The All Blacks cruised to a comfortable 50-19 victory over the Bulls in their third game of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour – but not everyone impressed at Loftus Versfeld.
Dave Rennie’s side continued their winning start to the tour with another convincing performance, but several players still came in for criticism despite the emphatic scoreline.
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Planet Rugby were particularly harsh on a handful of New Zealand stars, with four players receiving some of their lowest ratings.
Here are the four All Blacks most criticised against the Bulls – and how RUCK rated their performances.
#4. Peter Lakai
Planet Rugby felt Peter Lakai produced a solid rather than spectacular performance, suggesting he did little to make a compelling case for a place in the Test back-row.
They wrote: “A couple of handling errors aside, it was a strong shift” from the Hurricanes forward, who was described as “sharp and accurate” during his 54 minutes.
RUCK rating: 7/10
RUCK were more impressed with the 23-year-old’s contribution, particularly his work away from the spotlight.
“The 23-year-old produced plenty of unseen work, making a significant impact despite spending time out wide. He helped create Moorby’s second try after breaking a tackle and passing inside, while also winning a crucial turnover and forcing a knock-on.”
A needless side-entry penalty was highlighted as his main mistake.
