Wales player ratings: League conversion shines as Warren Gatland is rescued: Planet Rugby

Following their narrow 36-35 victory over the Reds in Queensland, here are our ratings for Warren Gatland’s Wales.

Wings stand out

15 Cameron Winnet: He was very quiet in attack for most of the game but did contribute with some decent runs down the short side in the build up to the winning try. Still not a convincing performance. 5

14 Rio Dyer: As ever he showed intent and enthusiasm with the ball in hand. The speed demon scored a try after a beautiful cross-kick and was one of the best players in Welsh black today. 7

13 Nick Tompkins: He really stepped up his ball carrying in the second period and was rewarded with a try as a result. The line he ran to score was beautiful to watch and it was quite a performance. 6

12 Eddy James: Had a lot to do in the middle of the park with the Reds throwing their big men through the middle. James carried satisfactorily without setting the game on fire. 5

11 Regan Grace: An encouraging start for the former league man who didn’t look out of place. He scored a nice try at the short end, defended well and generally looked comfortable around the ruck. His running ability could make him a great wing pair with Dyer in the future. 7

10 Sam Costelow: The player of the match from a Welsh perspective as a fly-half used the ball he had quite efficiently. His off-hand shooting was brilliant at times with the cross-kick to Dyer on a postage stamp and a 50:22 in the second period underlined this. Costelow showed Gatland what he could have missed against Australia. 8

9 Gareth Davies: A late withdrawal earned him the captain’s armband and he seemed to relish it, playing with a lovely pace in attack and making some clever reads in defence. 6

Controversial choice of Warren Gatland for Wales captain withdraws minutes before Reds clash

8 Mackenzie Martin: A star for the future. He is big and powerful as his carries show, especially in the first half. Martin is also a breakdown threat and could become a key player for Wales in the long term. 7

7 Taine plum tree: Solid on both sides of the ball but dropped off a bit in the second half, but you would think he should be in the Welsh back-row regardless of the number on his back. 6

6 Christ Tshiunza: Showed how easily he can fit into the blindside role and scored a try in his 45 minutes on the pitch, but was forced to retire just after the break with a worrying injury. 6

5 Dafydd Jenkins: Came into the lineup late in the game and handled it pretty well. Didn’t have a big mistake during the game, but at the same time didn’t have as big of an impact as expected. 5

4 Matthew Screams: Worked hard throughout the match, but like his partner in the second row, he didn’t rock the world in a tough match. 5

3 Archie Griffin: Continuing his rise with another lung-busting outing in which he scored a try in addition to his inevitable defensive contributions, Gatland has found a regular tighthead. 7

2 Evan Lloyd: Received a yellow card for repeated fouls and had no further major impact on the match. 5

1 Kemsley Mathias: Less pressure than his propping partner and apart from an average scrum performance he didn’t deliver anything special. 5

Replacements: Gatland breathes a sigh of relief thanks to his substitutions, and Kieran Hardy in particular, who scored the decisive try late in the game. Harri O’Connor, Tommy Reffell and Dewi Lake also provided some extra impetus from the bench. 7

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