All Blacks player ratings vs Japan | Lipovitan-D Challenge Cup

The All Blacks have started their Northern Tour with a convincing 64-19 win over Japan, with the Kiwis running riot during the first half in particular. New Zealand scored seven tries during the opening term to well and truly put any chance of an upset to rest.

Wallace Sititi was once again one of the All Blacks’ best despite shifting from blindside flanker to the back of the scrum. Cam Roigard also showed signs of promise in his return from injury, and both debutants can be proud of their first outings in a black jersey.

Here’s how the All Blacks rated.

1. Tamaiti Williams – 7/10

It was a quiet night for Tamaiti Williams who only made four tackles and carried three times during a 50-odd minute shift in Yokohama. But, it’s not all doom and gloom, with the loosehead crashing over for a try from a rolling maul and contributing to a solid All Blacks scrum.

2. Asafo Aumua – 8

Commentator Tony Johnson said it best early in the second half: “Aumua is just running amuck out there.” Aumua only carried the ball five times but he certainly made the most of those opportunities by running for a staggering 33 metres. The hooker was also solid on the defensive side of the ball with nine tackles completed from 10 attempts.

The biggest criticism of Aumua’s game is the hooker’s inaccuracy at the set-piece. Whether it’s with the All Blacks, Hurricanes in Super Rugby, or the Wellington Lions in the NPC, Aumua has a history of missing targets – and that’s how this Test started. Aumua failed to hit the mark with his first throw inside the opening 90 seconds, but the front-rower was perfect from then on.

3. Pasilio Tosi – 7.5

Pasilio Tosi was really impressive during passages of this Test. In the tighthead’s maiden start in the All Blacks’ No. 3 jumper, Tosi was the fourth-best All Black for tackles completed (10) when he was replaced about 50 minutes into the contest.

Tosi also contributed to a solid All Blacks set piece, but it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. The 26-year-old from Levin was practically non-existent when the All Blacks had possession – which was a majority of the Test – by carrying the ball for just four metres from two carries.

4. Sam Darry – 7

Sam Darry’s performance was one that could very go unnoticed by some. It wasn’t flashy or highlight-reel kind of stuff, but the towering second rower was immense around the park – showcasing an abundance of energy to add impact wherever and whenever.

Darry was a bit of a workhorse by contributing as one of the primary lineout targets, as well as a reliable defender and a decent contributor with the ball-in-hand as well. But, with lock ‘Patty T’ also having a good game, Darry’s next Test could very well be against Italy in a few weeks.

5. Patrick Tuipulotu (c) – 8

For the first time, Patrick Tuipulotu captained the All Blacks on Saturday evening. The second rower led with actions throughout the Test in Yokohama, which included a try, some tough work in defence, and a hunger to get involved when the team had the ball as well.

The All Blacks took the lead for the first time in the Test when the skipper crawled to the try line to score early on in the Test. Tuipulotu reeled in an awkward pass before beating three covering defenders to score New Zealand’s second try.

Tuipulotu won a turnover, made 10 tackles and also contributed enough in attack and at the set-piece. It was a confidence-building performance for the lock who will likely play a part in the upcoming Tests against England, Ireland and France.

6. Samipeni Finau – 9

This was the type of performance that Samipeni Finau needed.

The backrower hasn’t played for the All Blacks since the loss to the Springboks at Johannesburg’s Emirates Airline Park, so a good performance was needed to impress the coaching staff. And, as many would agree, that’s what fans saw from Finau.

Finau beat one defender with a simple left-foot step before reaching out to score a try about 30 minutes into the contest. On the defensive side of the ball, the blindside flanker left a couple of Japanese players hurting after hitting them hard with legal stops in defence.

If we look at the stats, Finau actually finished as the top tackler on the night ahead of Sam Cane and Japan’s Harumichi Tatekawa. The 25-year-old was also immense in attack during a performance that saw him stand out as one of the All Blacks’ best.

7. Sam Cane – 8

With Sam Cane retiring from Test rugby at the end of the year, the last phase of the backrower’s decorated international career is underway. In the first Test of Cane’s last dance, the flanker showed his class to shine bright on both sides of the ball and at the breakdown as well.

When Cane was replaced about 50 minutes into the contest, it was nigh on impossible to ignore the incredible work the backrower had done in defence. Cane led all players for tackles made with 14, and he had also impressed with a try during the first half. It was a solid outing.

8. Wallace Sititi – 9

Wallace Sititi has to be considered a likely nominee for World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year Award. Sititi was a relative unknown before starting against the Springboks in Cape Town, and the backrower has taken every opportunity since with both hands.

