All Blacks Player Ratings 2025: Top Performers, Highest Paid
Few things in rugby stir as much debate as the numbers attached to each black jersey. Every match generates a fresh set of All Blacks player ratings, but those scores only tell part of the story about individual form and team performance – this article examines how 2025 ratings played out across the end-of-year tour.
All Blacks vs England (2025): 33‑19 loss · All Blacks vs Wales (2025): 52‑26 win · Top‐rated vs Wales: Samisoni Taukei’aho 7.5 (Rugby365 match report)
Quick snapshot
- England beat the All Blacks 33‑19 at Twickenham (RugbyPass)
- All Blacks beat Wales 52‑26 in Cardiff (Rugby365) (RugbyPass)
- Planet Rugby rated rookies as a major positive in its forward review (Planet Rugby)
- Exact player salaries are not publicly confirmed by New Zealand Rugby
- Rating criteria differ between outlets – no single standard exists
- Future rating trends for 2026 remain speculative
- July 2025: All Blacks vs England (ratings on RugbyPass)
- Nov 2025: All Blacks vs Wales (ratings on Rugby365)
- Late 2025: Season‑end rating project from Planet Rugby
- Rugby Championship 2026 will provide new rating data across four nations (stats.allblacks.com)
- Official All Blacks statistics continue to be tracked at stats.allblacks.com
- Expect more season‑average analyses from NZ media outlets (stats.allblacks.com)
Four matches, two hemispheres, one clear pattern: the All Blacks’ 2025 ratings varied sharply by opponent and by position. The table below summarises key verified scores from the tour.
| Match | Top‐rated forward | Top‐rated back | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Blacks vs England (July 2025) | Ethan de Groot – 6 | Codie Taylor – 7 | RugbyPass |
| All Blacks vs Wales (Nov 2025) | Samisoni Taukei’aho – 7.5 | Tamaiti Williams – 7 | Rugby365 |
| All Blacks vs Wales (Nov 2025) | Pasilio Tosi – 7 | Fabian Holland – 7 | Rugby365 |
| All Blacks season forward review | Rookies praised by Planet Rugby | Ardie Savea assessed as less dominant | Planet Rugby |
Who is the best player on the All Blacks?
2025 standout performers
- Planet Rugby’s season‑end review highlighted the impact of rookies across the forward pack (Planet Rugby)
- Wallace Sititi earned an 8‑out‑of‑10 rating from Planet Rugby in the Scotland match, with the analyst writing that Sititi and Taukei’aho “cause absolute mayhem” (Planet Rugby)
- Samisoni Taukei’aho scored 7.5 against Wales, the highest individual rating among forwards in that match (Rugby365)
New coach Scott Robertson’s 2025 squad saw a clear emphasis on young forwards — and the rating data backs that up. Rookies posted higher individual scores than some established names in key matches.
Historical legends vs current squad
The All Blacks have a deep bench of iconic players — from Jonah Lomu to Richie McCaw — but comparing eras is tricky because rating systems have changed. Modern match ratings are typically on a 1–10 scale, with 6 considered average. That standard allows for objective comparisons across a single season, but not across decades.
Positional breakdown of best players
- Forwards: Samisoni Taukei’aho (hooker) and Wallace Sititi (loose forward) led the pack with the highest match scores in 2025 (Rugby365)
- Backs: Codie Taylor (hooker, often rated in forward category) and utility backs earned solid 7s, but no back reached the 7.5 mark that Taukei’aho achieved.
- Overall: Planet Rugby noted that rookies “were a major positive” for the squad, while Ardie Savea was “not quite as dominant” as in previous years (Planet Rugby).
The implication: The “best player” label may shift as the new generation takes over — 2025 ratings suggest the future is in the tight five and back row.
What were the All Blacks player ratings in their latest match?
All Blacks vs England player ratings (July 2025)
- RugbyPass rated Ethan de Groot a 6, Codie Taylor a 7, and Fletcher Newell a 6 in the 33‑19 loss at Twickenham (RugbyPass)
- England came back from a half‑time deficit to win, which influenced the low to middling scores across the All Blacks pack.
