The Wallabies have won their first Test under Dave Rennie, beating the All Blacks by just two points in Bledisloe 4 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
It was a vastly-improved performance from the Wallabies from their previous offering in Sydney last week, with the side showing much better physicality, ball security, and attacking direction – albeit still without reaching their best.
The teams went into halftime tied at 8-8, and while the Wallabies hit the scoreboard first in the second half, the All Blacks got the first try after the break when Codie Taylor muscled his way over from a lineout maul.
Australia kept chipping away from the boot of Reece Hodge, and eventually re-took the lead with a point-blank penalty with 11 minutes to play. Scott Barrett had moments earlier become the fourth player of the game to be carded for cynical play, giving the hosts a one-man advantage for ten of the last 13 minutes.
They made the most of the numerical advantage, when in the 75th minute Taniela Tupou, on the field as a second-half substitute, crashed over from short range and pushed the lead out to nine points following Hodge’s successful conversion.
But the buffer lasted only three minutes, with Tupou Vaa’i scoring to set up a nailbiting finish.
A huge hit for Marika Koroibete forced a New Zealand knock-on with seconds left though, and after controlling the ball from the scrum, Australia kicked the ball out to finish the game for a famous win.
(Photo by Jono Searle/Getty Images)
The first half was a see-sawing affair which will mainly be remembered for the cards handed out. But before Ofa Tuungafasi and later Lachie Swinton were given their marching orders, the Wallabies and All Blacks exchanged a pair of unconverted tries.
It was the home side getting on the board almost straight away. Hodge, one of the Wallabies’ best in just his second-ever start for the national team at flyhalf, chipped into the opposition 22, it bounced favourably for Tom Banks and the fullback offloaded to Tom Wright to score just three minutes into his Test debut.
New Zealand answered with a spell of excellent field position which led to a try for Reiko Ioane out wide.
Not long after came the first of the red cards. Wright sidestepped around Beauden Barrett and had been looking to jink his way past more All Blacks defenders, only to be stopped in his tracks by Tuungafasi.
While the crunching hit initially looked to be a good one, on closer inspection the big prop’s shoulder clearly hit Wright in the chin, and referee Nic Berry had little choice but to brandish a red.
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The Wallabies enjoyed a period of domination right after Tuungafasi’s dismissal, but inaccuracy with the ball in hand meant they didn’t score while up a man, while the All Blacks slotted a penalty goal to tie the game up at eight-all.
After that three-pointer, it was Swinton’s turn to be sent off. Like Tuungafasi, the Australian debutant went high in his tackle on Sam Whitelock, making first contact with his shoulder to the big lock’s head.
That wasn’t the last card of the half, with Koroibete – who was otherwise outstanding – seeing yellow on the stroke of halftime, the second-last of a number of Wallabies to infringe with the All Blacks camped on their line and sent to the bin as a result of the side’s repeated infringements.
Somehow, though, Australia were able to hang on without conceding points, a crucial lineout steal after the 40th minute by Matt Philip sending the sides into the sheds all square, and that resilience at the end of the half proved crucial in the narrow victory.
Wallabies 24 (Tom Wright, Taniela Tupou tries; Reece Hodge 1/2 conversions; Hodge 4/5 penalty goals) def All Blacks 22 (Reiko Ioane, Codie Taylor, Tupou Vaa’i tries; Jordie Barrett 2/3 conversions; Jordie Barrett 1/1 conversions)
CUW
Roar Rookie
@ Corne Van Vuuren Berry said there was no change in height at the tackle i bet Wright was more hurt by that comment than the tackle. Berry made him look like a 5 feet shortie :laughing:
Muglair
Roar Rookie
The NRL have a few in the pipeline. The NFL had a huge class settlement with players recently. The NRL will have a problem defending themselves partly because their own laws are inconsistent and partly because they are miles behind rugby union which is a similar type game also played around the world. Then you take into account inconsistent application of the laws in the NRL and inconsistent actions by clubs during matches and in policing breaks. That is where rugby is correct to try and eliminate the risk of a hit to the head. In court that intent and the subsequent enforcement is what is important. As per TC’s comment that is what I do not understand about tackling a player in the air. Unless a player has been unable to avoid being in the contact zone then contact in the air has to be a card. It is a tough area to referee; I did think Daugunu was unlucky, something definitely not right how Cane fell once Daugunu did. Looked more like he suddenly tried to catch Clark rather than tackle him. Boxers specifically accept the risk of head injuries and even where a match has gone on to long their own corner has always the option of throwing in the towel. Don’t know about MMA but I am assuming there is not a lot of expectation of any form of protection. Probably covered in contracts as well.
