Aussies ascendant!
That’s the mood around Australian rugby at the moment, after the Wallabies brutalised the Lions to end a difficult series on the ultimate high in Sydney.
In what might have been the team’s finest performance under Joe Schmidt, the Wallabies’ front-rowers were a force to be reckoned with, while Max Jorgensen completed his outstanding series on the wing and Tate McDermott produced another spectacular second-half cameo.
And the performance was reflected in the DIY player ratings, with only a single Wallaby failing to record a pass mark of at least an average of 5.
That Wallaby? Andrew Kellaway, who had all of three minutes on the park. Stiff.
At the other end of the scale, the rankings were led by Will Skelton for the second Test in a row, with the veteran lock simply too big and too strong for the Lions to handle.
Jorgensen wasn’t far behind as one of only three Wallabies with an average score above 8; the surprise packet, though, was Tom Hooper, who filled in for the injured Rob Valetini at blindside flanker and did a stirring job to suggest he can be called upon again in The Rugby Championship should Valetini’s fitness continue to pose problems.
Check out the full DIY player ratings below.
Reader player ratings from loss to Lions
1. James Slipper
Average score: 6.54
Most common rating: 7 (39.6%)
2. Billy Pollard
Average score: 6.36
Most common rating: 7 (32.9%)
3. Taniela Tupou
Average score: 7.36
Most common rating: 8 (37.9%)
4. Nick Frost
Average score: 7.68
Most common rating: 8 (41.1%)
5. Will Skelton
Average score: 8.58
Most common rating: 9 (42.9%)
6. Tom Hooper
Average score: 8.22
Most common rating: 8 (36.6%)
7. Fraser McReight
Average score: 6.93
Most common rating: 7 (40.7%)
8. Harry Wilson (c)
Average score: 6.50
Most common rating: 7 (30%)
9. Nic White
Average score: 7.58
Most common rating: 8 (35%)
10. Tom Lynagh
Average score: 6.17
Most common rating: 6 (34.2%)
11. Dylan Pietsch
Average score: 7.61
Most common rating: 8 (39.1%)
12. Len Ikitau
Average score: 7.71
Most common rating: 8 (37.8%)
13. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii
Average score: 6.78
Most common rating: 7 (42.3%)
14. Max Jorgensen
Average score: 8.13
Most common rating: 8 (38.6%)
15. Tom Wright
Average score: 7.36
Most common rating: 7/8 (34.9%)
Reserves
16. Brandon Paenga-Amosa (Sub on in 72nd minute)
Average score: 5.71
Most common rating: 6 (40.2%)
17. Angus Bell (Sub on in 57th minute)
Average score: 5.95
Most common rating: 6 (39.8%)
18. Zane Nonggorr (Sub on in 60th minute)
Average score: 5.78
Most common rating: 5 (33.6%)
19. Jeremy Williams (Sub on in 63rd minute)
Average score: 7.12
Most common rating: 7 (37.6%)
20. Langi Gleeson (Sub on in 77th minute)
Average score: 5.22
Most common rating: 5 (38.6%)
21. Tate McDermott (Sub on in 58th minute)
Average score: 7.61
Most common rating: 8 (43%)
22. Ben Donaldson (Sub on in 33rd minute)
Average score: 6.33
Most common rating: 7 (31.9%)
23. Andrew Kellaway (Sub on in 77th minute)
Average score: 4.93
Most common rating: 5 (46.3%)