All Blacks vs Wales player ratings (November 2025)
- Rugby365 gave Tamaiti Williams a 7, Samisoni Taukei’aho a 7.5, Pasilio Tosi a 7, and Fabian Holland a 7 in the 52‑26 win (Rugby365)
- Scott Barrett, typically a high scorer, received a 6 — an unusually low mark for the captain.
The pattern: Team performance directly influences individual ratings, making cross-match comparisons less straightforward.
All Blacks vs South Africa player ratings (2024)
The record 43‑10 home defeat to South Africa in 2024 remains a low point. While 2025 ratings for that fixture are not yet available from the research sources, analysts agree that it represented the worst performance of the Scott Robertson era thus far.
What this means: Match context matters enormously. A score of 6 in a tight defeat may represent a better individual performance than a 7 in a comfortable win.
Who is the highest paid All Black?
Current salary estimates
Salaries in New Zealand rugby are not publicly disclosed by New Zealand Rugby, so any figures are estimates. Beauden Barrett is widely reported in rugby media as earning around NZ$1.5 million per year, making him one of the highest‑paid All Blacks historically (general salary context via All Blacks stats portal). However, no official contract values are confirmed.
Top earners in All Blacks history
- Beauden Barrett, Richie Mo’unga, and Ardie Savea are consistently named among the highest earners by rugby analysts.
- First‑fives and fullbacks typically command the largest contracts because of their playmaking value.
Without public salary data, any link between pay and player rating is speculative. A player rated 6.5 by one outlet might earn double a teammate rated 7.5 — but we simply don’t have the numbers to prove it.
How salary correlates with performance ratings
- No direct correlation is available because rating systems are match‑specific and salaries are contractual.
- The highest‑rated 2025 players (e.g., Taukei’aho and Sititi) are likely on far lower contracts than established stars like Savea or Barrett.
The pattern: Performance ratings tend to reward current form, while salaries reward experience and market value. The two can diverge significantly.
How are All Blacks player ratings calculated?
Typical rating scales (1‑10)
- Most outlets use a 1‑10 scale, with 6 representing a competent performance, 8 excellent, and 10 legendary.
- Half‑point increments (e.g., 7.5) allow fine‑grained differentiation (RugbyPass uses whole and half marks).
Criteria: attack, defense, set‑piece, work rate
- Players are judged on individual contributions: runs, tackles, lineout wins, scrum pressure, turnovers, and overall impact.
- No universal rubric exists — each publication applies its own weighting. Planet Rugby, for example, emphasises work rate and physicality in its forward reviews (Planet Rugby).
Differences between fan ratings and expert ratings
- Fan platforms like Reddit’s rugby community generate crowdsourced ratings that tend to be more volatile and emotionally driven (Reddit user thread).
- Expert ratings from established rugby media (RugbyPass, Rugby365, Planet Rugby) are more consistent and often include detailed justifications.
Why this matters: A rating from a dedicated rugby outlet carries more analytical weight than a fan poll, but the gap between the two can reveal how a player is perceived by the public vs. the press.
What are the All Blacks season ratings for 2025?
Top 3 players by average rating
Based on the match ratings available from RugbyPass and Rugby365, the highest consistent scorers in the 2025 tour matches were Samisoni Taukei’aho (7.5 vs Wales), Wallace Sititi (8 vs Scotland per Planet Rugby), and Codie Taylor (7 vs England). A full season average across all tests has not been published by a single outlet, but these individual highs set a benchmark.
Notable improvements and declines
- Planet Rugby explicitly called out rookies as “the big positive” and noted that Ardie Savea was “not quite as dominant” (Planet Rugby).
- Scott Barrett, while still captain, received a 6 against Wales — a drop from his usual consistent 7+ performances.
Comparison to previous seasons
- The 2024 season ended with a historic home loss to South Africa (43‑10), which depressed overall ratings for that year.
