – by no means the worst in the team (a dubios honour beloning to Tom Robertson), but well below what fans would have hoped to see from the Wallabies’ most potent matchwinner.
Of course, Folau also deserves to be cut a little slack – a hamstring injury in the second half prevented him having any impact on the match thereafter, and has him in doubt for Bledisloe 2 next week.
Meanwhile, debutant Jack Maddocks got a thumbs up from his performance off the bench. He scored Australia’s only try of match and was rated 5.30 on average, and given a 6 by 23 per cent of voters.
1. Tom Robertson
Average rating: 3.22
Most common rating: 3 (24 per cent)
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau
Average rating: 3.72
Most common rating: 5 (20 per cent)
3. Sekope Kepu
Average rating: 3.75
Most common rating: 4 (26 per cent)
4. Izack Rodda
Average rating: 4.22
Most common rating: 4 (27 per cent)
5. Adam Coleman
Average rating: 4.52
Most common rating: 5 (25 per cent)
6. Lukhan Tui
Average rating: 4.76
Most common rating: 5 (26 per cent)
7. Michael Hooper
Average rating: 4.74
Most common rating: 5 (23 per cent)
8. David Pocock
Average rating: 6.38
Most common rating: 7 (26 per cent)
9. Will Genia
Average rating: 4.84
Most common rating: 5 (23 per cent)
10. Bernard Foley
Average rating: 3.93
Most common rating: 5 (23 per cent)
11. Marika Koroibete
Average rating: 4.68
Most common rating: 5 (28 per cent)
12. Kurtley Beale
Average rating: 5.08
Most common rating: 6 (26 per cent)
13. Reece Hodge
Average rating: 4.81
Most common rating: 5 (26 per cent)
14. Dane Haylett-Petty
Average rating: 3.85
Most common rating: 4 (32 per cent)
15. Israel Folau
Average rating: 4.11
Most common rating: 4 (32 per cent)
16. Tolu Latu
Average rating: 3.06
Most common rating: 2 (24 per cent)
17. Allan Alaalatoa
Average rating: 3.69
Most common rating: 5 (26 per cent)
18. Jermaine Ainsley
Average rating: 3.06
Most common rating: 3 (26 per cent)
19. Rob Simmons
NA
20. Pete Samu
NA
21. Nick Phipps
Average rating: 2.52
Most common rating: 1 (31 per cent)
22. Matt Toomua
Average rating: 3.97
Most common rating: 5 (20 per cent)
23. Jack Maddocks
Average rating: 5.30
Most common rating: 6 (23 per cent)
John
Guest
Or alternatively the issue is people like you thinkIng he’s good enough. Can’t pass to the right - 2 forward passes that way on Saturday, can’t kick tactically - no range and no accuracy, can’t create the space KB and Folau need, can’t defend the inside so goes missing and no accountability for his deficiencies because there has been no development within Australian rugby
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Wow, I’m only reading this thread this morning. I generally choose to ignore the DIY ratings as they are soaked in bias and rarely reflect what happens on the field. This one didn’t disappoint. Would love to know why the Roar bothers with it?
enoughisenough
Guest
How can it be ridiciculous criticism of Foley when he stepped out of the way of Retallick and gifted him an untouched run to the line. Granted he may have not been the only one at fault but to commit so early to the outside man was a very poor effort.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
An OZ poster named DJDJ, posted this pre-game: “We are a better side this year. Set piece is better. Back line is better defensively. Surely hooper will only last 50 mins tops. But our reserves bench is better. Our super rugby outcomes are better this year. You could argue the key AB forwards have had interrupted preps due to injury. Barrett has been in better form. Refs are also more aware of the ABs illegal spoiling. Way more yellow cards during super rugby. If we get the 50/50 calls going our way we can win tonight.”
Lol
Guest
What is Cheika record percentage wise since 2015 World Cup? What’s the points for And against stat! Anyone got these?
Armchair sportsfan
Guest
To be fair, Double Agent, you make a fair enough point. But stepping back, isn't it sad that Australian rugby (which was on top of the world 20 odd years ago) is now reduced to cherry picking 'moments' from games to justify our performance....I.e. 'Defense was good for 37 mins'....or 'the tahs were good for 25mins'......
