For Wallaby fans who set their alarm early for the team’s second game in the Rugby Championship it was a tough watch.
After overcoming all sorts of adversity in the first game, the Wallabies were sent crashing back to earth by Los Pumas with the home side inflicting a 48-17 clinic.
Not surprisingly our readers were savage in their assessment of the Wallaby players in the DIY ratings.
The Wallabies conceded 18 turnovers and Argentina made them pay.
Of the 15 players who started the match, only four received an average score of 5 or more out of 10.
One of those players was Rob Valetini who can hold his head up high after a terrific performance in a losing team.
He was easily Australia’s best and received plenty of 8 votes from our readers after having 12 runs for 69 metres and beating five defenders in the match. He also made 9 tackles for good measure.
The Australian team gets a week off to reassess and look into where it all went wrong.
There are, of course, plenty of injuries that are playing a part but the worrying sign for Dave Rennie is that guys like James O’Connor aren’t managing to step up and be counted when entrusted with the key positions.
The depth will continue to be tested for the rest of the Rugby Championship and with a World Cup just around the corner it’s desperation stakes for the Wallabies to find solutions to their problems.
1. James Slipper (c)
Average score: 6.10
Most common rating: 6 (29%)
2. Lachlan Lonergan
Average score: 4.61
Most common rating: 5 (27%)
3. Taniela Tupou
Average score: 3.75
Most common rating: 4 (26%)
4. Rory Arnold
Average score: 4.37
Most common rating: 5 (36%)
5. Darcy Swain
Average score: 4.56
Most common rating: 5 (38%)
6. Jed Holloway
Average score: 4.98
Most common ratings: 5 (29%), 6 (29%)
7. Fraser McReight
Average score: 4.95
Most common rating: 5 (27%)
8. Rob Valetini
Average score: 7.65
Most common rating: 8 (33%)
9. Nic White
Average score: 4.80
Most common rating: 5 (28%)
10. James O’Connor
Average score: 3.83
Most common rating: 4 (26%)
11. Marika Koroibete
Average score: 5.86
Most common rating: 6 (28%)
12. Lalakai Foketi
Average score: 5.01
Most common ratings: 5 (33%)
13. Len Ikitau
Average score: 6.04
Most common rating: 6 (33%)
14. Jordan Petaia
Average score: 3.94
Most common rating: 4 (28%)
15. Tom Wright
Average score: 3.41
Most common rating: 4 (29%)
Reserves
16. Billy Pollard (Sub on in 65th minute)
Average score: 4.51
Most common rating: 5 (38%)
17. Matt Gibbon (Sub on in 68th minute)
Average score: 4.15
Most common rating: 5 (35%)
18. Pone Fa’amausili (Sub on in 58th minute)
Average score: 4.69
Most common rating: 5 (33%)
19. Nick Frost (Sub on in 54th minute)
Average score: 4.70
Most common rating: 5 (43%)
20. Pete Samu (Sub on in 54th minute)
Average score: 5.27
Most common ratings: 5 (32%), 6 (32%)
21. Tate McDermott (Sub on in 54th minute)
Average score: 5.17
Most common ratings: 6 (26%)
22. Irae Simone (Sub on in 62nd minute)
Average score: 4.57
Most common rating: 5 (43%)
23. Reece Hodge (Sub on in 68th minute)
Average score: 4.21
Most common rating: 5 (31%)
Brian Westlake
Roar Rookie
Oh the mcreight comment was just how he was way over scored too. A queens lander thing of talking them all up like Liam wright, scott-young, mcdermott etal All great at junior then club and some in SR.
Wooliej
Roar Rookie
Dr D wasn talking about McR
Bobby
Roar Rookie
But you wanna be, hey ????
Brian Westlake
Roar Rookie
Read Dr d's comment above
Johnny J-Dog
Guest
Charlie Gamble is better. Does he qualify yet?
Tooly
Roar Rookie
Pretty much on the money Can we do one of these on who should play ?
Greig Ebeling
Guest
I don't agree at all with such a harsh ranking of players. Wright (in defence) and Tupou (in scrum) definitely had very bad games (3). Rory Arnold didn't turn up (4). Petaia (5) made many silly errors. But the rest played to a good standard (6) . Lonergan (7) was better than I expected, he tackled hard and contested the ruck well. McReight (7) was everywhere. Foketi (7) and Ikitaus (7) were rock solid and made some damaging runs. Valetini was a 9, outstanding.
Markus
Roar Rookie
Can't make tackles when the ball isn't going through your channel. His attacking stats were best in backline and behind only Bobby V.
Markus
Roar Rookie
Solid overall. White I'd bench mainly to pull his head in, realistically he is still well above Tate going to the RWC. One thing is we won't solve the lineout issues by reducing the number of primary jumpers from 3 to 2 in dropping Holloway for Wilson. Wilson also simply didn't do well enough in his last showing. He's competing directly with Valetini for a start, or with Samu for the backrow bench option.
Olly
Roar Rookie
Generous score....
Olly
Roar Rookie
I wonder if Argentina had identified to keep their attack away from the 13 known for his defense and strong positional play....
Toulouse Lautrec
Roar Rookie
Marika 12 tackles, JOC 8 tackles, Foketi 6 tackles, Ikitau.....1 tackle..... get a grip boys. He's good, but this wasn't his best game.
Kai
Roar Rookie
Agreed Olly! Ikitau is a class outside centre, the kid is only 23 and is definitely up there with the current top 13. Lenny is built for test football!!!
Wooliej
Roar Rookie
I don’t understand your theory, sorry. P.S I’m not a Qlder
Noodles
Roar Rookie
I was thinking the same. The start was catastrophic, largely down to a couple of pressure errors down to a couple of people. There simply wasn't enough clarity and connection and not enough leadership (which I expected Job to be offering).
Olly
Roar Rookie
He was ordinary in this game. I just find it hilarious when the centers performed well despite all the rubbish going on around them and Ikitau can't get a break. His states are at the level of the very best players in the world but he gets a pass mark.....
Scott O
Guest
I thought Petaia was a clear second worst after Wright. Ikitau was the only good player in that backline the rest were awful.
Gepetto
Roar Rookie
I rate the coach at 3
Chris
Guest
I also thought Marika was pretty average in post contact runs .Looks to have lost that zip second efforts and power he once had. Maybe at nearly 30 time is catching him.
Brian Westlake
Roar Rookie
But he was still better than mcdermott And seriously, how did mcreight get that score? 3 at best. It showed that he may be good at club, okay at SR, but out of his depth internationally It must have been The Roar queens land fan club