30 September 2025
Good Morning G&GRs and welcome to another episode of Tuesday’s Rugby News. It was a big weekend of rugby with the first Bledisloe test, South Africa v Argentina, the World Cup wrapped up in England, Super Rugby AUS finished the round robin and is heading to the final this week. If you haven’t had a chance to read Hoss and KB’s excellent match review you can check it out here, and if you want a good recap of all of the weekend’s games then you can you can check them out here.
It’s Tuesday after a Wallabies test, so we’ll cover a bit of news from around the grounds, do player ratings for the Wallabies and invite you to put together your Golden Wallabies ratings from the weekend.
2025 World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is run, done and won, congratulations to England who were the deserved winners after setting the standard for the last 8 years having lost only once in that time, the 2022 final to New Zealand in New Zealand. Congratulations to Canada for making the final, they put early pressure on the English and made them work for the win. New Zealand finished with a win over France to finish third in a very good game. It’s well worth the watch.
Some of the key stats in terms of individual performances throughout the World Cup:
- Braxton Sorensen-McGee leaves the World Cup as the leading try scorer with 11 tries, the next best was 6 with Julia Schell, Jess Breach, Desiree Miller, Freda Tafuna and Francesca McGhie. 11 tries, wow.
- Braxton Sorensen-McGee also led the point scoring with 69 points, the next best was Renee Holmes from NZ with 64 and Sophie de Goede with 61. She also not surprisingly led the way for clean breaks with 15.
- Talking about Sophie de Goede, she topped the tally for runs with 106, offloads with 12, finished fourth for tackles with 82 and second for conversions with 20. It’s no wonder she was awarded the World Rugby 15s player of the year, amazing stuff. Did I mention that she’s a lock who kicks goals?
Not surprisingly, Braxton Sorensen-McGee was awarded the World Rugby Women’s 15s breakthrough player of the year for 2025.
I was looking for an overall attendance figure for the World Cup, but couldn’t find one, it was a lot, particularly given the 81,885 who watched the final live. I got to see the Wallabies play at Twickenham in 2000, when England won in the 89th minute, and the whole occasion was amazing. I can only imagine what it would’ve been like to be an English fan when they won a well deserved home World Cup.
Wallabies Player Ratings
As usual, in the week after a Wallabies test we’ll do player ratings. As a reminder, these are my ratings, based on watching the game on Saturday and rewatching the mini match on Monday night. There was obviously some commentary on the match review on Sunday, and in the Monday news which I have taken into account. As always, we are using the G&GR scoring system.
10 – A legendary performance to go down in the history books
9 – Outstanding performance: Man of the match shoo-in
8 – Excellent all-round game
7 – Good game with a few sparkles
6 – Solid performance
5 – Average – a pass mark
4 – Below par
3 – Had a bad game
2 – Tell your story walking pal
1 – A complete joke
0 – Didn’t make it on, or no meaningful involvement.
All Blacks v Wallabies – First Test Eden Park.
- James Slipper – In his 150th test, he turned back the clock, particularly defensively, a very good effort. 7.
- Billy Pollard – Pollard is coming of age as an international player, and had a great game, with runs, tackles, and two tries. 8.
- Taniela Tupou – Is finding form after a tough year for the Waratahs. One tackle on Lomax on the line was excellent. 6
- Nick Frost – Another very good performance by Frost, who has been one of the Wallabies best all year. 6
- Lukhan Salakaia-Loto – Welcome back to the test side for big LSL, made ground with carries, tackled hard. A very solid performance. 7
- Tom Hooper – Tom continues to grow and put in super performances this year. Makes ground and tackles hard. Was hard done by with a turnover penalty against him. 7
- Fraser McReight – A couple of penalties against Fraser, but he also made plenty of tackles, including an excellent effort on Jordie Barrett, and some goal line specials. 7
- Harry Wilson – The skipper put in a good shift, carried with vigour, and found soft shoulders to get over the advantage line. A couple of penalties blight the playbook a bit. 7
- Tate McDermott – The livewire scrumhalf left the field early with a leg injury. No news yet about the severity of the injury. 5.
- James O’Connor – it’s easy to focus on the missed kicks, but JOC was good otherwise, directing play, and always being available in support. 5
- Corey Toole – Didn’t have too many opportunities in attack, but was busy in defence and chased kicks all day. 5
- Len Ikitau – Sticky was very good, offering up his services for carries in tight. Couldn’t find a way to bring JAS into the game in attack. Threw the last pass for Potter’s try. 7
- Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii – Well contained in attack by the All Blacks and didn’t get too many chances. 5.
- Harry Potter – Scored a great early try and looked dangerous with the ball, his handling was very good. With the benefit of replays, his hands were on the ground in the ruck, leading to the penalty and yellow card. Overall 5.
- Max Jorgensen – A good performance at full back by Jorgensen. His first test at #15 and went well. 6
- Brandon Paenga-Amosa – Was solid after he took the field after 62 minutes. Part of a bench that put pressure on NZ. 5
- Angus Bell – Subbed on at half time, carried well and gave it everything. 6
- Allan Alaalatoa – Also subbed on at half time, hit rucks with a vengeance, tackled well, and the scrum was solid. 6
- Jeremy Williams – Was on at 61 minutes and put in a solid shift. 5.
- Carlo Tizzano – Was very busy in his time on the field including scoring Australia’s fourth try. 7
- Ryan Lonergan – Was on early after Tate’s injury. An early knock on, but was then very good, fast to the breakdown, and good passing. Not his fault that the Wallabies can’t win the contestable kicks more often. 7
- Tane Edmed – Didn’t make it on the field – no rating.
- Filipo Daugunu – Was busy in his time on the field, good hands to set up the Potter kick through that ultimately led to the late try. Managed to slip over twice in one play though, so might’ve needed longer sprigs. 5
Let me know what you think in the comments. And have a crack at scoring the Wallabies below.
The rematch in Perth
There are likely to be a few changes in Perth this weekend, with Skelton and Valetini available for selection, so it will be interesting to see the selections. Tate is out, and Jake Gordon hasn’t played in a while, so not sure if he’s available, will Nic White make another comeback?
For mine, I’d like to see Lonergan start, Lynagh to #10, Paisami come into #12, Ikitau to #13, JAS to a wing. A 6: 2 bench with LSL, Hooper and Tizzano alongside the front row replacements with Nic White and JOC as the back reserves. But I reckon Joe might also give Tane the start.
What do you reckon? Let me know.
The Golden Gagger.
2025 – September – Bledisloe v New Zealand
Schoolboy Rugby
And no, nothing to do with Mr Jones, it turns out that the Australian U18 team absolutely belted their Kiwi counterparts by 81-48 in Canberra over the weekend.
Wallabies Golden Ratings.
