Best player
Hooker Codie Taylor
With Dane Coles missing in action, Taylor more than took the step up. He raised his game a significant level and Coles will find it hard to get back into the starting side.
Most improved player
Loose forward Ardie Savea
It has taken a while but Savea finally took the chance when it arrived through the absence of Sam Cane. One of the best in the last few tests.
Best individual performance
Beauden Barrett
Scoring 30 points including four tries in the Bledisloe Cup test in Auckland was a fine effort. Damian McKenzie also played a top hand in the beating of the French at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Best team performance
No one match stands out but the 38-13 demolition of the Wallabies in Sydney in the first game of the Rugby Championship was a solid effort.
Must do better
Jordie Barrett
The chosen one looked a mere mortal at times and there are some chinks in his game which got exposed. Has talent but needs more consistency in his game.
Worst team performance
36-34 loss to South Africa
Way too many brain explosions that night in Wellington from too many.
Three questions
1. Did the big win against Italy prove anything at all?
2. Should Sam Whitelock have even gone on the end-of-year tour?
3. What was the point of Matt Todd going on tour?
Looney tunes
The things said after the loss to Ireland - and the reality
1. Sack Kieran Read - he had a poor game against Ireland and his best days are probably behind him. But he is still the best we have.
2. Sack Steve Hansen - ain't going to happen. Lost by a try to Ireland. If the All Blacks played like Ireland, Hansen would have been run out of town years ago.
3. Bring in Richie Mo'unga - Mo'unga has started one competitive test and played not that well in that. Beauden Barrett was world player of the year two years in a row.
4. Bring back Wayne Smith - Perhaps, but is that in any way likely? How about getting the offside line right and get defensive players back two metres.
5. Give Ngani Laumape a chance - so a hard-running one-dimensional midfielder is going to help against strong defensive sides? Ditto with Ma'a Nonu.
6. Put Scott Barrett at blindside - in a tight game, perhaps. But in warmer climes and a faster game, sorry, Barrett is probably not dynamic enough. Leave him at lock.
7. All went wrong since Richie left - no-one was saying that when we pumped every other team in the past two years.
Comments
Speaking of Loony Tunes, the logic surrounding Mo'unga certainly fits the bill — because he hasn't started many tests in the past, that's a sufficient reason for him not starting in the future either...
Uh huh.