All Blacks Player Ratings v Australia: Jordie Barrett shines as New Zealand edge closer to the Rugby Championship title
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New Zealand put themselves in pole position to win the Rugby Championship defeating the Wallabies 40-14 in Auckland on Saturday.
New Zealand are on the brink of another Rugby Championship title, which would represent a remarkable turnaround for an All Blacks team which came under huge pressure at the start of the campaign.
Ian Foster's men have now won four of their last five Tests after winning just one of their previous six.
If they clinch the title, this would be their sixth success in the last seven years - only South Africa in 2019 have denied them in that span.
Here is how we rated Ian Foster's charges in their victory over Australia.
15. Beauden Barrett - 7
A tidy shift for the veteran All Blacks who started at fullback for the first time since 2020.
Barrett sparked the All Blacks' attack early in the encounter and had a nice left-footed chip over the top.
He was assured under the high ball and shifted in as the first receiver well needed. Off with 10 minutes left to play.
14. Will Jordan - 8
Will Jordan ⚡️
— Ultimate Rugby (@ultimaterugby) September 24, 2022
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2⃣1⃣ Tries🏉#NZLvAUS #RugbyChampionship pic.twitter.com/7RjqvNp5N6
Another stellar outing for Will Jordan, who scored 21 tries in 21 test matches.
He eased past Jordan Petaia to score the match's opening try and sped to a game-high of 119 running metres.
An unlucky bat back led to Australia's first try, but the game was seemingly out of their reach by then already. He limped off in the 68th minute.
13. Rieko Ioane - 7
A telling break through the Wallabies' defence could have resulted in another try for Will Jordan; however, Ioane was guilty of running away from his support.
Outside of that mistake, Ioane enjoyed a solid game after getting fired up by the Wallabies' response to the haka.
He had good bursts through the defence to make over 100 running metres and made all seven of his tackles.
12. Jordie Barrett - 9
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A successful switch to inside centre for Jordie Barrett, he produced a stellar performance and arguably his best of the year.
Barrett was tasked with carrying the ball into the heart of the Wallabies' defence and so superbly making a match-high of 18 carries. It wasn't just as a crash ball performance from Barrett as he beat seven defenders, completed four offloads and gained 82 running metres.
He defended strongly in the midfield and kicked superbly out of hand. This performance, paired with his shift to inside centre in the second test, shows that he is a real option in the position from now on.
11. Caleb Clarke - 7
The All Blacks got great purchase from Clarke's thundering carries as he left bodies in his wake. His work under the high ball was a notable improvement as he continues to fine-tune his game.
10. Richie Mo'unga - 6
Mo'unga distributed well throughout the match, but there were some questionable kicks out of hand. He was also charged down in the lead-up to one of Australia's tries.
9. Aaron Smith - 7
The All Blacks' pack gave Smith an easy ride as he kept their attack ticking over with swift and accurate passes.
1. Ethan de Groot - 6
Swings and roundabouts for the young loosehead prop as he got the upper hand in the scrums but made a few silly mistakes.
He wasted a lineout 5m from the Wallabies line, conceding a penalty and missed a tackle on a charging Jed Holloway but sharply tackled Ikitau and Wilson.
2. Codie Taylor - 6.5
Some struggles at lineout time, but the scrum performed well throughout his time on the pitch. He was eager to get his hands on the ball and made a questionable decision to take a penalty on his 5m line quickly; luckily for him, nothing came of it in the end. He forced his way over the line from a rolling maul to cap off his performance.
3. Tyrel Lomax - 7.5
Lomax got the better of James Slipper in the scrums and worked hard around the pitch, carrying strongly and clearing out rucks. He was guilty of missing five tackles, but he was getting through a lot of graft.
4. Brodie Retallick - 7.5
Retallick had a few bright moments with the ball in hand and was just as effective in the nitty gritty, thundering into rucks, tackles and stopping mauls.
5. Samuel Whitelock - 8.5
He scored a dubious try, but they all count the same, and it is a rarity for the veteran second-rower. His lineout calling was up to his usual high standard, while he was effective at the breakdown latching on to claim two turnovers. A fantastic performance overall.
6. Akira Ioane - 6
A quiet 70-minute performance from the blindside flanker. He claimed two turnovers but was quickly wrapped up when he carried to the line and made his tackles.
7. Dalton Papali'i - 6.5
A busy defensive shift from the openside flanker, he made a match-high of 19 tackles without missing and won a turnover.
He had a pass picked off by Foley and gained 14 metres from his four carries. A solid game but not one that will ply too much pressure on Sam Cane.
8. Ardie Savea - 7.5
A brilliant early turnover was a much-needed pressure reliever for his side as Savea returned in fine form for the All Blacks after a week break.
He powered to over 50 metres from his nine carries while tackling and distributing well. Another strong game added to what has been a great year as far as individual performances go.
REPLACEMENTS
Samisoni Taukei'aho - 7
Accuracy and energy from the bench before grabbing another five-pointer.
Ofa Tu'ungafasi - 6
Strong scrummaging and got stuck into the rucks.
Nepo Laulala - 6
He also scrummaged and tackled well, a sound return from injury.
Tupou Vaa'i - 5
He got the final 13 minutes and had little to do besides hitting rucks and making three tackles.
Hoskins Sotutu - 5
Like Vaa'i, he had little to do in the 11 minutes he was out on the pitch after replacing Akira Ioane.
Finlay Christie - 5
Few really standout moments as he kept the pace of the All Blacks attack when needed and forced a turnover on Nic White but conceded one not too long after.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck - 5
On for the final 11 minutes of the match in place of Beauden Barrett and the now two test All Black spent most of that time defending. He made all four of his attempted tackles, but didn't touch the ball.
Sevu Reece - 6
Reece claimed a nice turnover in his own 22 and gained just four metres from his two carries. He was lucky not to see any punishment for his tackle on Reece Hodge.
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