All Blacks Player Ratings From Their 31-27 Win Over France In Dunedin
All Blacks Player Ratings From Their 31-27 Win Over France In Dunedin
The All Blacks opened 2025 with a hard-fought 31-27 win over a weakened France, featuring standout performances from Jordan, Savea and Roigard.
Season 2 of the Scott Robertson All Blacks got off to a winning, if not completely convincing, start with a 31-27 win over a French side missing its front-line experienced players.
Trailing 10-0 early, the All Blacks showed their class to come back and take a 21-13 halftime lead.
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France would strike early in the second half to pull back within a point at 21-20 and would remain in the fight through to the end.
Here is how the All Blacks fared in their opening test of 2025:
1. Ethan de Groot – 7
He enjoyed a ding-dong battle with the wily veteran Rabah Slimani.
De Groot was penalized once, but overall held his own at scrum time.
Around the park, the Highlanders man had a really productive outing with 11 tackles, four carries and a huge amount of ruck hits.
2. Codie Taylor – 7.5
Still trooping along at 34-years-old, Taylor carried well with 10 carries for 38 meters, led a 100% success rate at line-out time, won a nice turnover and had a superb offload.
3. Fletcher Newell - 7
It was a nuggety performance from the powerful Crusaders tighthead, who led a 100% win rate at scrum time, made 10 tackles, five carries and, similar to de Groot, was noticeably impactful at the breakdown.
4. Scott Barrett - 4
Plucked from the action with 23 minutes to play, Barrett did a lot of the grunt work but didn’t have a big impact moment to hang his hat on.
Getting through seven tackles, six carries and one line-out win wasn‘t a vintage showing for the skipper.
5. Fabian Holland – 8.5
Did exactly what Scott Robertson would’ve hoped from the big bruiser, topping the tackle charts with 17, topping the line-outs won with seven and carrying 13 times!
Overall, it was a dream debut for the Dutchman, who quite possibly is the most interesting story in rugby this year.
6. Tupou Vaa'I – 7
Playing in the back row for the second time in his test career, the Chiefs man looked comfortable on the edge of the scrum.
His dynamism at the line-out time offered the All Blacks plenty of options with his six takes.
Scoring a try as he burrowed under a French defender showed why Robertson was keen to have him in a looser role.
In the end, he had nine carries and seven tackles to go with his physicality at the breakdown.
7. Ardie Savea - 8
Titanic in every sense of the word, the All-Blacks’ vice-captain once again was their key carrier from goal line dop-outs and on the flanks.
Topping the carry charts with 20 carries for 80 meters, four defenders beaten and two offloads, Savea quite clearly is the focal point for Scott Robertson’s attack in the pack.
8. Christian Lio-Willie – 5
A solid, if not spectacular, debut for the Crusader, who was substituted in the 50th minute, having made seven carries for 29 meters and most notably 12 tackles and a turnover.
No doubt he will be better for the experience, but whether it was enough to lock down the position for the next test is debatable.
9. Cam Roigard – 8.5
A real bright spark for the All Blacks, the 24-year-old’s ascension continues, and he now looks locked in as the first choice No. 9 going forward.
Ripping out 84 passes, making 54 meters from nine carries and kicking superbly, Roigard was a class above today.
10. Beauden Barrett - 7
What he may lack in top-end pace, he more than makes up for with his rugby intellect.
Barrett kicked well from the hand and the tee, had two try assists and generally marshalled his side well in the face of some pretty ferocious French defense.
11. Rieko Ioane - 6
Back to the future for Ioane, returning to his roots on the wing, the Blues star looked assured, fast and powerful in the wide channels.
His one noticeable blemish was a simple drop from a kickoff, which led to France scoring a try quickly from the subsequent scrum.
Overall, it was a good showing from Ioane, who ended his day with 78 meters from eight carries, three line breaks and no missed tackles.
12. Jordie Barrett – 8
Slotting right back in, Barrett looked sharp in his first match since his sabbatical with Leinster.
Gathering the ball beautifully off a challenging pass from Will Jordan for his try showed his dexterity and skills.
In general play, he had 10 carries for 56 meters, an offload and a defender beaten.
13. Billy Proctor – 7
Came within a fingertip of scoring for the Hurricanes man who had a bone-crunching impact tackle earlier in the contest.
In attack, he was busy getting on the ball 10 times and had a nice offload that got his side moving and brought his outside backs into the action.
14. Sevu Reece – N/A
Injured in the first minute.
15. Will Jordan - 9
Chasing down Doug Howlett’s try record, Jordan is nine tries short, having played 20 fewer test.
Netting another two tries against France, the Crusaders fullback was at his magnificent best.
Racing away for 62 meters from 14 carries, with three defenders beaten, was a brilliant individual outing.
This being said, Jordan wasn’t just a strike runner; he had two offloads and a try assist, which ensured the All Blacks’ wide attack stretched the French defense.
Substitutes
16. Samisoni Taukei'aho – 7.5
Replaced Taylor with 23 minutes to play.
The Chiefs hitman immediately inserted himself into the action with eight carries for 23 meters.
Defensively, there wasn’t a huge amount for him to do, given the All Blacks firmly dominated the possession, so he ended with just one tackle.
17. Ollie Norris - 5
Came on for a productive debut with four carries, maintained a solid All-Black scrummaging performance and generally slotted in well.
18. Pasilio Tosi – 7
Outside of conceding an unnecessary penalty that wiped off a try, the giant tighthead had a good game with a notable scrum penalty that allowed the All Blacks to clear their lines as the French ramped up a late attack.
Carrying four times, making four tackles and using his power at the breakdown to ensure quick ball, Tosi played a key role in ensuring front-foot ball for his side.
19. Samipeni Finau – 6. 5
Replacing the skipper, Finau immediately shifted into the workhorse role that Barrett left.
A constant presence in the tight exchanges, the Chief’s only real blemish was a penalty concession.
20. Du'Plessis Kirifi – 6.5
Making a long overdue debut, Kirifi didn’t take long to get stuck in with six carries, an offload, four tackles and a big-time turnover.
21. Cortez Ratima - 5
Came into the action as the up-tempo halfback replacement.
Ratima was busy with 32 passes but didn’t really have the impact he would’ve hoped.
Carrying just once, and perhaps not quite managing play as well as Roigard did, it wasn’t a performance that would lead to him displacing the Hurricanes man as the first choice.
22. Quinn Tupaea - 5
Returning to the All Blacks after a few horrific injuries was a nice moment for the Chiefs center.
He beat one defender with his long carry and made two tackles for a performance that didn’t jump off the stats sheet. This was likely down to him playing out of position at outside center, having been red hot in the 12 shirt throughout Super Rugby.
23. Damian McKenzie – 7.5
For all intents and purposes, McKenzie was the starting fullback against France, given he replaced Reece in the first minute.
Sparkling in the wide channels, McKenzie made the most meters for the All Blacks with 90 from 17 carries and beat six defenders.
In the kick stakes, McKenzie found some good grass in the French backfield and covered the long-range kicking game well.
His ability to operate as a second distributor really brings the All Blacks attack to life.
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