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Yes DA, it was the high point. And here now we have the low point.
double agent
Guest
The Tahs were up 29-0 against the Crusaders at one point. They went on to lose of course but I think that 29-0 for that brief moment that most unbelievable scoreline that no other team in the world could ever hope to achieve even in their most wildest fantasies was the High Point of Australian Rugby for 2018.
Fionn
Guest
I dunno, I personally think that the Brumbies were Australia's best team by the end of the season. But I guess that I would say that.
Mal Cornet
Roar Rookie
I thought the wallabies played above themselves. 6-5 halftime and were in it till last 20 minutes. Agree roarers have the rose tinted glasses. They hate the Tahs though they were the only ones that performed during the year at sr.
Colvin Brown
Guest
Foley made 13 tackles, missed 3. Carried 9 times. Made 55 metres, passed 25 times, kicked 11 times. I'm not wanting to hype Foley's performance but given the way the forwards crumpled he did OK.
double agent
Guest
A ridiculous criticism of Foley regarding the Retallick try.
enoughisenough
Guest
Maybe so, however the failure of the Wallabies to post more than 2 penalties when the AB's were looking rattled was also telling. Score two or three tries in the first 40 minutes and its the AB's who have to chase the game and who feel the game pressure building. However the attack was inept, as it has been almost every time Foley has been 10. Yes the forwards were poor, however once the wallabies used to be able to play on scraps and win, because they had smarts. The current wallabies are unskilled powderpuffs, masquerading as toughs. Their game plan was tantamount to sprinting the first few laps of a 10000m race. Cheika can't even acknowledge that the approach is wrong, neither can his hand selected favourites.
ForwardsWinMatches
Guest
Missing the point “enough...”. To rate Foley lower than most of the forwards last night can only be based on a pre-conceived view of him. Someone posted his tackling stats late last night and they were pretty good. The dummy you refer to was a 2 or 3 on 1 situation with no cover coming across from inside - pinpoint that if you must but that’s a tough moment to do so. Not suggesting the notion you raise is necessarily wrong in my opinion, but if we’re focusing on deficiencies in the backs last night, then we’re missing the real issue entirely.
ozinsa
Guest
Class comment. Solid contribution to a biased and aimless thread
Brian George
Guest
Typical Eagle Jack defense of Foley only missing [Mods. Snip. No insulting others. WARNING]
enoughisenough
Guest
Foley didn't look to be tackling his guts out as he "took the dummy" from Retallick to let him have a clear run to the line. What is the point of having Foley there? He leaves most of the playmaking to Beale and Genia, he leaves most of his defence to others (he goes out to the wing or drops back pout of the front line), he leaves most of the exits to Beale or Hodges (thankfully as his exits are appalling), he leaves the difficult place kicks to Hodges (but steps up to take those from in front, how big of him). Is he just there to remind everyone in the team just how important it is to be one of the coach's favourites?
bill
Guest
No, but there was no zero option.
dirtyrottenscoundrel
Guest
Answer: When the fence sitting Head Office types realise THEY are the overpaid clowns not fit for their jobs. Far too many armchair warriors with rose tinted glasses thinking we would/could win. I am as rusted on as the next Aussie but I am realistic; I live in hope! Give the All Blacks their due, they are far better than us in every aspect of Rugby; Trent Barret would win a World Cup if he coached them, it's that simple. Go the Wallabies.
ForwardsWinMatches
Guest
Kane, it’s the typical anti-Phipps and anti-Foley brigade in action. People are saying Rodda, Coleman, Tui, Hooper, Toomua and Maddocks all had better games than Foley. How can this be? Foley certainly didn’t do anything fantastic but I saw him trying his guts out tackling big units who should have been confronted by some Wallaby forwards but weren’t. The ratings essentially highlight the problem mentality with the Wallabies and their fans - they think it’s all about Foley, Beale and Folau carving up the opposition and have very little proper regard for the fact these matches, as Steve Hanson said, are so heavily dependent on the set piece. The ratings should have been applied to the forwards only.