The 22-year-old, who was named after the popular movie Braveheart, has been one of the All Blacks’ best in every Test both including and since that loss at DHL Stadium. In this one against Japan, Sititi ran riot with the ball and was once again lethal in defence as well.

Sititi had the most running metres out of any player on the night – 20 metres more than the player second on that list. The No. 8 stood out with a few noticeable linebreaks, which included a stunning 30-metre burst early on. As a bonus, Sititi was also reliable at the set-piece.

9. Cam Roigard – 8

For the first time since last year’s Rugby World Cup, Cam Roigard donned a black jersey and ran out into the field of battle with the New Zealand national team. It didn’t start well for the All Blacks’ No. 9 who sent his first box kick into touch, and he had another charged down later on.

But, let’s not dwell on the negatives unnecessarily. It was a disappointing start from the All Blacks as a collective, but as the visitors found their groove, so did Roigard. Whether it was passing, running, or kicking, Roigard looked increasingly confident as the Test went on.

The 23-year-old came close to scoring about 30 minutes into the contest but was held up over the line. But, Roigard would have much better luck early in the second term as the scrumhalf raced away to score the All Blacks’ first points after the break.

Overall, a positive return to the Test arena.

10. Damian McKenzie – 7.5

If you follow RugbyPass on Instagram, you might’ve seen a video this week where this writer asked whether it was truly necessary to start Damian McKenzie against Japan. McKenzie has played in every Test match this year, but it remains to be seen whether coach Robertson will select the playmaker to start during the European leg of this tour.

Coach Robertson and fans wanted to see a great performance from the first five-eighth, and for the most part, that’s what McKenzie delivered. McKenzie registered a try assist, was largely quite accurate off the goal-kicking tee, and even came up with some solid hits on D.

11. Mark Tele’a – 8

That’s more like it from Mark Tele’a. Fans were mesmerised by what the winger was able to do during a breakout international season in 2023, and while Tele’a has been quieter under coach Robertson, this Test was a step back in the right direction.

Out of all the All Blacks, Tele’a carried the ball the second-most times out of any player behind only Wallace Sititi. The left winger was hungry to get involved and was rewarded early on by scoring New Zealand’s opener after 11 minutes.

To put it simply, Tele’a was back bouncing out of tackles again. On top of all that, Tele’a also registered a try assist by sending flanker Sam Cane over with a clever offload midway through the first term.

12. Anton Lienert-Brown – 8

If you were to ask this writer to provide one word only to summarise Anton Lienert-Bronw as a Test player, the response would be simple: reliable. Whether it’s starting or coming off the bench, Lienert-Brown very rarely lets the All Blacks down, and this Test was no different.

Lienert-Brown was one of the All Blacks’ top tacklers on the night with 11 stops during a 54-minute shift against the Brave Blossoms. The midfielder was also one of the game’s best in terms of carries, running 10 times for more than 30 metres.

13. Billy Proctor – 7.5

Billy Proctor only carried the ball a few times but the outside centre certainly made the most of those opportunities. Proctor ended up running for just shy of 45 metres, which included a try during the first term and almost a second five-pointer in the 30^th minute.

Proctor stole the ball at the breakdown in the 24^th minute and so nearly made something special from nothing by hoofing the ball downfield. Sevu Reece chased and appeared to be a chance of gathering the ball, but the bonce of the footy can be a heartbreaking thing.

14. Sevu Reece – 8

Wingers are so often judged on their ability to score tries, and that’s fair to a point because that is fundamentally their job. Sevu Reece didn’t score against the Japanese, but it would be nonsensical to focus on that – it was a good performance, and that should be praised.

Reece stole the show at times with 60 running metres from seven carries. The left winger worked hard to make an impact and was rewarded for those efforts, and so were the All Blacks as Reece contributed to both Billy Proctor and Cam Roigard’s tries.

15. Stephen Perofeta – 6

Running through the list from one to 15, Stephen Perofeta might’ve been the quietest out of all the starting All Blacks. Perofeta seemed to struggle at times to make a meaningful impact while those inside him ran riot with the ball in hand. It wasn’t a poor performance, but it’ll be interesting to see if Perofeta gets a run against England, Ireland and/or France.

Replacements

16. George Bell – 7
17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi – 6
18. Fletcher Newell – 7
19. Josh Lord – 7
20. Peter Lakai – 8.5 – On debut, Peter Lakai made 11 tackles during 30 minutes or so of international rugby.
21. TJ Perenara – 7.5
22. David Havili – 7
23. Ruben Love – 8 – On debut, Ruben Love scored two tries in the space of a few minutes. It’s been a long time coming for Love who has been training with the All Blacks all year, but it seems to have been well worth it in the end.