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In very much a Back to the Future type scenario, in Bledisloe 2 we saw a similar score to the Sydney Test.
We saw a similar try-scoring result (six to two as opposed to six to one), a similar storyline (close up until just prior to half-time), and a similar pre and post-halftime strike from the All Blacks who ran out comfortable winners.
Michael Cheika’s televised reactions to most decisions were also eerily familiar.
Strikingly different were the venue (obviously), the referee, the Australian lineout efficacy, the Australian scrummaging, and of course the TMO interventions (or going “back in time” as Huey Lewis might say) as well as the hotly discussed TMO omissions.
As a follow-up to my earlier Bledisloe 1 experiment, and emboldened by the huge amount of feedback it almost provided, I thought it only fair to offer my observations from a very similar, yet also very different Bledisloe 2 at Eden Park in Auckland.
The test match itself was another game of two halves (cliche intended) with again each set for 40 minutes duration.
My observations were again based on the Fox Sports coverage, the match clock, and the same criteria for scrums and lineouts. Stoppages were this time classified as all tries with conversion time and returning to halfway until kick-off included in a single measure.
Interestingly, unlike most Test matches there were no penalty goal attempts to worry about – something I cannot recall happening very often in the past. This was how it unfolded.
The match lasted 4926 seconds, compared to 4812 seconds in Bledisloe 1, with a 41:17 first half and an 80:49 minute full time.
The table below shows a breakdown of ‘lost time’ in the second match by event, with first match comparisons in brackets.
| Event | Scrums | Lineouts | Penalties | Stoppages |
| Number of events | 14 (15) | 26 (24) | 19 (15) | 8* (16)^ |
| Total time (seconds) | 1014 (909) | 439 (401) | 470 (478) | 800 (601) |
| Average seconds per event | 72 (61) | 17 (17) | 25 (32) | 100 (38) |
| First half average | 65 (65) | 20 (17) | 23 (33) | 103 (26) |
| Second half average | 80 (56) | 14 (17) | 29 (30) | 98 (42) |
| Longest event | 192 (103) | 32 (28) | 46 (98) | 115 (80) |
| Shortest event | 33 (30) | 1 (7) | 4 (18) | 84 (17) |
* – all tries in Bledisloe 2
^ – more events as tries were separated from conversions and restarts and penalty shots in Bledisloe 1
In summary, I observed 2723 seconds (compared to 2389) of downtime or roughly 55 per cent (compared to 50 per cent) of the total game time.
| Event | Downtime in Game 2 | Downtime in Game 1 |
| Scrums | 20.6% | 18.9% |
| Stoppages | 16.2% | 12.5% |
| Penalties | 9.5% | 9.9% |
| Lineouts | 8.9% | 8.3% |
| Total | 55.3% | 49.6% |
Breaking down the lost time, the majority for a single event is again clearly from scrums. Unlike Sydney, we did have a few resets in Auckland and the Wallabies elected to take a series of scrums prior to Will Genia’s try.
The argument for time off at the whistle for stoppage and back on at the feed would again seem an easy time saving option with a league style wave from the referee signalling time back on.
Stoppage time from tries was greater in game two and, with an extra Wallabies try and no penalty shots at goal, the average time lost increased dramatically from the first game. Bear in mind I combined the times for try-conversion-return to halfway in the more recent numbers – more for my own sanity!.
Lineouts were again the ‘fastest’ stoppage.
Outlier events in this Test were one free kick that was tapped and run quickly by the Wallabies and two quick lineout throws – one to each team – neither of which affected the overall averages greatly.
“He’s waiting in the wings. He speaks of senseless things”, David Bowie
The elephant in the stadium for the second Test was the correctly ‘recalled’ Barrett try that still managed to waste well over three minutes of game time.
Without this single event, the average scrum time drops from 72 seconds to 63, and total time lost by scrums drops back to 18% – and similar to Bledisloe 1 – but still way too much.
In conclusion, another test, another 50 per cent-plus loss of legitimate game time to stoppages.
The questions, like the outcome is the same.
Do we want more actual rugby in our game or not? Are any official stats kept on this time aspect of our game?
How would our game change if we played a full 80 minutes of actual rugby?
All opinions welcome!
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.