Honestly, looking back at the 2025 season, it’s kinda wild how much the narrative shifted from week to week. One minute Scott Robertson is the breakdancing savior of New Zealand rugby, and the next, he's out of a job. The news of his sacking on January 15, 2026, really put the "ratings" game into perspective. People love to argue over whether a lock deserves a 6 or a 7, but when the collective all blacks player ratings don’t add up to enough wins, the man at the top is usually the first to go.
It wasn't a total disaster on paper. They went 10-3 across the year. But those three losses? They were heavy. Getting crushed 43-10 by the Springboks and then stumbling at Twickenham against England in November basically sealed the deal.
The big winners (and the Dutch debut)
If there was a silver lining to the 2025 campaign, it was the emergence of the "new" guard. Fabian Holland is basically the story of the year. Imagine being a 22-year-old Dutch-born lock and coming into an All Blacks environment that’s under immense pressure. He didn’t just survive; he thrived. In the win over France in Dunedin, he grabbed an 8.5/10 on debut. He was topping tackle charts (17 in one game!) and making lineout steals like he’d been doing it for a decade. He was the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year for a reason.
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Then you've got Wallace Sititi. The kid is a freak. Even when the team looked sluggish, Sititi was usually the one found bending the gain line or poaching a ball at the breakdown. He’s 23, but he plays with the savvy of a guy with 50 caps. He got an 8.5 against Ireland in that 2024 November window, and he carried that momentum right through 2025. He’s a lock-in for the 2027 World Cup squad, assuming the next coach doesn't overthink things.
All Blacks player ratings: Why the 10-12-13 axis struggled
This is where things got messy. We’ve been debating the Damian McKenzie vs. Beauden Barrett vs. Richie Mo'unga (before he left) thing for years. In 2025, the all blacks player ratings for the fly-halves were a total roller coaster.
- Beauden Barrett: He’s still got the brain, but the legs are starting to show the mileage. He had some 7/10 games where his tactical kicking was surgical, but then he’d have a 3/10 shocker like the one against Ireland where he missed simple kicks to touch. It felt like his timing was just... off.
- Damian McKenzie: D-Mac is the ultimate "chaos agent." When he’s on, he’s a 9.5 (look at that Ireland game in late '24). When the pack is going backward, though? He struggles to exert control. He’s often better as a bench spark, which is a weird thing to say about one of the most talented players in the country.
- Jordie Barrett: He remains the glue. When he was injured or on sabbatical, the midfield looked lost. He consistently pulls 7s and 8s because his floor is so high.
The outside center spot is the real headache. Rieko Ioane is a superstar, no doubt. But in 2025, he looked like a shadow of himself at times. Planet Rugby gave him a 3/10 in a game against Wales, calling his performance "decidedly mediocre." That hurts. When your most experienced center is struggling for form, the whole backline stalls.
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The engine room battle
Up front, things were actually okay-ish. Ethan de Groot and Tyrel Lomax are still the premier starting pair, but the bench impact from Tamaiti Williams and Pasilio Tosi was often the highlight of the match. Williams is a beast. He’s arguably the best loosehead in the country right now, but Robertson preferred using him as a "finisher." It worked—until it didn't.
Ardie Savea. What can you even say? He’s 32, he’s played over 100 tests, and he’s still the heartbeat of the team. He finished 5th in the RugbyPass Top 100 for 2025. Even in the 43-10 blowout against South Africa, he was one of the only guys who looked like they belonged on the field.
Key individual highlights from 2025
- Cam Roigard's Return: After his knee injury, Roigard came back and looked like the best 9 in the world. He got a 9/10 against the Wallabies at Eden Park. His running game is just different.
- Will Jordan's Record Chase: Jordan is now at 45 test tries. He’s closing in on Doug Howlett’s record fast. He’s been an 8/10 most of the year, even when playing out of position at fullback.
- Quinn Tupaea’s Resurrection: After those horror injuries, seeing him bully the Wallabies in Perth was great. He’s a 7.5/10 player who gives you honest, hard-carrying yards.
What’s next for the All Blacks?
The sacking of Scott Robertson changes everything. The "Razor" era was supposed to be a decade of dominance, but it lasted two seasons. The all blacks player ratings tell a story of a team that has the talent but lacks the cohesive identity we saw under Graham Henry or Steve Hansen.
If you're looking for where this team goes from here, keep an eye on the "impact" players from 2025. Peter Lakai and Ruben Love are the future. They didn't get as many minutes as the fans wanted, but every time they touched the ball, something happened.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season:
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- Watch the 9-10 Connection: If Roigard and McKenzie can actually build a partnership over 10 consecutive tests, the All Blacks will be scary again.
- Fix the Aerial Game: One of the biggest criticisms in the 2025 ratings was how often New Zealand lost the "kick-tennis" battles. They need wings who can compete in the air like Caleb Clarke does when he’s fit.
- Settle the Captaincy: Scott Barrett has been under fire. Whether the new coach keeps him or hands the whistle back to Ardie Savea (or a youngster like Tupou Vaa'i) will be the first big decision of the new era.
The talent is there. The ratings show it. Now someone just needs to make the pieces fit.