All Blacks XV player ratings vs Georgia | Autumn Nations Series

23 of New Zealand’s most promising aspiring rugby talents had an opportunity to tackle a legitimate international opponent in Southern France, and they did just that, dismissing Georgia in Montpellier.

A final score of 31-13 was registered in favour of the Kiwis, with Georgia threatening in their traditionally strong scrum but struggling to keep up with the pace and talent of the All Blacks XV’s attack.

New Zealand’s outpowered scrum was made up for with lineout dominance and the upper hand around the breakdown, with a rare 6/2 bench split from the Kiwis paying off in an attritional contest in sunny afternoon conditions.

Here’s how they rated in the win:

1. George Bower – 7.5

There were some shaky moments of defensive decision-making from Bower, but his side of the scrum was the more stable throughout his 50 minutes. The 22-cap All Black’s carries were positive, providing reliable gainline ball directly off most restarts.

2. Kurt Eklund – 8.5

Eklund executed a lineout move well early to get his side’s first try of the game and had his team purring in that area throughout the night, helping make up for a clear deficit at scrum time.

The hooker led his side with 15 tackles and scored two tries, both on the back of driving mauls.

3. Marcel Renata – 7

Renata led a stirring haka to begin the contest. He was penalised in the first scrum of the game, just three minutes in and had his hands full against a powerful Georgian scrum all afternoon.

A handling error 20 minutes in was a blight on an otherwise good game with the ball in hand, including some swift passing at the line. Chewed through 10 tackles in his 61 minutes.

4. Isaia Walker-Leawere 8.5

There’s no denying Walker-Leawere’s physical edge around the park, something he used well on both sides of the ball and in the breakdown.

The downside of his bulky frame is his slowness to get off the ground in the lineout, which was an issue for New Zealand defensively. Stayed out of penalty trouble.

5. Naitoa Ah Kuoi – 8

Ah Kuoi struggled to assert himself physically in the early passages and allowed Vano Karkadze to get under him for the first try of the game. The Chiefs lock had found his feet by around the 15-minute mark but made a poor decision to go for the line with a carry that got himself isolated 20 minutes in.

the 25-year-old stuck at it and ended the game with 14 tackles and nine carries while leading both teams in lineouts won with 11.

6. Caleb Delaney – 7.5

The blindside made himself an absolute nuisance in the lineout on Georgian throws, disrupting multiple attempts and being a big reason New Zealand’s opponents only managed a 65% success rate at lineout time in the match. A robust performance around the park with nine tackles.

7. Du’Plessis Kirifi – 8.5

The captain made up for his lack of size with speed off the line and hunger around the breakdown, winning a turnover 20 minutes in.

Quick thinking from Kirifi caught Georgia offside and essentially earned Georgia a yellow card. In contrast, the 27-year-old was caught napping on the side of the scrum when Tornike Jalagonia made a run down the blindside and ignited a 60-metre Georgian break.

It wasn’t Kirifi’s most influential game but the flanker is nothing but consistent in his effort and energy, and made his tackles in a 66-minute performance.

8. Simon Parker – 8

Parker lent his physicality to key moments in the match, being responsible for his side’s opening try as he pushed Kurt Eklund through the contact and to the line. 12 tackles and 11 carries in the game.

9. Finlay Christie – 7.5

Learnt an early lesson about the threat of Davit Niniashvili’s running game when he kicked to the Georgian fullback and then found himself dragging the Lyon star down by the bootlaces after he’d broken the messy All Blacks XV chase line.

The 23-time All Black scored an opportunistic try when his side’s driving maul collapsed right on the line and the halfback snuck the pill under Georgia’s nose.

10. Josh Jacomb – 6.5

Context is important when evaluating Jacomb’s performance. This is a kid with just four Super Rugby games under his belt who has excelled at the NPC level.

The 23-year-old looked to be taken aback a little by the pace of the contest early, but his resilience is an incredible asset and as he’s done when under pressure throughout his young career, he kept his head and grew throughout the game.

A try assist in the 26th minute came from a great heads-up play, filling in at halfback and drawing a defender before finding Dallas McLeod. The youngster showed some real moments of class in his distribution, highlighting his potential as a playmaker.

Jacomb had some good moments off the boot but also too many poor kicks. He will certainly be better for the experience of starting in the 10 jersey.

11. Kini Naholo – 8

Naholo contributed some superb carries again in this contest, making metres in tight through his physicality and out wide with his pace. The winger led his side in carry metres.

A try-saving effort just shy of halftime was accurately described by the commentary as “by hook or by crook” as the 25-year-old wrestled with Giorgi Kveseladze in their footrace to the ball after the Georgian centre kicked it through the New Zealand line.

12. Riley Higgins – 8

Higgins landed the defensive assignment of Niniashvili and used his pace to get in the fullback’s face early, shutting down the threat and catching Georgia behind the gain line. The 22-year-old made multiple efforts on defence throughout the afternoon and showed great habits getting out of the way of the breakdown. The rising Hurricanes star also contributed eight carries.

13. Dallas McLeod – 8

McLeod was a great finisher with footwork and strength, scoring early. The midfielder was perhaps unlucky to be penalised for a breakdown infringement just shy of the 30-minute mark, leading to Georgia’s 10th point of the afternoon.

14. Quinn Tupaea – 8

A quieter game from Tupaea on the wing, but the 14-time All Black still managed to make a mark defensively. Made something out of nothing with his linebreak 24 minutes in and again operated like an extra loose forward with his strength around the breakdown.

15. Shaun Stevenson – 8

Stevenson’s first touch of the game was a superb 15-metre gain through footwork in tight quarters. His next big contribution to the match was an outstanding clearance from five metres away from his own line to well past Ge0rgia’s 10-metre line.

The fullback made the most of his touches with electric footwork and excellent playmaking.

Replacements:

16. Bradley Slater – 7

17. Xavier Numia – 6

Numia entered the contest and was immediately penalised at scrum time and then again I’ve minutes from full time.

18. Saula Ma’u – 6

Ma’u also was penalised in his first scrum of the game.

19. Fabian Holland – 8

Six tackles and some strong work in the defensive lineout maul in his 30 minutes on the park.

20. Corey Kellow – 8

Kellow left his mark on Irakli Aptsiauri soon after entering the contest with a hefty cleanout.

21. Devan Flanders – 7

22. Noah Hotham – 8

23. Chay Fihaki – 7