All Blacks player ratings: Beauden Barrett saves the day for New Zealand : Planet Rugby

Following their victory in the mid-season international against England at Eden Park in Auckland, here is how the All Blacks performed on Saturday.

New Zealand player ratings vs England

15 Stephen Perofeta: The Blues player had some good moments with the ball in hand during his 50-minute stint and finished with 76 metres gained. However, the arrival of Beauden Barrett as a replacement has seen a marked improvement in the All Blacks’ attack. 6

14 Sevu Reece: The Crusaders paceman was constantly looking for work but did not pose much of a threat with the ball in hand while he was also quiet in defence. 5

13 Rieko Ioane: It wasn’t his best day in the office as England held him in check every time he tried to launch attacks and he made little impact in carrying out his defensive duties. Replaced by Anton Lienert-Brown on the hour mark. 5

12 Jordie Barrett: The All Blacks vice-captain took a while to settle in, but once he did he showed just how important he is to his team with a fine all-round performance. Impressive in attack, he covered 50 metres and also shone in defence, where he made a team-best 13 tackles. 8

11 Marc Tele’a: World Rugby’s Most Promising Player of the Year had a game full of action, showing his class with two well-scored tries, but he was also exposed under the high ball, as both England tries came after he failed to control cross-field kicks. He also scored a try in the first half. 7

10 Damian McKenzie: It must be said that the All Blacks playmaker was the second best in his direct duel with Marcus Smith, but despite this, he remained in the fight for the entire 80 minutes. He came back strong in attack in the final minutes of the match and scored 14 points. 7

9 Finlay Christie: He joined the team early in the season after TJ Perenara was injured and struggled to establish himself as his forwards were on the defensive for most of the game. He made little impact in attack or defence before being replaced early in the second half by Cortez Ratima. 5

All Blacks keep Eden Park intact with another dramatic win over excellent England

Great response from the attackers

8 Ardie Savea: Although the All Blacks forwards were on the defensive for long periods, Savea was as busy as usual in attack and defence and also won a key lineout turnover while competing on an England lineout in the second half. 8

7 Dalton Papali’i: The All Blacks player was limited mainly to defensive duties but gave a good performance in that department as he finished with 10 hitouts and also competed tirelessly at the breakdowns. 6

6 Samipeni Finau: The rookie flanker was limited to mostly defensive duties for a 50-minute spell on the field before being replaced by Luke Jacobson. He made nine tackles but wasn’t as prolific with the ball in hand. 5

5 Patrick Tuipulotu: He used his physicality to test the English defensive line early in the game but became less visible as the match progressed. He was put under heavy pressure in the lineout and replaced by Tupou Vaa’i in the 55th minute. 6

4 Scott Barrett (c): Like Tuipulotu, the All Blacks captain struggled in the lineout but showed courage in other areas. Although his team was under intense pressure, he led them well and, like his brother Jordie, also managed 13 assists. 7

3 Tyrel Lomax: Once again Lomax did a good job in the scrum as he rose to the challenge and also coped in defence making eight tackles in a 55-minute spell. 6

2 Codie Taylor: Although he struggled to find his touchline shots on a few occasions, Taylor was lively in other areas, with his ball control particularly impressive and he finished with 41 metres gained. He also shone in defence with 11 hits made before Asafo Aumua replaced him in the 65th minute. 7

1 Ethan de Groot: Like Lomax, the Highlanders left-footed launcher did what was expected but made his biggest contribution in defence where he made eight tackles before leaving the field after 50 minutes. 6

Replacements: All Blacks coach Scott Robertson made changes early in the second half and it had the desired effect with Beauden Barrett leading the way with an inspired performance. Barrett’s playmaking skills were of a high standard and he finished with 32 metres gained in 30 minutes on the field. There were also good performances from Ratima and Lienert-Brown in the backline while the front row of Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Fletcher Newell and Aumua won a crucial penalty in the scrum late in the game. 9

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