New Zealand have survived a huge scare to beat Australia 37-10 in Auckland and record a world-record 18th consecutive Test victory.
Against all odds, the Wallabies had the All Blacks under pressure on Saturday night for the first time all year before a controversial no-try ruling cruelly denied the underdogs the chance to break a 30-year Eden Park hoodoo.
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» DIY player ratings
» Re-live the action with our live blog
» Watch the highlights
Winger Henry Speight appeared to have locked up the match at 15-all in the 45th minute – with Bernard Foley’s conversion attempt to come – only for the television match official to intervene.
Fellow Wallabies winger Dane Haylett-Petty was deemed to have changed his line and taken out Julian Savea as his opposite number was pursuing Speight.
The decision left the Wallabies fuming, with the All Blacks rubbing salt into the wound 10 metres later with an 80m try to Savea against the run of play to turn the Test.
Powerhouse Savea completed a try-scoring double later on, with the final 27-point winning margin no reflection of the enthralling contest.
The victory in front of 47,744 mostly delirious All Blacks fans completed an 18-match winning streak that began in 2015 against the Wallabies at the same venue – where New Zealand are unbeaten since 1994.
After falling to England earlier in 2016, the loss also consigned the Wallabies to 3-0 series defeats against two nations in a single season for the first time.
The Wallabies nevertheless showed vast improvement after 42-8 and 29-9 losses to the world champions in the Bledisloe Cup clashes in Sydney and Wellington.
After a rare lineout steal, the Wallabies should have opened the scoring four minutes in, only for Foley to miss a penalty goal from in front.
The All Blacks were swift to punish the Australians for the let-off, with Israel Dagg finishing superbly out wide after some signature razzle-dazzle from the world champions.
The All Blacks were in again almost immediately, with Anton Leinert-Brown strolling over after an error in judgement from Speight, who left a gaping hole after a failed intercept attempt.
The Wallabies looked like deers in headlights, trailing 10-0 after as many minutes, but clawed their way back after dominating territory and possession for the next half-hour.
A Rory Arnold try in the 28th minute, Foley’s conversion and a 50m penalty goal attempt from Reece Hodge gave the Wallabies the chance to drawl level at 10-all.
But then All Blacks halfback TJ Perenara charged down a Hodge kick after a Wallabies scrum win deep in their own quarter to score and give the hosts a 15-7 halftime advantage.
Nomad
Guest
Frank u should ask the Walleroos what they think of the hoodoo lol... A record 67 points posted by the Silver Ferns. I bet the ladies in gold are very pleased not to be playing at Eden park again this week. On the positive I was great getting the women's game screened as warm up Bledisloe 3. And wasn't it great to hear some decent commentary on Fox for once, up until the boof head twins came on of course.
Moniano
Guest
They did but was disallowed
Moniano
Guest
facts please? Where are they?
Bushranger
Guest
I thought the obstruction of Coles by Foley was much clearer and influential than DHP on Savea, yet Owens let that one go.
Eric Willis
Roar Rookie
It is so irrelevant no serious person would have even bothered to check the figures.
Eric Willis
Roar Rookie
But he thought Savea had too great a chance of making the tackle!
Jerry
Guest
Of that, the only sliver of doubt is in point b and while I think it's unlikely he was gonna make a tackle, it's not impossible. Surely if the ref has decided there is deliberate foul play based on the other 3 criteria, where that point is a 50/50 they're probably gonna lean towards giving the innocent party the benefit of the doubt.
Eric Willis
Roar Rookie
Nothing mentioned so far of a deliberate head butt by Hooper on Retallic as he lay pinned on the ground, again blatant and obvious, can not be misconstrued, deliberate!
Jumbo
Guest
I don't know how a dominant ab scrum can be penalised either.
Eric Willis
Roar Rookie
Harry I don't get that. A player who deliberately infringes, must be penalised, otherwise surely all players will believe that they need to infringe to win. In this case a player deliberately, blatantly, and clearly infringed, in order to prevent a would be tackler, from attempting to tackle a would be try scorer, he must be penalised. Just as Foley should have been when he blatantly infringed against Coles. I don't believe Nigel Owens had the balls to penalise Foley after the previous decision. I believe it was a trade off.
Eric Willis
Roar Rookie
Australian's prefer "Boof Heads" who are controversial, they believe this raises the people's interest in the game, that's why they are chosen. It's not unlike Cheika's idea to be as disruptive as possible during a game, then to whinge and moan and raise any stupid point, that will be highly controversial. He has now got himself a potentially great team, he now needs to focus on winning games, shouldn't require too much tinkering, and he'll build a team that will then be able to be very proud of itself..... and that in itself will make a huge difference.
Eric Willis
Roar Rookie
Very disappointed in Nigel's game, he looked as if he was trying to square things up all the time. eg.Dane Cole's no try for Speight's no try.
Eric Willis
Roar Rookie
I would be interested in your opinion on interference on Dane Coles by Bernard Foley. He grabbed Coles by the shoulder to prevent him scoring. This is a blatant penalty try as acknowledged by one of the Australian commentators.
Eric Willis
Roar Rookie
You clearly need to watch it again, he is not allowed to deliberately obstruct, and he clearly and blatantly did! and he has been rightly pinged for it! While you are looking, cover the blatant interference by Bernard Foley, on Dane Coles, a very clear penalty try!
Eric Willis
Roar Rookie
Yes! I thought that under the circumstances, a goodwill sporting gesture was not appropriate, and that a 40+ points was essential. Dumb decision by Kieran Read! He seemed in a muddle.
Eric Willis
Roar Rookie
I agree it was a wonderful game, and perhaps if the Wallabies had of played like that a few games back, instead of the negative spoiling game and constant whinging by Chieka, they could have been on to winning games by now! Common sense was applied Shirley, you are not allowed to obstruct a player, so that another player can score a try. Neither are you allowed to obstruct or tackle a player who is going for a try, as did Bernard Foley on Dane Coles, this is an automatic penalty try! Acknowledged also by one of the Australian commentators, but not by Nigel Owens.
Eric Willis
Roar Rookie
I wasn't counting but it was at least 3 or 4 times (and could have been 5) the All Blacks had that scrum, and it was not turned over, and on one occasion we were penalized (Collapsing)
Eric Willis
Roar Rookie
You seem to imagine seeing things Steve that most people don't seem to see, But I do know the feeling, it is often were Coleman and Munns usually stand!
Eric Willis
Roar Rookie
Yes some bad calls by Nigel Owens, no one seems to have mentioned the potential penalty try by Dane Coles, who was surely clearly obstructed by Foley. Coles would definetly not have missed scoring that try! The interference was blatant, and even mentioned by one of the Australian commentators.
Eric Willis
Roar Rookie
But you don't know that, and that is irrelevant anyway as a player is not allowed to obstruct or hold back a would be tackler, as The player DHP did.