The All Blacks have beaten the Wallabies 43-21 in Sydney to complete a Bledisloe Cup series sweep, running in seven tries and leading 36-7 at half-time before holding on with 13 men in the closing minutes.
New Zealand’s win at Stadium Australia on Saturday 17 October extended their record winning streak over the Wallabies to 13 Tests, The Age reported. The All Blacks had already retained the Bledisloe Cup with a 50-19 win at Eden Park a week earlier.
The visitors scored seven tries to three, according to the ABC, with the damage done in a dominant first half. Flanker Peter Lakai, who scored in the first half, was named player of the match, while No.8 Wallace Sititi also crossed before the break.
Winger Josh Moorby scored twice, his second try early in the second half pushing the lead out to 43-7 after a Wallabies turnover.
Wallabies hit back late
Fullback Tom Wright scored in the right-hand corner in the 54th minute, with Ryan Lonergan converting, and replacement Filipo Daugunu scored after the Wallabies regained the ball from a goal-line drop-out and ran almost the length of the field to make it 43-21.
Read more: All Blacks Beat Wallabies 50-19, Retain Bledisloe Cup
Five-eighth Declan Meredith was denied a try when the ball was dislodged as he reached for the line. The TMO looked at whether All Blacks halfback Cam Roigard had kicked the ball out of his hands, but referee Luke Pearce ruled there was no foul play.
The All Blacks ran out of injury replacements with 12 minutes remaining, RNZ reported, and were reduced to 13 when debutant wing Chay Fihaki was sin-binned for head-on-head contact with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. They still kept the Wallabies scoreless in the final minutes.
Force recruit Harry McLaughlin-Phillips made his Test debut off the bench, replacing Meredith late in the match. The official crowd was 73,399.
Read more: Wallabies Name Team for Second Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney
‘Not good enough’
Wallabies captain Harry Wilson told the Nine Network after full-time that he was “gutted”, the ABC reported.
“When you give a team like the All Blacks that head start, it’s tough. It’s not good enough from this group,” Wilson said.
The All Blacks were without Jordie Barrett, who was ruled out before the Test, with Timoci Tavatavanawai starting at second five-eighth, the NZ Herald reported.
What’s next
Australia have not held the Bledisloe Cup since 2003. The two sides are due to meet at the same venue in the pool stage of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Earlier on Saturday, the Wallaroos beat Scotland 56-12 to open the historic four-match rugby program at the stadium.
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