All Blacks v Wallabies: How the players rated

NEW ZEALAND

Mils Muliaina 7
There or thereabouts with some good links and runs.

Rico Gear 4
Scruffy game, butchered a try. Lucky the All Blacks won - otherwise he'd have to live with the replays a-la Jeff Wilson.

Tana Umaga 8
Outstanding as the fourth loosie. Tough tackling and big (dodgy) pass for Rokocoko try. Inspirational and uncompromising.

Aaron Mauger 8
More a 10 than a 12. Tactical control, but attack might benefit if he wasn't guarding Carter so much.

Joe Rokocoko 9
Yahoo. He's back. Pure winger's game. Few touches but each brought possibilities. Ran over Mitchell to set up first try, finished the job with long-range classic.

Dan Carter 7
Missed try tackle on Mitchell. Defensively sound thereafter, limited attack. Over-reliance on Mauger influence. Top goalkicking.

Piri Weepu 7
Up and down effort but competitive. Sniffed out vital early try. Messed up Rokocoko try chance.

Rodney So'oialo 7
Hair there and everywhere. Lots of aggressive defence but the odd error as well.

Richie McCaw 9
The legend grows. Great decision and surge for quick-tap try. Into everything, including three lineout takes and a steal.

Jerry Collins 9
Should come with a Government Health warning. Muscle man, and important charge down.

Ali Williams 5
Lineout limited to just two steals. Kick-off misses, ordinary elsewhere.

Chris Jack 7
AWOL at lineouts but excellent at kickoffs and around the field.

Carl Hayman 8
Helped destroy Aussie scrum. Prominent, although two fumbles with one costing a try.

Keven Mealamu 7
Horrible lineout start and never convincing in that department, but superb in general play.

Tony Woodcock 7
Did the job on the Aussie front row. Solid game.

RESERVES

Derren Witcombe 6
(Mealamu 67m). Competent without impact.

Greg Somerville 7
(Hayman 60m) Carried on the scrum demolition job.

James Ryan
(Williams 77m) Still counting his major test career in minutes.

Marty Holah
(So'oialo 75m) Must be sick of warming up.

Kevin Senio
DNP

Luke McAlister 5
(Carter 69m) Little to report.

Leon MacDonald
DNP

AUSTRALIA

Drew Mitchell 8
Terrific try, sharp runs. Missed tackle and charge down costly, and static for McCaw try.

Mark Gerrard 5
A couple of midfield runs, and that was about it. Wendell Sailor can sleep easy.

Stirling Mortlock 5
Some good stuff, but looked stale. Needed to exert greater influence in battling team. Turnover led to late Rokocoko try.

Morgan Turinui 5
Wanted: Class inside centre in the great Australian tradition. Tim Horan he is not.

Lote Tuqiri 7
Plenty of effort from the big wing and two try-saving scrambles.

Matt Giteau 5
Not overly promising before injury.

George Gregan 5
Too methodical. Armchair halfback, no fire as captain. Messed up defence on McCaw try.

David Lyons 4
Wallaby big gun well and truly spiked. Lyons slept on this night.

George Smith 5
Started well, fell into a hole.

John Roe 7
A standout in this company. Honest endeavour sneaks him into test class.

Nathan Sharpe 7
Loads of ball running - the hallmark of his game. Fumble led to McCaw try. Lineout cameo.

Dan Vickerman 7
Lineout colossus under pressure, when most others failed. Nine takes, two steals. Reasonable elsewhere. Might win more votes if he sorted his contact lenses out.

Al Baxter 3
Scrum pox. Not much better anywhere else.

Jeremy Paul 5
Part of shabby front row. Decent lineout effort. Vigorous. Affected by shoulder injury.

Bill Young 3
His scrum nadir. Even the referee began to wise up.

RESERVES

Brendan Cannon 3
(Paul 34m) Horrible, from the moment he botched an early clearing kick.

Matt Dunning 4
(Young 44 - 57m & 66m) A genius compared to Young.

Mark Chisholm 4
(Sharpe 66m) No impact.

Phil Waugh 4
(Lyons 55m) Anonymous by his standards.

Chris Whitaker 4
(Gregan 66m) Forever the test bridesmaid.

Elton Flatley 4
(Giteau 36m) Uninspiring. Injured and replaced by Gregan for final six minutes.

Clyde Rathbone 4
(Turinui 50m) Not living up to his billing.

REFEREE

Tony Spreadbury (England) 2

Confusion central. Marked down for yapping like a demented chihuahua. Plummets further for botching the big decisions - ruling out early All Black try and allowing Rokocoko score from Umaga forward pass. Took ages to suss out drop dead horrendous Aussie scrum. Enjoys himself, even if others don't. More pantomime than West End.