All Blacks retain Bledisloe in thriller

 

By , 23 Aug 2009 David Beniuk is a Roar Pro

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The Bledisloe Cup is gone again for the Wallabies after All Blacks five-eighth Dan Carter kicked a 79th minute penalty goal to give his side a heartstopping 19-18 Tri Nations Test victory at ANZ Stadium.

Carter, making his return to international rugby after six months out with a snapped Achilles tendon, lined up the difficult kick after Australia had run into trouble near their own line, and kicked home to grab the one-point advantage in a thrilling match.

Australia launched a late attacking raid in a bid to snatch a win after leading for most of the match, but were unable to handle when it counted, signalling the beginning of the celebrations for the New Zealanders.

The Wallabies now head into a seventh year without the Bledisloe Cup, with holders NZ leading the four-match series 2-0, and the defeat also virtually means the end of their Tri Nations chances.

But a spirited performance may save the scalps of several players who were reportedly under pressure heading into the game, something coach Robbie Deans could also be expected to be feeling.

“I’m not going to go belly-up … we do this because we love the contest,” Deans told Saturday night’s press conference.

“It was there for us but still it’s not quite there.

“They’re masters at getting home and we’re working hard at acquiring that art. We’re making headway but we haven’t acquired it yet. I’m pretty confident we will.”

Five-eighth Matt Giteau said the side still believed they could pull a victory out of the fire after Carter’s crucial kick.

“We were quite composed in what we wanted to do, how we thought we ‘d get the ball back and hopefully try and kick a penalty or get some points,” he said.

“There was always that belief … I think that’s why everyone is as disappointed as we are.”

The All Blacks scored the only try of the match, through Ma’a Nonu in the 64th minute, but predictions of a boring kick-fest were wide of the mark as the crowd of 80,228 were kept enthralled.

After a first half in which Australia kicked four penalty goals to one despite not dominating territory, to lead 12-3 at the break, the Wallabies needed to hang on for dear live against a second half onslaught from the Kiwis.

The All Blacks were denied two tries in less than two minutes by referee Jonathan Kaplan but a massive weight of possession in the second half had to give and it did in the 64th when, after a Giteau clearance had been charged down, Nonu handled twice in a sublime movement to score.

Carter’s conversion gave the All Blacks their first lead since the fourth minute at 16-15.

That was shortlived, however, as Australia finally raided NZ territory and came away with another Giteau penalty goal and an 18-16 lead.

Discipline was again an issue for Australia, with No.8 Richard Brown sinbinned for his second straight Test, in the 43rd minute for a lifting tackle on All Blacks prop Owen Franks and prop Al Baxter hooked in the first half after a scrum penalty.

“I don’t imagine his teammates would have been very excited,” Deans said of Brown’s yellow card.

© AAP 2012
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