The Wallabies lost their first game under coach Les Kiss, collapsing in the second half in a 50-19 loss to All black people in Eden Park. The All Blacks are seen retaining the Bledisloe Cup for another year, before the teams head to Sydney next week.
Tom Wright broke through the New Zealand defense to score the first try in the seventh minute, before captain Harry Wilson crossed for another just before the break. But the second 40 was practically always one-way traffic, with the hosts eventually winning.
1. Angus Bell – 8
Bell was the second player to reach the 20-tackle mark, highlighting the loosehead prop’s outstanding effort against the All Blacks. Incredibly, Bell didn’t even play an hour, coming on for former All Black Aidan Ross in the 57th.th minutes. The 26-year-old has been a workhorse in defense and has contributed to a reliable line-up in times of struggle.
2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa – 7.5
Australia won 100 per cent of their 10 lines with ‘BPA’ in the middle and the front man enjoyed another solid night in the gold jersey. Paenga-Amosa was in the top five in tackles and second overall in carries before coming to Josh Nasser early in the second half. The line-up has become a strength for the Wallabies this season, with Paenga-Amos among those leading the charge.
3. Allan Alaalato – 7
Alaalatoa was quite good against the All Blacks at Eden Park. It certainly looked like an improved performance from the tenacious player, after the win over the Springboks. In his 26th Appearing in the Bledisloe Cup, the 95-Test Wallaby had the fifth-most tackles of any Australian before going off around 50 minutes. Alaalatoa added to the confidence of the Wallabijes scrum and made a dent around the park, particularly in defence, but also with the ball.
4. Jeremy Williams – 7
Williams came off the field with 58 minutes and 18 seconds left on the clock, delivering another impressive shift for the Wallabies. Williams was the primary target in the line for Brandon Paenga-Amos and even won a steal in the All Blacks’ first-half throw. The 25-year-old ran over the ball and won a penalty for the marauders in the 22nd minuten.d minute and was sixth in total in terms of matches he played until the moment he was substituted, but he also finished with three penalties conceded.
5. Lukhan Salakaia-Lotto – 6
Salakaia-Lotto produced some physical moments with the carry game, leading set-pieces in place of the injured Josh Canham. There seemed to be a real presence around locking down the attack, but the All Blacks were too good on the night. Salakaia-Lotto made 13 tackles in 14 attempts, carried well when called upon, and played the full 80.
6. Rob Valitini – 7
Valletini came off the field with the scoreboard 43-13 in favor of the All Blacks, but the loose forward still managed to make a noticeable impact. ‘Bobby V’ finished in double figures for tackles with 13, the third-most of any Wallaby at that stage with seven, and only ran for 30 meters on the night. Valletini is consistently high for both club and country, and this effort was no exception to that truth.
7. Fraser McReight – 8
McReight is absolutely a player that young players should look up to. The white-capped open side were constantly in the thick of the action and were able to get good positions on the ball. Whenever McReight wasn’t in or around the crowd, the number seven was always on the move—watching the field, anticipating the play and where to go.
If we start with effort, McReight is one of the standouts in the field. The loose forward was able to make a particularly notable impact defensively as a result, among five players already in double figures for matches completed by halftime. McReight was uncharacteristically quiet with the ball during the first half, but was able to get more involved later on.
8. Harry Wilson – 8.5
Wilson made a record 15 turnovers in the first half, which certainly indicates the kind of impact the skipper could have on the Test. The back man also crossed for the final try of the first half and was seen as an option at play time. That high level continued into the second half, with the captain in red headgear with just 30 tackles. There were also things that cannot be characterized by statistics – work rate, effort of playing with the ball, and strengthening as a goal. The scoreboard shows that it wasn’t the Wallabies’ night, but the captain’s efforts remain really positive.
9. Ryan Lonergan – 6
Lonergan prevented what looked like a certain All Blacks try early in the second half, catching Will Jordan a pass that was intended for Wallace Sititi. It was a moment that again shows just how important Lonergan has become to this side. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing, with the usually incisive keeper missing a shot 30 yards in front. It was two contrasting performances from the No. 9’s return to Eden Park, but it was another pretty strong performance in the overall gold. Lonergan took several contested shots, helped dictate phase play with a quick passing game, and appeared to add to the lead at key moments.
10. Ben Donaldson – 6
A two-minute period in the first half summed up Donaldson’s performance against the All Blacks. Donaldson made a spectacular pass to keep the game going, finding Max Jorgensen, who set up Tom Wright for the kickoff. But after a midfield scramble that followed soon after, the half-time sent a shot into touch at the free-kick.
Donaldson did plenty of things right in his third straight start in the No. 10 jumper, but he also made some mistakes. The 27-year-old’s highlight was another moment of magic just before the break, cutting through the All Blacks defensive line to set up skipper Harry Wilson for a try under the sticks.
11. Joseph-August Sualii – 7
Suaalii was heavily involved during the first half hour, with the winger getting plenty of chances to clear the ball and make saves. ‘Su’ took the first kick from any Wallaby, throwing the ball hard at the All Blacks from the scrum. The 23-year-old was beaten by Jordie Barrett under a high ball soon after and the All Blacks made the most of it, with Peter Lakai crashing over for some crucial points moments later.
Suaalii moved to midfield after Len Ikitau’s injury. The utility finished in double figures for tackles completed and was one of the Wallabies’ leading tackles.
12. Len Ikitau – 6
Ikitau looked to be settling into the Bledisloe Cup series opener when another setback occurred. 2025 medalist John Eales (Wallabies Player of the Year) picked up an ankle injury against the Springboks last month and limped off the field in this Test. Ikitau put some shots on for others to chase, including a thrilling early chance for Isaac Henry off the mark, but finished with three runs, four passes and five tackles in less than 30 minutes of playing time.
13. Isaac Henry – 6
The selection of Henry has been one of the big talking points this week, with coach Les Kiss opting to stick with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii on the wing. Henry got into touch early on with a low kick from Len Ikitau’s cross, but was otherwise fairly quiet in attack. But the outside center was one of the away side’s best in defence, finishing with 100 per cent success in the match from 15 attempts.
14. Max Jorgensen – 7
Jorgensen helped the Wallabies get off to a dream start, with the winger benefiting from a magical pass over the top from Ben Donaldson, before setting up Tom Wright for the first try. ‘Jorgo’ hit Damian McKenzie later in the first half as the Wallabies made a real play during the first half. The No.14 helped turn nothing into something to start the second term, linking up with Tom Wright as the Wallabies turned an opening reception into an attacking opportunity. Jorgensen had some good moments, although the game did not go in the visitors’ favor.
15. Tom Wright – 6
Wright couldn’t have started the match better, as the fullback split four defenders and scored in front of 46,352 fans. The Wallabies dominated the first 10 minutes with 90 per cent possession and Wright played a key part in that. Wright was fairly quiet as the match wore on, with the hosts taking control of possession and territory.
Substitutions – 5
It was a tough night for the bench and the All Blacks ran away with a big win during the final quarter. The statistics will show that Harry Potter missed three matches after coming on during the first half, while the others were unable to make any impact. Massimo De Lutiis and Josh Nasser were solid up front but it just wasn’t to be for the men in gold.