Loosey
Roar Rookie
There is a pretty good argument for that to occur.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
Agree, makes no sense at all and is a big inconsistency.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
Agree that they just have to keep bringing it down until the accidental hits are eliminated too. It won't make the game soft, the Kiwis were starting to look for Swinton and most of his tackles had been ribs/waistish level.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
A Kiwi mate (also sympathetic on both cards) pointed out neither player was subbed off for HIA. I thought Whitelock definitely registered Swinton's hit. I would think a red card hit to the head should be a mandatory HIA.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
True Frank, I would love to watch it again and don't have Fox.
Frank
Guest
Great words from Justin Harrison (from someone who has been critical of many of this generation of wallabies in not appearing to show pride in the national jersey) I was happily proven wrong on Sat night. A great win
Glider
Guest
except for the god awful music they insist on playing in some misguided attempt at injecting atmosphere. FFS let the game stand by itself and let us hear whats going on - on the field. Useless and clueless marketing people.
P2R2
Roar Rookie
Well done WBs...bloody great game from both Teams....I think Foster 'stuffed up' in his selections...and RED do no one any favours....time we take on how NRL do it...go on REPORT....just a joke...but those are the RULES for now....again, a great game and all augurs well for WBs and their development..
I have never excused foul play by South African players, so no high horse for me. :thumbup:
Terry Tavita
Roar Pro
looking at the size of ofa's shoulders, could've been fatal,..
FunBus
Roar Rookie
I’ve seen you make better points, Corne. But if, as a South African, you want to get on your high horse about violent play, feel free.
Well, Farrell will know, won’t he?
FunBus
Roar Rookie
I’m not denying that. Simply saying that the hysteria over them was ludicrous. There are a dozen ‘illegal’ tackles every game.
Yet both were illegal tackles, that’s what we have arms for :silly:
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I don’t agree sorry.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
Yes, this was the recent club game (two months ago)when he came on as a sub and mistimed his tackle. He got sent off and banned for 5 weeks. His only other ban was a low two week one four and a half years ago. Here’s another similar one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdWP8osXdaw Even the recent one was not a case of Farrell driving his shoulder into the head of an opponent, which is what the laughable hysteria about him in the SH has been about. After the two tackles in the SA and Aussie game you’d have thought he’d brought a gun on and shot someone. When it’s pointed out to people that in neither instance was any contact attempted or made to the head, it goes silent. Contact in the SA game was to the middle of the chest – it wasn’t even upper chest. He clearly begins to try to wrap but is forced backwards by the charging forward. What made the jaw drop, is that it was Kiwis clutching their pearls about the ‘horrific’ collision between the shoulder of a back and the chest of a charging forward. This from the people who laugh quoting Umaga after trying to maim O’ Driscoll that it’s not ‘tiddlywinks’ and condemning any criticism of Tu’ungafasi the same year who drove his shoulder into the head of a French player, fracturing his skull, and requiring a plate inserted into his head. So again, can you provide evidence of Farrell driving his shoulder into the head of an opponent as seemingly everyone in the SH believes he does on a weekly basis, particularly in internationals, which is all, obviously, you watch?
TP12
Roar Rookie
Agree with all that. Definitely want him on the bench
TP12
Roar Rookie
Have to agree with that. He's an exciting prospect for the future. And we all know that 12s are the most influential and result determining players on the field .. ahem ... ;)