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The Australian team with the Bledisloe Cup after the Wallabies defeated All Blacks during the Tri-Nations rugby union decider between Australia and New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011. Australia defeated New Zealand 25-20. (AAP Image/Steve Holland)
Will Genia and Radike Samo combined for the Wallabies to seal a spine-tingling 25-20 win over the All Blacks at Suncorp last night, to end a decade long drought in the Tri Nations.
It doesn’t get any better than this, after some very ordinary rugby this campaign.
Genia is a genius. His first half try, deftly slipping between Keven Mealamu and Owen Franks, was an integral part of 40 minutes superbly sustained Wallaby rugby.
The Wallabies came to play.
Samo’s midfield bust in the 35th minute was the highlight of the game. There’s no finer sight than the big Fijian-born 35-year-old, in full flight.
His 65 metre tearaway run brought 51,858 spectators to their feet, but it was Genia who did the biz for a very worthy man-of-the-match recognition.
Once the 20-3 Wallaby half-time lead had disappeared with the men-in-black piling on 17 unanswered points in just 19 minutes, Genia again stepped up to the plate.
Bursting clear on halfway, Genia made 30 metres, unloaded to Digby Ioane, who found an unmarked Kurtley Beale for what was the match-winning try.
To come back after being so dominated by the All Blacks in the second session, was commitment, a commodity often found missing in the Wallaby psyche.
What a time to click, not only to clinch the Tri Nations, but denting All Black morale with the World Cup only 13 days away.
It was statement time, there wasn’t a Wallaby weak link. Essentially a team effort with new skipper James Horwill leading from the front.
One Test, one win for the big bloke, with the Tri Nations trophy the big bonus.
But it was defence that won through, headed by David Pocock, Anthony Faingaa, Pat McCabe, Rocky Elsom, Radike Samo, Adam Ashley-Cooper, and Ioane.
They were tireless, they kept the best team on the planet under constant pressure.
And a special salute for inside-centre McCabe who has been under the pump lately from so many quarters. He silenced them all at Suncorp by taking up the ball hard and straight, and never missed a tackle. McCabe’s unfashionable, but rock solid and dependable, he’s here to stay and rightfully so.
Also in the salute department, Kurtley Beale is a match-winner, Ashley-Cooper played his best game in a year, Dan Vickerman gave the All Black pack hell throughout the first half, Quade Cooper came of age in All Black faces, but missed a conversion, and a penalty, at the death that could have been critical.
Downside one is the goal-kicking. The Wallabies haven’t a sharp-shooter like Dan Carter – Cooper, James O’Connor, Beale, even Berrick Barnes on their day can be brilliant, but they can also be flakey.
Downside two: the lineout, where the Wallabies lost five of their own. It wasn’t a good night for Stephen Moore’s accuracy.
Now it’s countdown time to the World Cup. Make no mistake the All Blacks are still the side to beat for rugby’s Holy Grail.
Even more so after last night’s defeat, their second to the Wallabies in the last three times they’ve met.
But so long as Will Genia, Radike Samo, James Horwill, Kurtley Beale, and David Pocock stay healthy, the Wallabies have a genuine sniff of a record third RWC.
Bring it on.
Watch video highlights of the match