Autumn Series Team of the Week: Seven from Japan, four Scots and two each from Wallabies and ABs

Japan’s win over South Africa in Brighton remains the gold standard of Test rugby upsets. But for a few minutes at the National Stadium in Japan, it looked like that inspiring (or crushing) feat was destined to be surpassed.

The Barrettless All Blacks had their moments on attack but gave up 31 points. Japan joined France, South Africa, Australia, Ireland and England in the exclusive “notched 31 points against New Zealand” club.

Bookmakers shredded the odds. Previous margins of victory for the All Blacks over the Brave Blossoms were 74, 102, 128, 76, 48 and 38. The home team made 200 tackles and their technique was refreshingly low and effective.

The Roar experts Brett McKay, Harry Jones and Jim Tucker discuss the Wallabies’ win in the Instant Reaction Podcast

Ian Foster and Co were clearly outthought by Jamie Joseph, Tony Brown, Scott Hansen and John Mitchell, who must have been stung by being left off my coaching power rankings last week. That will change!

In the other top tier men’s Test match, number six and number nine played like they were in a Kama Sutra embrace that does not allow clear thought or oxygen.

The non-loser made one less error than the non-winner; and the 2022 script was flipped on several issues:

The Wallabies kicked better.
Finn Russell was missed more for his goalkicking than his miracle plays.
All the Aussie locks stepped up.
The team with fewer tries won.
Luck went Dave Rennie’s way.
A referee found a way to turn a head hit red card into a biceptual yellow, and to rescind a yellow to nothing.

One thing that did not change? The extraordinary penalty count (29 total; 15 for the Wallabies). That will give the Irish and French easy entry into the red zone and it’s goodnight Irene.

The Scots wasted line breaks, shots at goal and attacking lineouts. On the seventh of eighth red zone entries, the Afrikaner android Duhan van der Merwe ran over hapless RAF pilot Bernard Foley ten out from the line, but Grant Gilchrist spilled the pill five metres later.

Story of the night. Nobody can see them emerging from RWC Pool B.

So, selecting only from these four teams, and only from this week, who makes our Team of the Week?

Fullback

Glaswegian Ollie Smith was in for unavailable Stuart Hogg and made a good show of it with a nimble try through the heart of the Wallaby scramble defence and a try-saving tackle of his own. His mixup with van der Merwe seemed to have been on Duhan more than Ollie.

Right wing

Kotaro Matsushima looked a danger on every touch, with over 70 metres on nine carries and solid in defence. Sevu Reece is the other candidate, but I will go with the guy with the better hair.

Japan celebrate against the All Blacks. (Photo by Koki Nagahama/Getty Images)

Outside centre

The first Aussie on the team sheet is a Queenslander, Dylan Riley, who broke, ran, offloaded, created space and tackled well against the All Blacks. It was the best performance by an Australian man against New Zealand in years. Honourable mention for Braydon Ennor on return who took the forward pass for his try well (making it look flat, which is a skill unto itself) and had to figure out where Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was most of the match.

Inside centre

None of them played well. Hunter Paisami conceded three penalties and was left in the dust by Blair Kinghorn on a chase for loose ball. RTS looked befuddled. So, even though he dropped a long pass in a scoring position, so Scottish No.12 Sione Tuipulotu completes an Aussie midfield.

Left wing

Caleb Clarke for mine. Excellent under the high ball, which would have made his coaches happy, and unstoppable for his try. Rambled for 102 metres and did a decent job at the scrum.

Flyhalf

Blair Kinghorn was under the microscope with the darling stonemason Finn Russell cut. At each juncture, the Scottish (or rugby) fan was asking: ‘would Finn have done that? Or better?’ The answers are: ‘no, Finn would not have scored ‘that’ try’ (the pace of Kinghorn, who had to slow to dribble the ball, was shocking). ‘But yes, he would have made the kick, and that floating pass to Jamie Ritchie, too’. He also would have figured out how to score more than 1.85 points per entry. But Kinghorn was still the best 10 on the weekend, with pocket man Richie Mo’unga and pop gun Bernard Foley off their best form.

Scrumhalf

Somebody forgot to tell the Wallaby cleaners Tate McDermott was a sniper. His best moment was erased by isolation, and then it went downhill. He simply could not cope with the Scottish negation at the ruck and had to be rescued by canny Nic White, who probably was the most instrumental player in the win, a squirrelly win right up his winding alley.

Ali Price was the best No. 9 on the pitch, however. Finlay Christie was a charge down risk all game until he was picked off. Aaron Smith restored calm, but it’s the British Lion Price on a wet night who measured his kicks and passes best.

No.8

Good play by all here. Matt Fagerson had a few trademark charges, as did Rob Valetini, who was scolded by the referee for being too chirpy. Lanky Hoskins Sotutu was Hoskins So-So with a dropped try attempt and a lucky backwards-into-contact score which would have probably been held up by a French or South African foe. So, by process of elimination I will choose Japan’s No. 8: Tevita Tatafu, strong in nine hard tackles and resolute in the tight carries (with no penalties).

Openside

Michael Hooper chased the game and how good was it to see him playing the sport he loves! But he will need a few more minutes to get back to his lofty level. Hamish Watson gave it all. Sam Cane soldiered on. But the player of the week is 6 foot 2 dynamo Kazuki Himeno with 18 tackles with nary a miss and 50 hard metres gained (and a try to boot). He was the classiest forward out there and it helps a lot when your opensider is tall and can still do openside things.

Blindside

Good things happened for Ritchie, new captain for Scotland, and Jed Holloway, but they also made several big errors. Shannon Frizzell was outplayed by his replacement Dalton Papali’i and his opposite number, the magnificent Michael Leitch (24 tackles).

Locks

This felt easy to me. Warner Dearns and Nick Frost had the international matches of their careers. Dearns had the sweetest charge catch and try I have ever seen, and added 17 tackles and top lineout work. Frost was stopped on the gainline early and I worried for him but it seemed to anger him and he raised his game to true Test levels.

Nick Frost. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Tupou Vaai’ came in and out of the game and Brodie Retallick just went out. Cadeyrn Neville has to get to more rucks in a better position. The Scottish locks were clumsy and a big reason for their loss.

Tighthead prop

Nepo Laualala was fine, but his replacement Tyrell Lomax was better. Zander Fagerson played heavy on a night when heavy was good. Taniela Tupou did risk the match and got away with it but that won’t survive the video washup: the one thing he had to avoid, he didn’t. Tough call here, but Lomax gets the nod.

Hooker

Dave Cherry was busy and probably should have stayed on for the full match. Samisoni Taukei’aho was brilliant after a rough lineout throwing start. Dave Porecki nailed his throws but was otherwise quiet. So I will go with Atsushi Sakate, with 7 passes completed, 35 metres run, 10 of 10 lineout throws made, and 14 tackles completed.

Loosehead

It seemed like Hooper’s return made James Slipper happiest as he bustled around and let Hoops and White whinge to the ref. A very good line led to a try, but Slipper also linked to second man moves all night. Pierre Schoeman hurdled his way out of the team.

Team (1-15): James Slipper, Atsushi Sakate, Tyrell Lomax, Warner Dearns, Nick Frost, Michael Leitch, Kazuki Himeno, Tevita Tatafu, Ali Price, Blair Kinghorn, Caleb Clarke, Sione Tuipulotu, Dylan Riley, Kotaro Matsushima, Ollie Smith.

Coach of the week: Jamie Joseph.