It’s that time of year again when New Zealand and Australia continue their Trans-Tasman rivalry before the Rugby Championship begins.
Australia last tasted Bledisloe Cup success in 2002, which was their fifth title in a row. However, none of the current Wallabies squad have ever got their hands on the coveted trophy.
- New Zealand went from 1998 to 2002 without the Cup, the longest period that the All Blacks have gone without holding the trophy, including losing eight of 11 matches to Australia – their worst record against any team over an 11-match run, at any point in history.
- New Zealand scored their 400th try in the fixture last year when Jordie Barrett crossed for an early score at Sky Stadium in October.
- The All Blacks now have 414 tries, while the Wallabies have managed 241.
- Australia has not won at Eden Park since 1986 – New Zealand has won 20 matches in a row.
- Prior to 2020, only two players had been sent off in a Bledisloe Cup fixture – Drew Mitchell was the first in 2010 (for two yellow cards), while Scott Barrett became only the fourth All Blacks player to be shown a red card in a test in Perth in 2019.
- Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Lachlan Swinton were both sent off in the final Bledisloe Cup match of 2020 to double the number of players who have seen red in the fixture.
- The record for most tries in a match by an individual player is four and is shared by a player from each side – Greg Cornelsen for Australia and Beauden Barrett for New Zealand. Eden Park in Auckland was the venue on each occasion.
- Australia’s 47-26 win in Perth two years ago – their highest-ever score against the All Blacks in 165 tests – also saw them equal their biggest winning margin (21) in the fixture.
- Matt Burke’s 23 points from seven penalties and conversion set the original landmark in Sydney in 1999 as the Wallabies ran out 28-7 winners.
- Aaron Smith (9 Bledisloe titles) plays his 100th Test for New Zealand, he is the 10th Kiwi to do so, the first halfback.
Breaking: Two late changes to the All Blacks’ bench.
Scott Barrett has been feeling unwell and is replaced by Patrick Tuipulotu. Dane Coles is out as well due to a tight calf, he is replaced by Samisoni Taukei’aho.
Match detail
We are waiting for the kick-off.
1.00: PEEEEP! We are underway in the City of Sails. Aaron Smith led out the All Blacks and he led the Haka.
2.00: Tom Banks kicks to the Kiwis’ 22 to set up an attacking lineout for Australia.
4.00: Brodie Retallick strays offside at the breakdown, Banks clears the danger with a big kick.
5.00: Tate McDermott knocks on from the lineout, that’s two lost lineouts by Australia.
7.00: David Havili concedes New Zealand’s third penalty after an initial knock-on; however, Banks’ kick is poor, only going about 10 metres.
8.00: Not straight from Brandon Paenga-Amosa, the third error by the Aussies from a lineout. This game is messy.
9.00: Brandon Paenga-Amosa overthrows this time, the Kiwis win possession and are on the attack inside the Aussies’ half.
10.00: Nothing comes from the turnover because Ardie Savea loses the ball forward.
12.00: Ian Foster will be concerned with how his team has started. They concede another penalty (four), this time from a scrum.
13.00: Harry Wilson’s obstruction leads to the first penalty to the hosts, who boot to the 22.
14.00: A good driving maul comes to nothing after Richie Mo’unga is stripped by Hunter Paisami near the try line. The All Blacks have been terrible so far.
15.00: Forward pass from Ardie Savea to Codie Taylor, the errors keep mounting.
18.00: PENALTY! Richie Mo’unga smashes a long-distance kick, from in front, through the middle of the sticks. 3-0
19.00: Banks drops a high ball on his 22; scrum to NZ in the middle of the park.
20.00: The home team wins a kickable penalty from in front.
21.00: PENALTY! Mo’unga doubles the lead. 6-0
24.00: Australia will take a shot at goal.
