OK, the world famous in Valley Road, Mount Maunganui, player ratings.  A hard call this week, a bit difficult to give every one a zero, as there were some half decent performances from this mob here, and some not so decent too...

Units first, forwards and backs.

Backs  -  2/10.
The worst display of football from a backline since the local married singles game saw yours truly at second five, and prop Cyril at first.  In fact, it might not have been as bad as that, as when we got tired, we passed it out to the rest of the backline, who made some good yards and were quite creative...

Forwards  -  8/10.
A very solid day at the office for all concerned, including possibly a first, a clean sheet on our own line outs in a pressure game.  Scrum dominant too, despite the best efforts of the referee, so a good day at the office for the men in black numbers 1-8.

The players though, individually, well, here goes...

15:  Leon MacDonald  -  6/10
I thought he went pretty well to tell the truth, but like the rest of the blouses, he seemed to have taken an overdoes of nerve pills.  He was safe under the high ball when Kelleher wasn't there to foul things up, kicked well.  Did look out of sorts though, not quite 'there' 100%, like the rest of the backline.

14:  Joe Rokocoko  -  7/10
Best All Black back on the field, looking for work throughout, but never really getting an opportunity that he didn't have to hunt for in midfield or closer.  On 'that try' could have done better perhaps, but he kept his winger covered, which was his first job after the break, but perhaps just slamming the ball carrier from behind might have worked...?  Would have been nice to see a few backline moves structured (or any actaully) to giving the Rock or Sivi a one on one with his opposite number from set play...

13:  Mils Muliiana  -  6/10
He was on the field, as late in the match when he was bored he came into the forward pack and joined in with a few of the pick and goes.  While not a failure at centre, perhaps a better phrase would be wasted at centre.  A much more potent attacking force from fullback.  Smith at centre might have been the right call.  Anyway, as those old report cards used to day "tried hard", but got sod all chances, so did little right, and little wrong.

12:  Luke McAlister  -  7/10
Individually went well, but part of a bigger mess called an All Black backline.  A few nice early breaks, tackled well, nice try after making the initial break, and in general doing the right things at the right time.  Just unfortunate that as Luke was doing something right, the other six players in the backline would be doing something wrong, and vice versa throughout the entire match!!  The game was like that really - it was as if the seven backs were given comms devices set to seven different random frequencies, and now and then they would coincide!

11:  Sitiveni Sivivatu  -  5/10
Was picking daisies for 60 minutes before realising his French holiday might be over unless the All Blacks won.  Too little too late for Sivi in this game.  Unlike the Rock he was a lazy bastard for most of the game.  However, like the Rock he should have been used more often out wider, given a chance to go one on one with opposing threeq uarters.  What has happened to the old double skip pass with a fullback coming into the line to generate that overlap?  Thems was the days!

10:  Dan Carter  -  4/10
Not a vintage day from Carter, out of form, injured and he looked it.  Re injured himself during the match, or rather aggravated his current calf injury, and didn't last the distance.  Did slip a nice pass to Lucky Luke to set up his try though, but that should not be the one highlight of his day, it should be the bloody norm - as it has been in the past, and fingers crossed, will be in the future.

9:  Byron Kelleher  -  5/10
Seemed to have set out at the start of this match to annoy and get in the way of Leon MacDonald as much as possible.  Other than that, there was little he really did.  A few darts that were stopped pretty quick, and generally decent clearance, but like the rest of the blouses, just not singing from the same song sheet.

8:  Rodney So'oilao  -  9/10
What more could a man do to win a game?  Certainly an individual performance to be proud of.  Who was the last man making tackles on French try scorers - Rodders, who was the man scoring match breaking (should have been) tries - Rodders.  Who was the man always five feet from the ball - Rodders.  Probably the best game he has played in black - or silver rather.  As always a dafe lineout option, tidy at scrum time, and as mentioned, always there or there abouts with the ball.

7:  Richie McCaw  -  7/10
Like Rodders, gave his left testicle to the cause.  Pinged a few times early (would he have been pinged had he been wearing blue one wonders - bitter about the reffing, who me), but other than that his usual self.  With the monopoly on the ball though, not the usual game where he can scavenge at the tackle anyway, so plenty of ball carrying instead. 

6:  Jerry Collins  -  6/10
Should have left the field when he got crooked early.  but should have smacked out Oliver on the way for throwing the hospital pass that saw him get ball and man at the same time!!  I think a fit Jerry Collins carting the ball forward into the French line might have caused a few more problems than any other options.  Once Collins was gone, the midfield crash option seems to have dried up.  A pity perhaps that the pie eating Lauaki was not on the bench instead of Lauaki.

5:  Keith Robinson  -  7/10
Reuben Thorne with a more scary haircut and at least one elbow per square inch of his body.  Was stuck into the tight work for his full quota of game time, part of the dominant All Black forward performance, secure in the air at kick and lineout time, did his duties well.

4:  Ali Williams  -  9/10
Like Rodders, pulled a big one out for the big game.  Just needed 13 others to do the same!!  Stole plenty of French ball at lineout time, almost scored a brilliant try, won his own lineout ball, and did all the dirty work at scrum, ruck and maul too.  A performance to be proud of, pity about the result sort of thing.

3:  Carl Hayman  -  7/10
Dominated at set piece, trundled through his work throughout, a good day at the office.

2:  -  8/10
One of the better games from Oliver over the last few years.  While not as dynamic with the ball as Mealamu or Hore, he still carted it forward effectively when needed.  Made a ton of tackles too, part of a top forward effort.  Also, lost no line outs thanks to his throwing!!

1:  Tony Woodcock  -  7/10
See Hayman.

16:  Andrew Hore  -  7/10
Dynamic in the close quarter stuff, which with 20 minutes to go seemed to be the sole All Black method of attacking. 

18:  Chris Jack  -  7/10
Big off the bench, some strong runs, carried on the tight work as left over by Keith Robinson.

19:  Chris Masoe  -  6/10
Looked petrified with the whole thing, was about as effective as a double ended condom.

20:  Brendan Leonard  -  6/10
Tried hard, made some effective dabs, but didn't add much to the game to be fair - some dodgy clearances.

21:  Nick Evans  -  7/10
15 minutes of difference before getting injured too.  Certainly made a difference over the injured Carter.  Took the line on and busted it a couple of times before getting busted himself!!

22:  Isaia Toeava  -  N/A
Was all over by the time this young fella came on.

*Well, OUR final anyway...