Player ratings: Australia

Scott Higginbotham: Big impact off the bench

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Australia got their Rugby Championship campaign back on track with a 26-19 win over South Africa in Perth. Planet Rugby rates the players.

15 Kurtley Beale: Played conservatively by kicking and passing most of the balls that came his way. Had a steady outing and although he's still some way off his best, this was a much better performance than his last start in a Wallabies jersey. 6/10

14 Dom Shipperley: The debutant did what was expected of an international wing and after a nervy start got more involved in the action as the game progressed. Will be satisfied with his effort especially on defence where kept the potentially dangerous Francois Hougaard in check. 7/10

13 Adam Ashley-Cooper: Kept the Springboks busy when he had the ball in hand and put in another solid display on defence. Saved a try when he first tackled Lwazi Mvovo and then Jean de Villers in quick succession. 7.5/10

12 Berrick Barnes: Like most of his team-mates he improved as the match progressed and gave another excellent goal-kicking display. Varied his play well on attack and combined well with Quade Cooper on his inside. 7.5/10

11 Digby Ioane: As usual he was always looking for work but did not get much opportunities on attack. Had a quiet game by his standards and will look to improve in his next match. 6/10

10 Quade Cooper: Improving with every match but still not at his best. Impressed with his kicking out of hand and did well to create space for his his team-mates to run off him. 7/10

9 Will Genia: Led his side well although he left the field with an injury after 70 minutes. Always probing around the fringes of the rucks and mauls and made the assist that led to Australia's first try. 7.5/10

8 Radike Samo: Made little impact in this match and seldom got his hands on the ball which is why he was chosen for this Test. Put in a good hit on Hougaard. 5/10

7 Michael Hooper: Australia's best player. Impressed at the breakdowns and put in a huge effort on defence, making 11 tackles. Also carried the ball well and very effective in the tight-loose.8.5/10

6 Dave Dennis: Much better showing than previous matches. Won several crucial line-outs and worked hard in the tight exchanges. 6.5/10

5 Nathan Sharpe: Made a shocking start by conceding penalties at will but improved gradually. His experience proved invaluable for the Wallabies especially in the latter stages. 6/10

4 Sitaleki Timani: Another solid display as the team's enforcer. Cleaned the rucks well and also put his body on the line with some big tackles before exiting through injury. 7/10

3 Ben Alexander: Got the match-winning try but also kept Beast Mtawariria in check at the scrums. Also defended well, making eight tackles. 7.5/10

2 Tatafu Polota-Nau: Stood up well to the physical onslaught from the South Africans, giving as good as he got. His effort in the scrums must not be underestimated. 7/10

1 Benn Robinson: Solid effort in the tight exchanges. Did his primary duties well but came off in the first half before returning late in the game. 6/10

Replacements:

16 Saia Fainga'a: Didn't play long enough for a rating.

17 James Slipper: Came on for Robinson during the first half and played well, especially in the scrums. Also defended bravely but conceded two crucial penalties. 7/10

18 Scott Higginbotham: Made the biggest impact off the bench, scoring with his first touch of the ball. Won valuable metres with ball in hand and played a huge part in the Wallabies' fightback. 7.5/10

19 Liam Gill: Solid effort during his 15 minutes on the field. Combined well with Hooper to slow down the Springboks' ball at the breakdowns. 6/10

20 Nick Phipps: Didn't play long enough to warrant a rating.

21 Mike Harris: Didn't play long enough to warrant a rating.

22 Anthony Fainga'a: Didn't play long enough to warrant a rating.

By David Skippers

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