Rugby Championship News

All Blacks whitewash Wallabies & keep Bledisloe Cup

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New Zealand’s All Blacks retained the Bledisloe Cup when they beat Australia’s Wallabies 22-0 at Eden Park in the Rugby Championship on Saturday.

The victory is the third in a row for the Rugby World Cup Champion All Blacks against the Wallabies and their 12 consecutive victory against all opposition.

The result drops Australia to the bottom of the Rugby Championship below Argentina due to points differential and the All Blacks move back to the top of the standings.

After three Rugby Championship matches no team – winning or losing – has won a bonus point in the series yet.

The last time a Wallabies team failed to score any points against the All Blacks was in 1962 when the All Blacks won 3-0 at Carisbrook in Dunedin.

The loss will put Wallabies coach Robbie Deans’ position under huge pressure as time is running out for the Wallabies who host the British and Irish Lions in less than a year.

Returning to the scene of their Rugby World Cup triumph 10 months ago, the All Blacks scored only one try with Dan Carter adding five penalties and a conversion.

The World Cup champions dominated throughout, even though they had problems securing clean lineout ball.

They monstered Australia in the scrums and controlled the breakdown, where Richie McCaw and Kieran Read showed far more aggression than Michael Hooper and Scott Higginbotham.

Behind the pack, fledgling scrum-half Aaron Smith fed a stream of front-foot ball to his outsides, where Dan Carter and Sonny Bill Williams kept Quade Cooper and Berrick Barnes scrambling.

It is the second time this year New Zealand achieved the rare feat of blanking the opposition – they beat Ireland 60-0.

The Wallabies, who chose an expansive game plan last week, opted for a more conservative forward drive approach for the return clash but apart from a brief period at the start of the game they rarely put the All Blacks under pressure.

In the first half, three Carter penalties were the only points for the All Blacks as tries went begging.

Israel Dagg was brought down just short of the line when a pass to an unmarked Hosea Gear outside would have perhaps been a better option, and Liam Messam crossed the line only to have the ball ripped out of his grasp.

Despite the 9-0 lead at the turn the All Blacks were always in control and the points flowed freely after the break.

With the wind behind him Carter landed a 53-metre penalty which was followed by a try to Dagg beside the posts.

Carter landed the conversion and immediately another penalty after the All Blacks swept back on attack when Barnes’ kick off went out on the full.

After the All Blacks had piled on 13 points so early in the second half any hopes the Wallabies held of pulling off an upset were gone.

When Australia had a chance for easy points, a penalty 10 metres out and infront of the posts, they took a tap kick instead and the move ended with the All Blacks securing a turnover.

It was left to Carter to land one more penalty to end the scoring and extend the All Blacks’ unbeaten run at Eden Park to 30 Tests.

Final Score New Zealand 22 (9) Australia 0 (0).

Scorers

New Zealand
Tries – I. Dagg
Pen – D. Carter 5
Con – D. Carter
Drop –
Cards –

Australia
Tries –
Pen –
Con –
Drop –
Cards – W. Genia (yellow)

Match Officials
Referee: N. Owens (WRU)
Assistant Ref 1: A. Rolland (IRFU)
Assistant Ref 2: L. Van Der Merwe (SARU)
TMO: B. Skeen (NZRU)

Teams

New Zealand

1. Wyatt Crockett, 2. Keven Mealamu, 3. Owen Franks, 4. Luke Romano, 5. Samuel Whitelock, 6. Liam Messam, 7. Richie McCaw, 8. Kieran Read, 9. Aaron Smith, 10. Daniel Carter, 11. Hosea Gear, 12. Sonny Bill Williams, 13. Ma’a Nonu, 14. Cory Jane, 15. Israel Dagg.

Replacements: 16. Andrew Hore, 17. Ben Franks, 18. Brodie Retallick, 19. Victor Vito, 20. Piri Weepu, 21. Aaron Cruden, 22. Ben Smith.

Australia

15. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14. Drew Mitchell, 13. Rob Horne, 12. Berrick Barnes, 11. Digby Ioane, 10. Quade Cooper, 9. Will Genia, 8. Scott Higginbotham, 7. Michael Hooper, 6. Dave Dennis, 5. Nathan Sharpe, 4. Sitaleki Timani, 3. Ben Alexander, 2. Tatafu Polota Nau, 1. Benn Robinson.

Replacements: 16. Saia Fainga’a, 17. James Slipper, 18. Radike Samo, 19. Liam Gill, 20. Nick Phipps, 21. Anthony Fainga’a, 22. Kurtley Beale.

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