- 2025 ratings appear to be rebounding, especially in the forward pack, with younger players stepping up.
Timeline: All Blacks 2025 season player ratings
- July 2025: England 33–19 All Blacks – ratings published on RugbyPass (Tier 2)
- August 2025: Rugby Championship matches – ratings covered by Planet Rugby and others
- November 2025: Wales 26–52 All Blacks – ratings on Rugby365 (Tier 2)
- Late November 2025: Season‑end rating project from Planet Rugby (Tier 2)
The pattern: Ratings coverage was event‑driven — each test match generated its own snapshot, and the season review aggregated those individual marks into a broader assessment of the squad’s health.
Clarity: What we know and what we don’t
Confirmed facts
- England beat the All Blacks 33–19 at Twickenham in July 2025 (RugbyPass)
- All Blacks beat Wales 52–26 in Cardiff in November 2025 (Rugby365)
- Samisoni Taukei’aho received a 7.5 rating from Rugby365 for the Wales match
- Planet Rugby assessed rookies as a major positive in its 2025 forward review (Planet Rugby)
- Official All Blacks statistics are maintained at stats.allblacks.com (Tier 1)
What’s unclear
- Exact player salaries – not publicly confirmed by New Zealand Rugby
- Rating criteria differences between outlets – no standardisation
- Season average ratings – no single outlet has published a complete 2025 average across all players
- Future ratings for 2026 – entirely speculative
Quotes from the 2025 season
“Sititi and Taukei’aho cause absolute mayhem.”
– Planet Rugby analyst, writing about the Scotland match
“List of players for crowd rating.”
– Reddit user, posting a fan‑rating thread in the rugby union subreddit
The first quote reflects the excitement around the new forward duo; the second shows how fan engagement complements professional analysis.
Relying solely on match ratings to judge performance can miss structural contributions — a player who clears rucks and makes 15 tackles might never get an 8, but his work makes the team function. The 2025 All Blacks ratings reward flashy moments, but the coaching staff likely values consistency just as much.
The 2025 season made one thing clear: the All Blacks are refreshing their squad, and the rating data reflects that shift. For Scott Robertson and his management team, the choice is whether to double down on the rookies who posted the highest individual marks, or to trust the veterans whose ratings dipped. For fans, the numbers offer a valuable, if imperfect, lens through which to watch the game.
Related reading: All Blacks player ratings vs England 2025 · Rating every All Blacks forward in 2025
To see how the ratings evolved from the previous season, the 2024 All Blacks player ratings offer a detailed breakdown.
Frequently asked questions
What does a rating of 8 mean for an All Black?
An 8 indicates an excellent, influential performance — one of the best players on the field. Few All Blacks reached this level in 2025; Wallace Sititi achieved it in the Scotland match per Planet Rugby.
Who is the most consistent All Black in 2025?
Based on available match ratings, Samisoni Taukei’aho maintained a high level across multiple games, scoring 7.5 against Wales and strong marks in other fixtures.
How do All Blacks ratings compare to Springboks ratings?
No direct cross‑team rating comparison exists, but Springboks ratings in the same period often highlight their dominant set‑piece and physical defence — a different style than the All Blacks’ expansive attack.
Why are some All Blacks rated lower than others?
Ratings reflect individual contributions in a specific match. A prop may have a quiet day in open play but still do vital scrum work that a rating of 6 might not fully capture.
Do All Blacks ratings affect contract negotiations?
Contracts are confidential, but agent discussions often reference match ratings as supporting evidence for a player’s market value. No public link is established.
Which All Black has the best try‑scoring rating?
No try‑specific rating is published. All‑around performance scores are more common, and those often correlate with tries scored.
What is the lowest rating ever given to an All Black?
No historical lowest has been officially recorded. In the 2024‑25 period, some players received 5 or 5.5 in heavy defeats, but such scores are rare.
Where can I find official All Blacks player ratings?
No official standard exists. Trusted sources include Planet Rugby, RugbyPass, and Rugby365.
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