Match Details
| All Blacks |
VS |
Qantas Wallabies |
|
33 |
Kick off times:
7:35pm
(Local) Sat 19 Sep
5:35pm
(AEST) Sat 19 Sep
|
6 |
|
|
Head to Head:
Played 155 : New Zealand 105, Australia 45, Drawn
Last Time:
22/08/09 : New Zealand 19 - Australia 18 at ANZ Stadium, Sydney
|
More urgency in the breakdown and a lack of spark from the Qantas Wallabies saw the All Blacks make it 3-nil in the Bledisloe Cup in 2009 with a comprehensive 33-6 victory in Wellington tonight.
Ahead 16-6 at half time the All Blacks suffocated the Men of Gold in the second period scoring 17 unanswered points.
It was the Wallabies 500th Test and they were hoping for a similar results as in their 100th, 200th, 300th and 400th Tests – all of which they won.
A strangely still “Cake Tin” in Wellington welcomed the teams which was good news for both team’s kick receivers.
And the All Blacks haka was also strangely restrained with a fairly tame rendition of “Ka Mate”. You would’ve thought tonight of all nights was a time for New Zealand to pull out the big occasion throat-slitting “Kapo o Pango”, which seems to have disappeared from the repertoire in 2009.
The opening exchanges saw the All Blacks in Wallabies territory and on three minutes Ben Alexander was penalized for playing the ball off his feet.
But All Blacks flyhalf Dan Carter missed the very goalable opportunity from 37 metres out.
Now the Wallabies launched an attack and after winning a free kick at a scrum under the posts, they were then given a full arm penalty for offside by new All Blacks lock Tom Donnelly.
Matt Giteau made no mistake from 15 metres to the right of the posts. Wallabies 3-0 after 8 minutes.
He had another chance minutes later when Adam Ashley-Cooper had made a long run from some quick turnover ball.
But this time the Brumbies flyhalf was wide from out near the sideline.
A clever quick 22 from the All Blacks saw them surge down field and Wallabies captain George Smith gave up a penalty for a deliberate knockdown.
This time Carter made no mistake from 40 metres out from a less acute angle and it was 3-all after 14 minutes.
Then moments later after a mistake from James O’Connor, when he kicked out on the full, the All Blacks won a lineout luckily and hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau was penalized for diving over at the ruck.
Carter goaled again from in the Wallabies 22 and after 15 minutes the All Blacks were suddenly in the lead – 6-3.
The All Blacks were keen to keep the ball in hand but were repelled by solid Wallabies defence.
Then Ashley-Cooper gave up another penalty for playing the ball on the ground at a ruck and Carter was successful again from ten metres to the right of the posts, twenty metres out, to put the All Blacks up 9-3 after 22 minutes.
A promising attacking opportunity for the Wallabies broke down on 25 minutes with Benn Robinson knocking on on the All Blacks 22.
The All Blacks then launch a sustained attack but again the Men of Gold’s defence held firm.
New Zealand were then reduced to 14 men with Isaia Toeava given a yellow card for a head high tackle on O’Connor as the Wallabies fullback stepped inside.
With the referee Craig Joubert playing advantage for the illegal tackle Berrick Barnes neatly dropped a field goal from 35 metres out with Morne Steyn-like ease.
The Wallabies back to 6-9 with ten minutes left in the first half and a man advantage.
But it was the All Blacks who were next to score.
From a loose ball on the half way line New Zealand fullback Mils Muliaina put a high kick which winger Cory Jane followed through.
He outjumped O’Connor on the 22 and then stepped out of the tackle of Drew Mitchell to score outwide. Carter was successful and the 14 men All Blacks found themselves ahead 16-6 after 33 minutes.
Toeava came back with just ninety seconds to go till the break and Polota-Nau lifted Australian sprits with a huge hit on Cater but the first half ended as it had proceeded for most of the forty minutes – with the All Blacks on the attack.
Down 16-6 the Wallabies would need to do something special in the second half to finish on top of this one.
To be fair the score reflected the All Blacks first half dominance with No.8 Keiran Read, captain Richie McCaw and flanker Adam Thomson prominent in the loose for the home team.
The second half started much the same but mistakes from the All Blacks, one simple knock on from Carter especially memorable, kept the Wallabies in the game.
The scrums were a mess, constantly being re-set and the Men of Gold were not disrupting the All Blacks line out as the Springboks had done last weekend in Hamilton.
O’Connor tried a counter attack in his own 22 and stepped through a few tackles but was then tackled and the All Blacks poured in winning another breakdown penalty.
Carter took the points nonchalantly and with 5 minutes gone in the second half the All Blacks were well in control at 19-6.
Deans went to the bench bringing on Stephen Moore for the injured Polota-Nau as the All Blacks complete dominance at the breakdown saw them slowly strangling the Wallabies out of the game with the home team enjoying a staggering 70% of the possession.
And when they were given a chance to counter-attack the All Blacks were happy to put the ball through the hands with Jane starting up one exhilarating burst.
Jane then initiated another burst, fending off Rocky Elsom and Berrick Barnes (two of the Wallabies best defenders) and Toeava made a run down the right hand touchline as the Wallabies were just holding on.
Toeava made another break down the left minutes later with only a Giteau intercept keeping the Wallabies line in tact.
Elsom went to the blood bin with Wycliff Palu running on and Jane was also forced off with injury with Hosea Gear coming on.
An excellent Wallabies attack then broke down after a terrible pass from Lachie Turner and then a simple knock on by O’Connor.
The young Force fullback made amends with a powerful run a few minutes later.
Jason Eaton came on for Donnelly, who had made an impressive debut, and was part of a much improved lineout performance for the All Blacks.
Pek Cowan came on for Robinson, who apart from the odd blemish, had been among the Wallabies best.
Elsom returned with 12 minutes to go with Smith surprisingly making way.
The Wallabies launched wave after wave but the All Blacks, led by the inspirational McCaw held firm.
Mitchell was stopped inches short after a Will Genia inside pass and the desperate All Blacks again turned over the ball.
And just when it seemed the Men of Gold might get back in to the game with a late surge they lost two of their own line out throws with Eaton prominent.
The All Blacks then finished it off with a powerful burst from Ma’a Nonu, busting through Giteau and Cowan to score.Carter converted, off the post, and it was all done at 26-6 with four minutes to go.
The All Blacks then went for a third try in the final minutes, were held up once but swung the ball wide to Joe Rokocoko who dove over in the right corner to conclude a night of total misery for the Wallabies.
Carter even knocked it over from the touchline as the full time siren blew.
The Wallabies will get their chance for revenge in the first ever Tokyo Bledisloe on October 31st. It can't come soon enough for the Men of Gold.
Bundaberg Rum Tri-Nations/Bledisloe Cup
All Blacks 33 (Cory Jane, Ma’a Nonu, Joe Rokocoko tries; Dan Carter 3 conversions, 4 penalties) defeated Qantas Wallabies 6 (Matt Giteau penalty, Berrick Barnes drop goal) at Westpac Stadium, Wellington (Half time: All Blacks 16-6)
