All Blacks player ratings: Set-piece woes rear head as Springboks stun in Wellington

Saturday, 13 September 2025

ANALYSIS: A week after their Eden Park epic, it’s Wellington woes for the All Blacks once more.

In a terrific turnaround, the Springboks stunned Scott Robertson’s side 43-10 in their Rugby Championship re-match at Sky Stadium on Saturday night.

Here are The Post’s All Blacks player ratings from what was New Zealand’s biggest-ever test loss.

15. Damian McKenzie: Dropped the kickoff, then quickly settled, with some nice touches as handy second pivot, and great work under the high ball. Kicked 2/2 off the tee. 6

14. Will Jordan: Limited chances, before one trademark slice through that was undone by poor pass. Will also rue 100-metre kick that rolled dead, before night was summed up with knock-on over tryline late-on. 5

13. Billy Proctor: A couple of nice bursts, but gave the pass which Kolbe snaffled to go the distance to open Springboks’ account. 6

12. Jordie Barrett: Brilliant try-saving play to strip Kolbe of possession. Largely good under the high ball and strongly took on the line, while led the game’s tackle count (12). 7

11. Leroy Carter: Couldn’t have asked for better start on debut, with easy stroll for 18th minute score to finish sensational team try. Showed enough dangerous touches (beating most defenders in the game, with 7) to make Rieko Ioane’s path back a rather difficult one. 7

10. Beauden Barrett: Heart-in-mouth passing wide in own in-goal, while struggled on some high-ball takes. Solid clearances off the boot but could not ignite attack. Skinned by Hooker late-on in one of five missed tackles. 4

9. Noah Hotham: Awfully unfortunate end to first test start, and earlier-than-expected return from ankle surgery, when forced off in 10th minute with head knock he duly failed. N/R

8. Wallace Sititi: Put shoulders to decent use on defence and used speed well off back of back-pedalling scrum. Done for obstruction at attacking lineout. 6

7. Ardie Savea: Carried on from last week with early turnover win, before producing another big possession win later on. Threw a forward pass. 6

6. Simon Parker: Showed silky skills out wide, getting on end of a cross-kick and with back-flick pass, but wasn’t able to smash his way around in tight like last week. 5

5. Tupou Vaa’i: Good quick hands in the open, and unselfish last pass for Carter to score. One nice lineout steal, but couldn’t own the physical battle like last week, dropping off five tackles. 5

4. Scott Barrett: Will be left shellshocked after being the captain to lead the All Black’s to biggest-ever defeat. Couldn’t impose himself on the contest, while lineout (69%) wobbled. 5

3. Tyrel Lomax: Back in the starting side but, like at Eden Park, endured some more tough stuff at scrum time, and Razor had seen enough early in second stanza. 3

2. Samisoni Taukei’aho: Rare test start in Codie Taylor’s absence and mixed some strong surges with being bumped off by Marx and Wiese, as well as a particularly bad throw when golden chance beckoned. 5

1. Ethan de Groot: Continues to show nice passing hands to be a key attacking link. But scrum was anything but solid. 3

RESERVES

16. Brodie McAlister (Taukei’aho, 55min): Forgettable second test appearance, with two bad lineout throws, the first of which had Springboks pounce to open up double-digit lead. 3

17. Tamaiti Williams (de Groot, 44min): Finally won a scrum penalty NZ’s way, but missed four of his six tackles. 4

18. Fletcher Newell (Lomax, 44min): Pinged for scrum collapse. At least made his tackles. 4

19. Fabian Holland (Parker, 63min): Dropped a lineout under big du Toit pressure, before winning one steal back. 5

20. Du’Plessis Kirifi (Sititi, 66min): On with the deficit 14 and unable to do anything to influence. 4

21. Finlay Christie (Hotham, 10min): Much earlier-than-anticipated injection, and much different to last week, with just the one kick. Offered no running threat, and knocked on one high-ball take. 5

22. Quinn Tupaea (Proctor, 61min): Burst through by Willemse after just coming on, and threw a bad pass into touch as All Blacks chased the game. 3

23. Ruben Love (Carter, 66min): On at wing and caught out out wide on cross-kick to du Toit as Boks scored decisive try. 3