After last week’s All Black victory over the Wallabies in Bledisloe I, New Zealand has now won their last six trans-Tasman Tests going back to 2015, averaging 40 points per victory.
The All Blacks and Australia have played 159 times in history, New Zealand winning 110 matches and drawing seven.
The only previous meeting between these teams at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin was in 2013. The Kiwis ran out 41-33 victors and have not lost to the Aussies, at home, since 2001, which was also in Dunedin but at Carisbrook.
The All Blacks have held the Bledisloe Cup for 15 years. The last time the Wallabies held the Bledisloe Cup was in 2002.
Match detail
We are waiting for the kick-off.
Kick-off will be delayed by 10 minutes due to the issue with the lights. The Aussies had to come out and go through their warm-up routine, again.
Australia went back inside to their change rooms after the initial warm-up.
However, the All Blacks stayed out on the field but Australia’s coach Michael Cheika felt hard done by, so came back out for another warm-up.
We are waiting for the national anthems. There was also a moment’s silence for All Black legend Sir Colin Meads.
BEEP! BEEP! We are underway in Dunedin after the delayed kick-off. Aaron Smith led the Haka. Australia faced Ka Mate in a tight formation behind Michael Hooper.
1.00: TRY Israel Folau! The fullback intercepted Damien McKenzie’s loose pass and ran 70 metres for the game’s opening score: 0-5
2.00: MISS! The conversion is missed by Bernard Foley: 0-5
3.00: Australia has fluffed both the kick-off and restart. This time, they are caught for accidental offsides after the knock-on and Beuden Barrett kicks to the Aussie 22.
5.00: BIG SCRUM! The All Blacks lose the ball forward but proceed to dismantle the visitor’s scrum and are on the attack.
7.00: The Kiwis go nine phases but Sonny Bill Williams, near the goal line, loses the ball forwards in the contact. Australia tries to run the ball from their 22 but is stopped in their tracks.
8.00: The home team are guilty of throwing a few 50/50 passes, and have already lost the ball three times with stray passes or offloads. Sonny Bill has been the main culprit.
9.00: Brodie Retallick is penalised for going off his feet at the breakdown. Foley kicks deep into the All Blacks’ territory and will have the lineout, just outside the Kiwi 22.
11.00: TRY Michael Hooper! The skipper slips Kieren Read’s tackle after the initial lineout drive and bursts through a hole in the Kiwi defence. He strolls in for the Wallabies’ second try: 0-10
12.00: Foley makes no mistake this time: 0-12
14.00: Ardie Savea wins a turnover and sets Rieko Iaone away. The wing breaks across halfway but is tackled by Dane Haylett-Petty. The All Blacks lose the ball forwards, again and the Aussies have the scrum.
15.00: TRY Bernard Foley! Will Genia breaks after a huge scrum from New Zealand. The scrumhalf breaks inside Aaron Smith. Genia pops to Hooper, who sends his standoff away. Foley still had work to do, beating Sonny Bill and Crotty before holding off McKenzie and diving over the whitewash – what a start! 0-17
16.00: MISS! Foley cannot convert his try, missing another two points: 0-17
20.00: Kurtley Beale is pinged for holding. Read won the penalty at the breakdown, but his side has shipped possession and turned the ball over too many times. Cane has failed his concussion test. The loose forward left the field after Hooper’s try and he will not be back out.
22.00: TRY Rieko Ioane! The wing is over for his sixth Test try (in his 6th Test), going over from close range after a driving maul: 5-17
23.00: Beauden Barrett adds the extras: 7-17
24.00: Referee Nigel Owens is looking at a potential foul play from Retallick on Ned Hanigan. The lock flipped the flanker, who landed on his head. Hooper is not happy, questioning Owens and TMO Rowan Kitt’s decision. They have deemed it ‘accidental’. The All Blacks have had 80 percent possession but are still down by 10 points.
27.00: The Wallabies have gone a dozen phases, punching upfield before they lose the ball and Iaone gathers and runs away. However, Owens blows the play dead for a penalty to the visitors. Ryan Crotty has left the field after a knock to the head while attempting to tackle Tevita Kuridrani Foley will kick at goal. He’s one from three so far; big call.
29.00: MISS! Foley’s kick hits the post: 7-17
31.00: The All Blacks scrum was creaking under some pressure by the Australian pack. Aaron Smith cleans up and passes to McKenzie to clear. The ball does not go out and the Wallabies attack. Kuridrani breaks near the touchline but keeps the play alive. New Zealand knocks on and the visitors have a scrum inside the Kiwi 22.
33.00: MASSIVE SCRUM! The All blacks bulldoze the Wallaby pack. Hooper cleans up and the Aussies attack. Beale is tackled and loses the ball. Barrett gathers and counter-attacks from inside his 22 before offloading to McKenzie. The fullback keeps play alive and the All Blacks end up with the scrum.
36.00: Barrett puts in a grubber, Genia gets back and saves the day, but the All Blacks win the penalty for not releasing; great work from Ben Smith. Read opts for a scrum, five metres out and near the sideline.
