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.
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.
(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.
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.
ClarkeG
Guest
No however regards your comments:- There was no offside in that instance. And a flanker can't detach from a scrum and pick the ball from the scrum.
Taylorman
Guest
Well there was nothing wrong with Sapoagas restart, they just didnt get to it before Oz, and the same restart against the Lions was where Read couldnt pull it in, and we had the debacle of the penalty, penalty scrum thing so it doesnt always come off.
Taylorman
Guest
2019 is two years away not twenty. So Hames and Romano are fine. crockett wont be there though if anyone can at his age he probably can. Lualua and Ofa are fine. Way too soon to panic but the front five is not the reason we lost tests this year.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
There is no impact off the bench from the front 5 replacements. The replacements are good players but don’t offer the dynamism that we came to expect from the ABs over previous years. The ABs do not routinely dominate the last 20 as they were doing repeatedly. The drop-off from Retallick and Whitelock to their potential replacements is very significant. Your full starting tight five weren’t playing in any of your 3 recent losses, and neither were they playing in the two additional games you were lucky to escape with a win.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
The tight 5 back-ups to the first choices sees Crockett - 34; Hames - 29; Romano - 31. Even Laulala and Tu’ungafasi are both 25. It’s hardly a bunch of kids. How much better are they going to get? I’m sure there’s some cracking youngsters coming through but Hansen has a depth problem 1-5 he needs to sort out before 2019.
Taylorman
Guest
Really funbus? Care to share how you came to that conclusion? The ABs havent lost a scrum on their own feed all year, and that includes the Lions. In this match took one off oz and won 9 from 10 of our own lineouts, taking one from Oz as well. Our front five were fine. Barretts not yet top test lock material but we'll get Retallick back. The replacement props are so far holding their own or getting on top of their opposition. So where exactly do you mean?
FunBus
Roar Rookie
I’ve said for a while now that there is an issue with AB depth in the front 5. There is a drop off in quality and it’s starting to cost them games. They got out of jail in the previous matches against Oz and the Boks but went to the well one too many times. They do not dominate matches in the last 20 like they used to because of this.
soapit
Guest
yep
sheek
Guest
Thanks Fionn, Yes, a good article.
Tommy
Guest
Well done Australia’ bad luck to the abs can’t win them all next time
PeterK
Roar Guru
kickers have a consistent routine and a rhythm , holding it longer would disrupt that. If he was going to do that he should hold it longer and then pull out completely and not advance, after they have been caught charging early.
John
Guest
Debate finished at full time last night Ken. Never called him the messiah, said he destroyed the ABs which he did.
Jp
Guest
Who cares about a dead rubber
soapit
Guest
foley should hold a bit longer on his rock back and catch them out. my imprssion is he also doesnt take it back very far given his length issues tho could easilt be shown wrong.
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Ken, Coles has not been the same since his 'concussion' ... Codie Taylor at this moment IMO should be starting hooker.
PeterK
Roar Guru
The AB's start their charge when Foley rocks back before he moves in. They should have to wait until he moves in and yes the ref should order a new conversion. They did the same thing in Dunedin, can't remember if they did in Sydney
Pickett
Guest
Re Foley's goalkicking When can the opposing team start to run at the goalkicker. AB's were nearly in his face, especially one conversion attempt from sideline. Seems beyond laws of science. Did the AB"s jump the gun? Can ref reorder the conversion attempt?
Charging Rhino
Roar Guru
Nice one Moaman. I concur. Fantastic game and well done Wallabies. Truly deserved. ABs have won some very close ones this season, somehow they’ve just managed to scrape the win and almost did again yesterday. Incredibly disheartening when your teams the one who’s consistently on the losing end when they could’ve won. Well better than a blow out I suppose like Albany. So we’ll done Wallabies. Very stoked for them.
PeterK
Roar Guru
agree especially when in the same situation NZ won in Duneiden.
PeterK
Roar Guru
Folau drawing the man and the great pass was more of an assist and deserves more credit than Foley