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Wallaby Player Ratings v Ireland
By Robert Seltzer
Michael Cheika's Australia side went down to the touring Ireland in heartbreaking fashion last night. Here's how the players fared individually.
Scott Sio - 6
Outshone by Kepu in the loose. Both were solid at scrum time.
Brandon Paenga-Amosa - 6
His lineout functioned reasonably. Didn’t get as much ball in hand as he would have liked. Replaced at halftime.
Sekope Kepu - 7
Offered himself a lot more for the ball, Perhaps feeling the pressure from Tupou. Very solid at scrum time.
Izack Rodda - 6
A good lineout foil to Coleman, still needs to impose himself more on games.
Adam Coleman - 6
Great early lineout steal, lucky not to concede a penalty try in the first half. Strong with ball in hand. Silly penalty given away led to Irish try
Lukhan Tui - 7
Is a powerful ball runner, did very well on his first International start. Looks like he could strike up a great partnership with Hooper and Pocock.
Michael Hooper - 6
Picked up an injury in the 15th minute.
David Pocock - 8
What a player, 2 early steals early on set the tone. Was a constant thorn in Ireland's side at the breakdown.
Nick Phipps - 6
Genia was missed, his passing isn’t as good and the control isn’t there.
Bernard Foley - 7
Kept the team ticking over. Superb vision for Koroibete’s try but his penalty miss may have been crucial.
Marika Koroibete - 7
Defended superbly as usual. Took his try very well, had a lot to do but finished well.
Kurtley Beale - 6
Looked bright early on and his kicking game was good, didn’t trouble the Irish defence as much as he has done.
Samu Kerevi - 6
One great break in the second half but needs to get himself more involved in the game.
Dane Haylett-Petty - 7
Steady as always without being spectacular. Never puts a foot wrong.
Israel Folau - 6
Imperious under the high ball, unlucky to receive a yellow card but was shackled well by the Irish defence.
Key reserves:
Pete Samu (on in 16th min) - 6
Different player to Hooper and not as influential as Tui. Will be a useful squad member.
Tolu Latu - 7
Scrum really improved when he came on. Was dynamic with ball in hand and very powerful in defence. His best outing in a Gold shirt, copy book was blotted though by the late penalty given away which sealed the game for Ireland.
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Latest Comments
So if this ain’t the best Irish team ever then who exactly is? I don’t remember any other Irish team being this good & winning a series in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Yes I may rip them often for 8 X QF RWC exits & twice not even making it to the QF, but they’re a damn good team who many think can only improve, including me!
Go to commentsNot a squeek out of Leinster for weeks about this match. So quiet. The first team have been quitely building for this encounter under Nienaber’s direction. All fresh, all highly motivated. They are expecting a season’s best performance from Northhampton. They will match that. They will be fresher and apparently they will have 80,000 out of the 83,000 shouting for them. I do expect Northhampton to turn up big time. Not to be missed. On a tangent it is evident how the loss of a few Premiership teams has in some respect helped other Premiership teams and England. More quality over less teams makes the teams better, which has a knock on effect on England. Not the only factor contributing to England’s rise but one of them.
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