A dominant second-half performance by the All Blacks has given them a 27-7 victory at Eden Park and a 1-0 series lead in the 2020 Bledisloe Cup.
After going into halftime with a slender 10-7 advantage, the All Blacks extended their lead straight after coming out of the sheds. Instead of clearing the ball off the kick-off, Australia opted to run out of their 22, and eventually gifted New Zealand excellent position from a box kick a few phases later. The hosts plugged away with the pick-and-go, before sending the ball wide to send Jordie Barrett over untouched.
They added another try five minutes later, too. The outstanding Caleb Clarke broke through tackle after tackle from a kick return, and the disorganisation caused by the winger’s burst allowed Ardie Savea to cross close to the left touchline.
The Wallabies replied with a strong passage of attacking play, and thought they had narrowed the margin when Brandon Paenga-Amoso grounded the ball on the try-line from a rolling maul.
However, the TMO ruled the hooker had unfairly advanced the ball after being tackled, and shortly after the All Blacks put on a display of their best attacking, running rugby and Sam Cane crossed under the posts to all but end the contest with more than 25 minutes left.
While the opening exchanges of the game were scoreless, they did not lack for excitement and entertainment.
The Wallabies enjoyed a better share of territory and possession early on, there was a nervousness with the ball in hand that wasn’t apparent in Game 1, with a number of unnecessary offloads being forced when a safer option would have been to hold the ball.
The side’s woes at the breakdown in attack also remained, with New Zealand turning the ball over at the ruck a good five or six times in the opening half-hour – although the Wallabies were able to immediately steal the ball back on two of those occasions.
It was the home side who finally broke the deadlock with nearly a quarter of the game gone. Taniela Tupou rushed a kick into the backfield, allowing Beauden Barrett to go on a devastating run into Wallabies territory. A penalty followed shortly after close to the posts, which Richie Mo’unga made no mistake with.
Minutes later, the All Blacks threatened to break the game open when Aaron Smith snuck over the trying following a bruising run off a lineout from Jack Goodhue, but the Wallabies were able to answer shortly after.
With the attack stagnating, Ned Hanigan burst through a Joe Moody tackle, the Kiwi prop knocked out after getting his head in a horrible position in trying to bring Hanigan down. The flanker found Michael Hooper in support before, a couple of phases later, Marika Koroibete crossed out wide.
James O’Connor kicked truly to bring the margin back to three, and the 10-7 score remained at the break. However, the Wallabies were dealt a blow of their own with Matt To’omua re-injuring his groin and being forced from the field before halftime.
Australia missed the veteran centre’s defensive presence, and the All Blacks’ second-half onslaught means the Aussies must now win both Bledisloe games on home turf to reclaim the trophy.
New Zealand 27 (Aaron Smith, Jordie Barrett, Ardie Savea tries; Richie Mo’unga 2/4 conversions; Mo’unga 1/1 penalty goals) def Australia 7 (Marika Koroibete try; James O’Connor 1/1 conversion)
yeah-nah
Roar Rookie
I believe he was having cramping issues.
soapit
Roar Guru
nah, the placing the ball was fine, he would have scored if he didnt get up to his knees.
Backrower
Guest
I do know that. My comment can be read as noting Hooper didn’t protect his 10 well at all. But JOC was poor even when he got decent ball.
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
Yet! A couple more losses and the hate will start to come
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
I think that saying Clark was the difference is a big call. There were a lot more issues out there for the Wallabies than just Caleb Clark.
Gilbert
Roar Rookie
It was strange. Both Hooper and Smith stopped as if the whistle had gone and Smith went to pick up the ball, but only touched the top of it for a moment and left it there (does that constitute "player who last played it" as in the laws?). They both looked at the ref who just shrugged. Cane was loitering, wondering what was going on. He saw it was play on, picked up the ball and ran. Either the ref didn't think Smith had made contact or was momentarily confused like everybody else. If it had lead to a try, a TMO would've been interesting.
