“I think we’re going to win 36-34,” Jeremy Paul said of the Wallabies on Monday. Kieran Read, Justin Marshall and Andy Rowe all tipped the All Blacks by 17. They won by 31.
It was 17-14 at half-time. Then New Zealand ran in 26 unanswered points and won 50-19, seven tries to three. The Bledisloe Cup stays in New Zealand for a 24th straight year.
Opta logged two line breaks. The second, early in the second half, should have produced a try, but his attempted link with Sititi was picked off by Lonergan. He finished the night by hacking on a loose Australian ball and outpacing everyone to it. One first-half turnover conceded.
Won two breakdown penalties, one of them on 59 minutes when Harry Potter was isolated as Australia tried to run from their own 22. That is a back-rower’s return from a centre, in a week when Justin Marshall questioned the All Blacks’ turnover threat. Six first-half carries.
Won back the high ball that started Lakai’s try and broke the line in the same move. Nine tackles completed by half-time, one of them dominant, plus seven carries. Sky Sports also credited him with a key role in Carter’s try. Replaced by Rieko Ioane with 11 minutes left.
Scored New Zealand’s fifth try, breaking the line and dragging defenders over with him. He was hurt in the act, his ankle trapped under Valetini, and limped off soon after. Beyond that the evidence is thin: two first-half carries.
Paul said the Wallabies’ 10 needed a blinder. New Zealand’s had one: 15 points from seven of eight kicks at goal, missing only the conversion of Moorby’s try. He made New Zealand’s first try, cutting through and drawing the full-back before sending Lakai over. He only started at 10 because Ruben Love and Richie Mo’unga were injured.
Involved in four of the five tries New Zealand scored while he was on. He gave the final pass for Vaa’i and Taylor and sniped over himself when Australia stopped the maul. Carter’s try came off his inside ball.
The busiest carrier on the field at half-time with 11, and his line break set up Vaa’i’s try. Replaced after 52 minutes, he came back on for the closing stages when Anton Segner went off for a head injury assessment (HIA).
Finished McKenzie’s break for the first All Blacks try and had a hand in Carter’s down the left. Opta also credits him with a first-half turnover. One slip: his touch on Wright’s kick turned an Australian error into an Australian lineout in New Zealand territory.
Scored the second try after New Zealand worked their way out of their own 22. Opta logged two line breaks, the second in the build-up to Carter’s try. Six first-half carries. His lineout work wasn’t covered.
His clearest moment was stealing a deep Australian lineout just before the hour to set up another attack. Replaced after 58 minutes, he returned when Scott Barrett went off for an HIA. Two first-half carries; little else is visible.
Busy in his first Test of the year: seven carries and a dominant tackle by half-time. He went off for an HIA around 71 minutes and failed it. New Zealand lost two of six first-half lineouts, but the reports don’t say who was targeted.
Captained a dominant second half and finished the multi-phase siege on 55 minutes. The first-half lineout wobbled: Australia took New Zealand ball and two of six throws were lost, which is never on the thrower alone. Came back on late after Aumua’s HIA.
Made Moorby’s try: after the drive he powered down the short side and fed Kyle Preston. Left late on for an HIA after clashing heads with teammate Anton Segner.
Crashed over around 71 minutes, only for the TMO to rule it out for a knock-on at the ruck in the build-up. The knock-on wasn’t his. His scrummaging isn’t covered.
His flick pass finished the short-side move that sent Moorby over for the sixth try. Rugby.com.au and ABC blamed him for the ruck knock-on that cost Tosi a try. Sky Sports and Stuff named Rieko Ioane, so it hasn’t been counted against him.
6.5out of 10
23
23. Josh MoorbyWing · c.13 min
Finished the blindside move unmarked in the left corner for the sixth try. The work was done before the ball reached him, and nothing else from his 13 minutes made the reports.
6out of 10
Not rated, too little to go on: 17 George Bower (on 48 min), 19 Shannon Frizell (on 58 min), 20 Anton Segner (on 52 min, off after a head clash with Aumua), 22 Rieko Ioane (on 69 min).
Player of the match: Cam Roigard (9/10). McKenzie, with 15 points and the break that made New Zealand’s first try, runs him close.
Beauden Barrett without a mark is the call we expect to hear about. He played all 80 minutes, and none of the coverage described a kick, a catch or a tackle. We won’t invent a 7.
The sides meet again at Accor Stadium in Sydney on Saturday 17 October. Wrong call? Make the case in the comments.
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