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Wallabies win! Australia beat the All Blacks 23-18 in Bledisloe 3

21st October, 2017
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Marika Koroibete of the Wallabies (2nd right) reacts with players after scoring a try during the Rugby Championship, Bledisloe Cup match between the Australian Wallabies and the New Zealand All Blacks at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Saturday, October 21, 2017. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
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21st October, 2017
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The Wallabies have ended the home season with an incredible win over the All Blacks, holding on in an absolute thriller to take a five-point victory in Brisbane.

With the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup both already in the hands of New Zealand, both sides put on one of the best games of the year.

The Wallabies ran in three tries to two but it was the boot of Lima Sopoaga that kept the visitors in the game, as well as the lack of from his opposite number Bernard Foley who struggled off the tee.

In wet conditions, the game was surprisingly fast-paced with high energy for the most part, but handling errors and quick turnovers hampered both sides throughout the 80 minutes.

New Zealand were pulling off absolutely crunching hits left, right and centre with Foley and Genia getting absolutely destroyed by the All Blacks big men.

Much like their thriller in Dunedin last month, the Wallabies opened the scoring in the first half with an intercept try, this time to Reece Hodge who picked off an errant pass inside his own half, flying 70 metres untouched to take the early lead.

Waisake Naholo returned serve for the All Blacks just seven minutes later, crossing in the corner before a pair of Sopoaga penalties took the Kiwis out to a six-point lead heading into the break.

It would turn to heartbreak though for New Zealand who caved to a superb passage of play from the Wallabies on the halftime siren to tighten the scoreboard.

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Running the kick return back from inside their own half, Australia were able to build on the ball retention they lacked earlier in the game to spread the All Blacks defence and open up the left wing for Israel Folau.

Israel Folau Wallabies

(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

A wayward conversion from the sideline by Foley kept New Zealand in the lead at the break, albeit only by the one point.

New Zealand took control coming out of the break but failed to execute on their opportunities as Australia ground their way back onto the front foot and into all the momentum.

Marika Koroibete crashed over in the 57th minute to take the lead but again, Foley failed to pile on the pain off the boot and left Australia with just a four-point lead.

It took Reece Hodge to line up a tough chance from 45 metres out and on the sideline to get the ball between the sticks and push that lead out to the converted try margin.

In dramatic Bledisloe Cup fashion, New Zealand began to bring the pain, grinding down the Australian defence with the big boppas in the green and gold getting hammered inside their own half but holding on through desperation.

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There was only so much they could take though, finally breaking through to let Rieko Ioane over in the left corner.

With the chance to equalise late in the game, Damian McKenzie hooked his conversion from the sideline to leave the Wallabies ahead in the dying stages.

Cue some of the most dramatic and intense rugby you could think of in the final seven minutes.

Australia holding on inside their own half against the All Blacks who were throwing it around all over the shop trying to steal another one late.

Hodge kicked one final incredible penalty goal from inside his own halk, slotting it through the middle from 56 metres out to take a final five-point lead.

Despite a late penatly for the All Blacks, the Wallabies were able to defend one final barrage inside their own 22 after the fulltime siren, finally forcing the knock on and taking the win.

This is just the second win for the Wallabies against New Zealand in their last 19 games against each other and will give Australia plenty of momentum heading into the Spring Tour.

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