Richie Walton
Roar Guru
Some of the attempted tackles on Clarke and Barrett for their couple of metre-eating runs were laughable. Two defenders coming from different directions having head clashes and dropping off. I think Banks falls off his tackle because Koribete drops a shoulder into Clarke rather than wrapping him up, just propels him into Banks forcing him to mistimes his attempt. Looks a damaging player Clarke, but Wallabies were idiotic in giving him so much space and time to wind up. Let’s dial down the Lomu comparisons though, as solid as he is, Clarke is 3 inches shorter and playing at 10-15 kgs lighter than Jonah did. I’d still be opting for an ankle-tap were possible though ;)
Bill Shut
Roar Rookie
The AB's should have had a larger lead into the first half break. They played well for the first 20 minutes of the second half but could not maintain the intensity for the last 20, and the game just sort of meandered along. Another try by the WB's would have created a catalyst for more desperation in the last 20.
Dave some of the runs done to the wallabies wernt good tackling one on one. BB made way to many breaks due to tackling errors.
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
He was great in attack and under the high ball but went awol in defense and couldn't kick Know many world class teams that play a non kicking fullback?
Dave
Roar Rookie
You let any All Black have twenty metres to wind up and your line is thin and staggered they will break through 100% of the time, doesn't matter how good the tacklers are, it is an impossible task. You never, ever give the All Blacks that opportunity - it is basically rule number one when playing the All Blacks. It was most certainly the kickers fault.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Moaman: The Deans episode was one of the most disgusting acts of racism I have seen here. Nearly everything he did was attacked. I saw him speak on a couple of occasions and a better man you could not meet. I thought he was a pretty good coach considering what the 3 amigo's, the media and even some on here put him through. His record still looks pretty good. I think this last test has opened Rennie's eyes to what he has to deal with and that is a lack of basic skills, a poor understanding of what to do in different parts of the pitch, when to run and when to kick etc etc but at least he won't have to deal with attitude like Deans did.
terrykidd
Roar Pro
About 2 weeks ago I said there were 4 things you needed to do to beat the ABs. In Bled 1 the Wallabies got the defense and breakdown work done, arguably did not kick too much ball away but their set piece struggled, both line outs and scrums. Result a draw. So 2.5 out of 4. Come to Bled 2 and the set piece was good but defence went south, as did the offensive breakdown, as did keeping the pill with silly kicks and silly passes. So 1 out of 4. Significant but not disgraceful loss. I think both teams improved their play in Bled 2, and Caleb Clarke was a beast, but I have this nagging feeling that the Wallabies gifted a fair bit of opportunity to the ABs.
Dave i dont care how bad the kick was...When a player runs thru 6 players to set something up its a bit rich to blame the kick. Id be blaming the tacklers who had their shot to shut it down.
Dave
Roar Rookie
Don't agree, there was literally no one to chase, let alone a line of defenders. The All Blacks score off that position 9 out of 10 times, and that is no exaggeration. It is impossible to defend against. He would have been better off placing the ball on the ground and running back to his own goal posts and lying down for 10 minutes than do that kick - again literally no exaggeration - that is how bad that kick was and always will be.
Armchair Halfback
Roar Rookie
But certainly not domesticated!
moaman
Roar Guru
Given the history of kiwi coaches in Oz mate---the way Deans was treated was abysmal in my view------he would need HUGE balls to drop your skipper this early in his tenure. It could be Hooper as skip was foisted upon him by RA and he is stuck with it. I admire Hooper as a player but I also accept his mere presence can disrupt the balance of your backrow merely because of his playing style. On that friendly call---I was yelling at my screen that Hooper was leaning all over the ruck!!!! But then again--I am one-eyed. :angry:
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Moaman: Could he make the huge call for McRight over Hooper? or more likely put McR on the bench and pull Hooper at half time? Mind you I did appreciate the couple of turnover Hooper won, one looked like a friendly call from Angus as he was lying all over the player on the ground.
moaman
Roar Guru
Yeah I did mate. My read is that a few heads may roll before Bled3! The players in question may be lucky Rennie has an extra week to cool down!
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Moaman: It wasn't JOC who lost us that game. It was a team effort in missed tackles, poor at the breakdown, average kicking and poor chase. Apart from that, I enjoyed watching the game and expect a big improvement in 2 weeks. Did you see Dave Rennie interviewed after the game he did not look happy at all?