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The gap between New Zealand and Australia was brutally exposed at Eden Park as the All Blacks registered a dominant 51-20 victory to retain the Bledisloe Cup for the twelfth consecutive year.
The game was effectively over at halftime, with the home team 23-6 ahead. The Kiwis then went out to a 44-6 lead with 22 minutes left.
The Wallabies ran in two late tries but the All Blacks responded in the final seconds to further ram home their complete superiority.
It was a bleak night for Australia as the Eden Park hoodoo continued.
Last weekend the two teams drew in a below-par performance from both, the All Blacks at about 60 per cent and the Wallabies at about 70 per cent.
Sydney was the Aussies’ big chance and they didn’t take it.
They had no chance tonight. The All Blacks rarely, ever, put in two bad displays in a row and they were pumped for a big match.
The Kiwis were simply magnificent. Strong at the breakdown, sublime in attack, menacing in defence with clinical kicking, an efficient lineout and super scrummaging. The Wallabies were blown off the park. Even when facing 14 men, they couldn’t compete.
The All Blacks were up around the 95 per cent mark and Australia needed to be at 100 per cent or more, playing out of their skins, to beat such a talented side.
Where to now in the Rugby Championship for Australia? It’s hard to say. South Africa and Argentina are clearly not as talented or as damaging as the world’s number one team, but the Wallabies need to pick themselves off the floor, and fast.
They were behind the ball physically, and they rarely got over the advantage line or broke the All Blacks’ line.
Both the Boks and the Pumas have big forward packs and the Aussies need to stand up. The Wallabies breakdown work was poor and needs to improve greatly. Their scrum wobbled and Nic White struggled.
Nick Phipps and Bernard Foley may need to start, although with Scott Higginbotham and the likes of Kane Douglas or Will Skelton. We need greater mongrel, some more toughness up front.
The Wallabies were bullied by the All Blacks, monstered in the tackle and the Australians couldn’t handle their speed out wide and on the edges.
It was a wake-up call.
Simple ball-handling errors again cruelled the men in gold. If you can’t hold the ball, you won’t win matches against top teams. It’s pretty basic.
Michael Lynagh said after the match that the Wallabies weren’t good enough, and that hits the nail on the head.
Out-thought and out-played by a better opponent. All credit and respect to the All Blacks.
Bye bye Bledisloe for another year.
Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
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