26.00: MISS! Noah Lolesio cannot get the visitors on the board, he pushes the penalty past the right-hand post. 6-0
28.00: The All Blacks go seven phases (longest attack of the match) before Michael Hooper wins a turnover at the breakdown; however, the Kiwis get another kickable penalty from about 45m on the angle.
29.00: PENALTY! Mo’unga slots another goal. 9-0
31.00: A high tackle by Brodie Retallick on Tate McDermott gives Noah Lolesio an easy kick from in front.
32.00: PENALTY! Lolesio opens his side’s account. 9-3
35.00: Australia gets a penalty for offside (penalties: NZ 7 AUS 4).
36.00: TRY! Andrew Kellaway opens the scoring. Hunter Paisami collected a long overthrown Wallabies lineout and raced through the Kiwis’ defenders before offloading to the supporting Kellaway. 9-8
38.00: MISS! Lolesio pushes another kick past the post. 9-8
39.00: New Zealand opts for an attacking lineout instead of taking the points.
41.00: TRY! Sevu Reece crashes over from close range as the All Blacks hit back. 14-8
41.00: CONVERSION! Mo’unga adds the extras. 16-8
The halftime score was All Blacks 16 Wallabies 8
41.00: PEEEEP! We are back underway at Eden Park.
44.00: Both teams struggling to make anything count in the early stages of the second half.
45.00: NO TRY! Sevu Reece finishes off a sensational end-to-end score started by Richie Mo’unga on his own try line, but a forward pass by Aaron Smith to Brodie Retallick on the halfway line chalks off five points. 16-8
48.00: MISS! Lolesio misses from the halfway line. 16-8
52.00: TRY! Richie Mo’unga intercepts a loose Hunter Paisami pass and races 80 metres to score under the posts. 21-8
53.00: CONVERSION! Mo’unga slots the kick. 23-8
55.00: Australia loses two chances inside the ABs’ 22.
58.00: TRY! David Havili takes Aaron Smith’s long cut-out pass, shimmies Lolesio before reaching out to score near the corner. 28-8
60.00: MISS! Mo’unga cannot convert. 28-8
63.00: It’s all NZ now as AUS look to be tiring.
65.00: TRY! Damian McKenzie dots down in the corner after another Aaron Smith assist. Game over! 33-8
66.00: MISS! Mo’unga’s kick is wide. 33-8
69.00: TRY! Banks scores in the corner after some pressure inside the ABs’ 22 sees the defence finally fold. 33-13
71.00: MISS! Lolesio misses his fourth kick. 33-13
75.00: TRY! Banks dots down for his second score. 33-18
76.00: MISS! The kick is wide. 33-18
79.00: TRY! Jordan Uelese crashes over at the death. 33-23
81.00: CONVERSION! Lolesio adds the two. 33-25
FULL TIME
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The final score is New Zealand 33 (16) Australia 25 (8)
Scorers
New Zealand
Tries – Reece, Mo’unga, Havili, McKenzie
Pen – Mo’unga (3)
Con – Mo’unga (2)
Drop –
Cards –
Australia
Tries – Kellaway, Banks (2), Uelese
Pen – Lolesio
Con – Lolesio
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referee 1: Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand),
Assistant referee 2: Mike Fraser (New Zealand)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
TEAMS
New Zealand
15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 David Havili, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 9 Aaron Smith (100th Test), 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Dalton Papalii, 6 Akira Ioane, 5 Samuel Whitelock (captain), 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 George Bower
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Karl Tu’inukuafe, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Luke Jacobson, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Beauden Barrett, 23 Jordie Barrett
Australia
15 Tom Banks, 14 Jordan Petaia, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Andrew Kellaway, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Tate McDermott, 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Michael Hooper (captain), 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Darcy Swain, 3 Allan Ala’alatoa, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 James Slipper
Replacements: 16 Jordan Uelese, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Matt Philip, 20 Fraser McReight, 21 Jake Gordon, 22 Matt To’omua, 23 Reece Hodge
