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Hannah Peters / Getty Images
Rieko Ioane had an outstanding game in the center of the North in the clash between islands in Wellington.
The South edged the North 38-35 with a last-minute attempt at Will Jordan in an entertaining inter-island clash in Wellington on Saturday night that served the All Blacks selectors a lot of thought.
Both teams gave a lot and showed a lot of skill to match their effort in a clash that went straight to the wire, with a Josh Ioane cross shot that found Jordan for a victory from behind.
This is how we rate the players from the North:
Damian McKenzie: Excellent play from the little man in the back as he showed a welcome return to top form. He scored a try and appeared twice on both Aaron Smith’s score and Rieko Ioane’s second. A busy night and a timely reminder that it is still a class act of attack. 7
Sevu Reece: A decent 60 minutes before giving way to Peter Umaga-Jensen. He couldn’t keep Jordie Barrett out one-on-one in his attempt and left room for the great Tyrel Lomax to stroll through his. A couple of electric runs to balance. 5
READ MORE:
* North vs South: Thriller goes the way of the South after absorbing the battle of the creators of game.
* North vs South: All Blacks Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo’unga to face off
* All Blacks Selection Race: Who’s on the inside running for coach Ian Foster’s first team?
Rieko Ioane: Absolutely exceptional throughout. He scored two well-taken attempts, made some brilliant volleys, and matched very, very well with Anton Lienert-Brown in midfield. In this you see the favorite for the ABs No. 13 jersey. 8
Anton Lienert-Brown: A handling error. Otherwise his usual high quality self and seemed to enjoy playing alongside Ioane on a baseline that offered a lot. Good on the ball too. 6
Caleb Clarke: What a start with the 40-meter run from the start, and barely stopped thereafter. Featured match, and now you should be in the mix for an AB call-up. Not just a man of power. Good pass on McKenzie’s attempt, a great tackle to Will Jordan from a restart and set up Ioane’s second with a fabulous run. 8
Beauden Barrett: Mostly positive night before being late to Mitch Hunt. He looked strong from the start, with his grubber setting Ioane on his first try and a great run, though he ruined it with a forward spill at the end. Not so prominent after halftime. 6
TJ Perenara: He played the first 40 in a worksharing deal with his former partner Nugget. Nothing spectacular, although I got into a little fight with Codie Taylor to show that it wasn’t all fun. 5
Hannah Peters / Getty Images
Caleb Clarke of North runs with the ball during the North v South rugby match at Sky Stadium.
Hoskins Sotutu: Impressive first outing at this level. And in this evidence it looks like a guardian. He ran well, displayed excellent handling touches and also made a crucial defensive play to defuse a dangerous throw-in. Expect a call from AB on Sunday. 8
Ardie Savea: He got into his business in the second half when North’s loose trio began to have fun and play rugby. He forced several turnovers, including what should have been a deciding factor late in the piece, and was busy on defense. He enjoyed his time at 8 too late in the piece. 7
Akira Ioane: Positive night for a colleague who is rebuilding his reputation in an impressive way. Paired well with his loose compadres, he showed off some nice touches and made a dash to show the speed that lurks within him. 7
SPORT OF HEAVEN
South wins a seesaw showdown over North in an inter-island thriller.
Tupou Vai’i: Nothing too flashy on the first crack in this kind of level. But he would have benefited from the experience, before giving way to Scott Scrafton in the 50th minute. 5
Patrick Tuipulotu: He led his team well, was a lineout kingpin and solid as a rock on one more night over the flashy stuff. 6
Ofa Tuungafasi: He spent 50 good minutes and left with his team in front. Scrum was in the shadow of his time, but he got along well and still loves a tackle. He came back to end the game with his head loose. 6
Asafo Aumua: Pretty useful 59 minutes or so and it definitely showed off those X factor attributes that you have in abundance. Nice take of a bouncing cross kick at the beginning and generally busy. A lineout fails at the end of the first half. 6
Karl Tu’inukuafe: He also substituted within 10 minutes of the second spell and would have been delighted to get over it after all his injuries. Not a vintage scum night, but a big step in the right direction. 5
Bookings:
Ash Dixon (60 minutes): He scored an attempt with a nice fence line and erased his notebook with a crooked shot at the end of the piece. 5
Ayden Johnstone (50 minutes): Just a short run after getting hit to the head. N / R
Angus Ta’avao (50 minutes): Scrum was better for the last half hour. You checked that box. 5
Scott Scrafton (50 minutes): He enjoyed half an hour with his old partner Tuipulotu and did nothing wrong. 5
Dalton Papalii (63min): A good race showed his skills and otherwise he did what he had to do. 6
Aaron Smith (halftime): He made a huge impact in the 40th second, scored an excellent try at a top line of support and overall lifted his team with his speed and sharpness. 7
Peter Umaga-Jensen (63min): There is no real chance to impress. N / R
Mitchell hunt: He was late and there was no chance when he faced the taller Will Jordan on a precise cross shot.
