The Wallabies may have lost to Wales but there were far more promising signs for the Australian team supporters.
Many felt the Wallabies were unlucky to lose the game with more questionable calls going against them. James Slipper filled the role as skipper admirably with a solid performance leading the pack.
Pete Samu had the job of trying to replace the injured Michael Hooper in the no.7 spot and he was solid according to Roar readers with an above-average score of 6.
After being criticised heavily last week, Kurtley Beale turned back the clock and showed he’s still very capable at fullback. He set up a breathtaking try and seemed far more at ease in his role against Wales.
But it was Hunter Paisami who was voted best on ground for the Wallabies according to our readers. He had an average score of 7.28 with more than a third giving him an 8 against Wales.
1. James Slipper (c)
Average score: 6.89
Most common rating: 7 (42.2%)
2. Tolu Latu
Average score: 6.05
Most common rating: 6 (35.9%)
3. Taniela Tupou
Average score: 6.95
Most common rating: 7 (36.5%)
4. Rory Arnold
Average score: 6.44
Most common rating: 6 (33.5%)
5. Izack Rodda
Average score: 6.13
Most common rating: 6 (34.7%)
6. Rob Leota
Average score: 6.52
Most common rating: 6 (31.4%)
7. Pete Samu
Average score: 6.13
Most common rating: 6 (38%)
8. Rob Valetini
Average score: 4.00
Most common rating: 4 (18.2%)
9. Nic White
Average score: 6.45
Most common rating: 6 (28%)
10. James O’Connor
Average score: 5.92
Most common rating: 6 (39.9%)
11. Filipo Daugunu
Average score: 6.03
Most common rating: 6 (44.6%)
12. Hunter Paisami
Average score: 7.28
Most common ratings: 7 (32.1%) and 8 (31.6%)
13. Len Ikitau
Average score: 6.35
Most common rating: 6 (36.3%)
14. Andrew Kellaway
Average score: 6.54
Most common rating: 7 (35.8%)
15. Kurtley Beale
Average score: 6.49
Most common rating: 7 (32.6%)
16. Folau Fainga’a
Average score: 5.91
Most common rating: 6 (32.2%)
17. Angus Bell
Average score: 5.60
Most common rating: 5 (37.1%)
18. Allan Alaalatoa
Average score: 5.78
Most common rating: 6 (38.5%)
19. Will Skelton
Average score: 5.80
Most common rating: 6 (36.1%)
20. Lachie Swinton
Average score: 5.73
Most common rating: 5 (32.3%)
21. Tate McDermott
Average score: 5.75
Most common ratings: 5 (32.6%) and 6 (32.1%)
22. Lalakai Foketi
Average score: 5.20
Most common rating: 5 (44.5%)
23. Tom Wright
Average score: 4.92
Most common rating: 5 (32.6%)
Marshy
Guest
“arguably cost his team the game through his poor technique” brought to you by “by stats and insight here .Com” :laughing:
Wallabies_Larkham
Roar Rookie
"Stephen Larkham knew how to do it, but he was left like a shag on a rock for his last couple of years because there was no-one to whom he could pass who understood it.".. Thanks for mentioning my guy Mick... :thumbup:
Handles
Roar Guru
You are the one who thought 4 was a harsh score for someone who made no positive contribution, and arguably cost his team the game through his poor technique. Are you sure you watched anything?
Marshy
Guest
You ‘watch’ a game on stats pages alone and you going to get found out quickly. Some of us know of journalists who ‘report’ and write yarns based only on a stats page. It’s embarrassingly clear when it’s done.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I have
Morsie
Roar Rookie
Swinton was on longer, and while he was on had the All Blacks looking in all directions to avoid him. He had made some absolute bone rattling tackles.
Morsie
Roar Rookie
You say "no tackles" and then "poor tackling technique". He did make one tackle and it was a beauty. :stoked:
Handles
Roar Guru
Only legal tackles make the stats, apparently! His penalty registered though.
Crusher_13
Roar Rookie
From memory Swinton got a 6 or 7 when he was red carded as did MK. Double standards in the voting of players that have been carded. Maybe a default for them of 1 would work better.
Perthstayer
Roar Rookie
Valetini 100% lost the match yet gets a 4. I hope DR wasn't so soft on him.
Hooter
Roar Rookie
That is more damning of the quality of our locks than the quality of Simmons in my view but we can agree to differ. I will concede that he could absolutely run a lineout.
Markus
Roar Rookie
Simmons was our strongest scrummaging lock outside of Timani's brief test stint, by far our best lineout lock (both jumping and managing), and had the highest work rate. He wasn't a tackle-breaking ball carrier or a breakdown jackal, but who in the Wallabies was?
Hooter
Roar Rookie
I agree 95 tests aren't enough development..... look at Rob Simmons :-P I have never rated Beale, never delivered on the hype.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
"his consistency and output at this level is just not there" Fair go - give the young fella time! Those characteristics have been sub-optimal right from the jump, true, but it has only been 14 years at the top. He'll get there. :happy: Apart from being reliably amusingly appalling he is arguably-on-paper-don't-get-me-wrong-best-in-the-world. :stoked: :silly:
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
"Run me through the dropped ..." Watch the replay, bring a notebook. A Harmless Wallaby indifferent work ethic is not one to be emulated in any pursuit. It will be good practice for you.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
So everybody gets a 6! I notice Slipper gets second best ave vote, with Beale third. Have to disagree re Beale. A couple of really good things but a few poor things- the expected knock on from a high kick, the fluffed kick at the end when he should have held, remonstrating with the ref rather than immediately going for Tompkins when he knocked on, and the yellow card: can’t agree with those who say he was just wrapping- slo-mo replay showed his eyes fixed on the ball at the moment of contact. In any case, the situation resulted because he and O’Connor together combined to make a two on two defensive situation into an overlap. Gotta put Leota up with Paisami. White and Folau were also pretty good.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
"one of australias best backs" (sic) Our Kurtley has been on the big money since 2007. A first year Harmless Wallaby makes a mistake therefore Beale's career long unreliability is acceptable, welcomed. Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk! :stoked: :laughing: :stoked: :laughing:
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
"we are so enamoured with ‘running rugby’ " That has become a glib, meaningless term used by over excited 14 year old schoolboys who see the Harmless Wallabies as "solid". You would have to be 50 years old to have witnessed running rugby at its best - the last vestiges left the field with Tim Horan twenty years ago. Stephen Larkham knew how to do it, but he was left like a shag on a rock for his last couple of years because there was no-one to whom he could pass who understood it. Fab Giteau was around then, but his characteristic technique was to run across to the far sideline and, at the last minute, pass to a winger who had no space left to do anything. Fab was real good at glaring at the poor fella for not using the marvellous opportunity he had gifted to him, borne of his multi-million dollar excellence. The fans thought Fab was worth a 9.5 every time and admiring mediocrity became fashionable. It is now cultural, unquestioning, together with interminable whinging about the referee, and we end up today with no-hopers like Beale and Lazyboy Skelton being rated above 2 for no good reason. The other player ratings are as amusing as the Daily Mirror comic strips. :stoked: All the talk is about the World Cup sometime later, when we really ought to be focused on what to do if World Rugby relegates the Incompetent Wallabies in 2022! :happy:
Markus
Roar Rookie
He clearly made at least one tackle.
Markus
Roar Rookie
Talent is meaningless if you can't put it to full use. Beale's try assist was top notch but epitomises his entire Test career - moments of absolute brilliance undone by failure at the absolute basics.