39.00: BIG SCRUM! Another powerful scrum by the home team, however, Aaron Smith knocks on. Wait! Nigel Owens awards a penalty to the All Blacks. Nobody knows why. Read calls for another scrum.
40.00: TRY Ben Smith? Read picks and goes, the ball is shifted to the open side to Sonny Bill before Barrett plays the ball on his inside to Smith. He looks to have lost the ball in the act of grounding. The TMO says “no try”! It will be a scrum to gold, on their line and under the sticks.
40.00: BIG SCRUM! It’s another massive scrum from the Kiwis. More scuffles break out afterwards and Owens calls the captains over for a chat. The All Blacks get the penalty and opt for another scrum. A pivotal moment here; the last play of the half.
41.00: TRY Aaron Smith! The Wallaby scrum disintegrates, Smith gathers, beats Hooper’s weak tackle and the scrumhalf is over for his 13th Test try: 12-17
41.00: Barrett adds the easy conversion: 14-17
The half-time score was All Blacks 14 Wallabies 17
41.00: BEEP! BEEP! We are back underway in Dunedin for the second half of Bledisloe II.
43.00: Penalty to Australia. Bernard Foley kicks deep into the All Blacks’ territory and the Aussies will go to their driving maul.
44.00: Rory Arnold is tackled by Ardie Savea. somehow, the visitors get the scrum from another knock on.
45.00: Penalty to the home team. Israel Folau goes close but is tackled short. The All Blacks get back with some excellent scramble defence and win the penalty after some good work by Joe Moody.
49.00: It’s end-to-end in Dunedin. Both teams have gone the length of the field, been repelled and come back again. Lima Sopoaga was immense on defence with two big tackles in that long phase of play.
53.00: The penalties are mounting, nine to four in favour of Steve Hansen’s side.
54.00: TRY Brodie Rettalick? The lock scores from close range after a pick and drive. Nigel Owens has called for the TMO.
55.00: NO TRY! The evidence is inconclusive. The All Blacks get another penalty after Dane Haylett-Petty is caught offsides.
58.00: It’s all New Zealand at the moment. They are dominating territory and possession. Another penalty against Dane Haylett-Petty sees Barrett kick to the corner.
60.00: Penalty! After another lineout drive, the Kiwis go wide and earn another penalty for offsides at the ruck. The Wallabies’ defence has been magnificent this week. Kieren Read calls for another scrum, five metres out. That’s 12 penalties to four in favour of the home team.
61.00: TRY Beauden Barrett! Aaron Smith darts to the blindside and plays his halfback partner in for the try. Barrett’s power taking him and a gold jersey over the whitewash for the lead: 19-17
62.00: Barrett converts his try and the Kiwis have a four point lead: 21-17
65.00: Izack Rodda is on for his Australian Test debut, the 21-year-old replaces Rob Simmons.
67.00: TRY Will Genia! Wow! The scrumhalf snipes from the ruck, beating Ardie Savea, Damian McKenzie and Aaron Smith before crossing the whitewash: 21-22
68.00: MISS! Oh dear, Foley hits the post, again, but his team lead. However, they should have had more: 21-22.
69.00: There was a mix-up with the substitution of Simmons. It was supposed to be Rory Arnold that came off for Rodda: what is going on tonight?
71.00: TRY Ben Smith! What a try! The move went through 22 phases, left and right; mini breaks and offloads before McKenzie sent Smith away for the Kiwi’s fourth try, which puts them back in the lead with less than nine minutes to play: 26-22
72.00: Barrett makes no mistake: 28-22
76.00: TRY Kurtley Beale! The Aussies hit back. The centre scores under the posts: wow! 28-27
77.00: Foley can’t miss from there: 28-29
78.00: TRY Beauden Barrett! The first five is in for his second after a break by his skipper and an offload from McKenzie: 33-29
79.00: Barrett slots his conversion: 35-29
80.00: The hooter sounds and the ball is kicked into the stands. Wow! What a game, one for the ages.
Full-time
The final score is New Zealand 35 (14) Australia 29 (17)
Scorers
New Zealand
Tries – R. Ioane, A. Smith, B. Barrett (2), B. Smith
Pen –
Con – B. Barrett (5)
Drop –
Cards –
Australia
Tries – Folau, Hooper, Foley, Genia, Beale
Pen –
Con – Foley (2)
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant Ref 1: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
Assistant Ref 2: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (RFU)
Teams
New Zealand
15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Ryan Crotty, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read (captain), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Liam Squire, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Joe Moody.
Replacements: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Kane Hames, 18 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 19 Scott Barrett, 20 Ardie Savea, 21 Thomas Perenara, 22 Lima Sopoaga, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown.
Australia
15 Israel Folau, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Henry Speight, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Will Genia, 8 Sean McMahon, 7 Michael Hooper (captain), 6 Ned Hanigan, 5 Rory Arnold, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Tom Robertson, 18 Sekope Kepu, 19 Izack Rodda, 20 Lopeti Timani, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Reece Hodge, 23 Curtis Rona
