Declan Meredith was the best Wallaby on the field in Sydney, and he only started because Ben Donaldson pulled out on Thursday. On his fourth cap he made the first Wallabies try and saved one at the other end.
The All Blacks won 43-21 at Accor Stadium on Saturday 17 October to sweep the series 2-0. It was 36-7 at half-time. The Wallabies took 1.8 points from each of their four visits to the All Blacks’ 22 in the first 34 minutes. The All Blacks took 4.8.
Australia won the second half 14-7, and Meredith made the break for the last try.
Has Meredith just taken the 10 jersey off Donaldson? And was Jeremy Williams’ yellow card a fair call? Have your say in the comments.
Wallabies player ratings vs All Blacks: 1.8 points a visit to the 22
How to read the marks: 10 legendary · 9 outstanding · 8 very good · 7 good · 6 solid · 5 average · 4 poor · 1-3 disaster. Half-marks allowed.
Wallabies backs: Jorgensen made 78 metres in one half and threw the pass that cost seven
Finished the Wallabies’ best attack of the night on 54 minutes, in the right corner after Max Jorgensen’s burst. Then he started the length-of-field move for Filipo Daugunu’s try, from a goal-line drop-out after Samisoni Taukei’aho was held up.
Eight carries, 78 metres, three line breaks and a line-break assist in the first half alone. He also made a try-saving tackle.
The cost came in the same half. With a try on around the eighth minute he missed the pass. On 40 Beauden Barrett read his pass down the right and ran 70 metres for 36-7. His burst after the break set up Wright’s try.
Back at 13 and paired with Isaac Henry for the first time, a week after his 5.5 at Eden Park. Did his job without standing out. Chay Fihaki’s late yellow card came from head-on-head contact with him, and it doesn’t move his mark.
Made a try-saving tackle in the first quarter, one of two that Nick Phipps, the former Wallabies scrum-half, picked out on ABC’s commentary. Daugunu replaced him on 54.
The one bright thing in gold, and the clearest answer the Wallabies have found at 10. Donaldson’s withdrawal on Thursday, with a minor upper-leg injury to his kicking leg, handed him a fourth cap.
His offload in contact sent Jeremy Williams over for the first try on 29 minutes. On 62 he weaved through and was reaching out to score when Cam Roigard got a boot to the ball, and the TMO cleared it.
He saved a try with a tackle on Barrett, made the break for Daugunu’s try and converted it for his first Test points. Late on, his dummy sent Angus Bell through a gap. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips replaced him on 73.
A 10 who runs at the line and makes his tackles is what the Wallabies have been missing. On this evidence Meredith starts the next Test.
Won a turnover early and kicked both his conversions, on 29 and 54 minutes. Otherwise quiet, and against Roigard’s tempo a quiet night at 9 is a losing one. Kalani Thomas replaced him on 64.
Made a half-break early, then two of Australia’s best chances died with him. He knocked on five metres out after a good lineout in the first quarter, and on 39 minutes he was held up over the line.
Took Meredith’s offload for the first Wallabies try on 29 minutes. Two minutes later he was in the bin for cynical play, offside as the All Blacks attacked the line. Back on 41. More on the card below.
His first Bledisloe start. The Wallabies lost two first-half lineouts, one after kicking a penalty to the corner on 15 minutes. The coverage doesn’t say whether the throw or the jump went wrong, but a hooker owns the lineout numbers.
A good substitution. He carried well, and late on Meredith’s dummy sent him through a gap. The support never arrived, and the penalty went back to the All Blacks.
Back in the 23 and on at 48 for Salakaia-Loto. A quiet return.
6out of 10
Not rated: 21 Kalani Thomas (on 64 for Lonergan, in the 23 in place of Tate McDermott), 22 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips (on 73 for Meredith, his Test debut).
Has Declan Meredith just solved the Wallabies’ fly-half problem?
Best Wallaby: Declan Meredith (8/10).Runner-up: Tom Wright (7.5/10), who had a hand in two of the three tries. Jorgensen is third. The official player of the match was an All Black, Peter Lakai.
Four visits to the 22, 1.8 points a visit: why the Wallabies couldn’t finish
The pattern set early. Thirteen phases on the All Blacks’ line ended in a Lakai turnover, and Josh Moorby scored five minutes later.
A penalty kicked to the corner ended in a lost lineout, and Barrett scored two minutes later. McReight was held up on 39, and Barrett scored on 40.
The odd part is the line breaks. By the 50th minute the Wallabies had six to New Zealand’s four, and more time in the opposition 22, 3:40 to 2:51. Finishing was the gap: 1.4 points a visit to 5.4.
Late on, a 10-minute spell with 65% of territory brought nothing. Wilson’s grubber was part of it. The bigger part was passing that broke down under pressure at the end of attacks.
“The Wallabies won that second half, they tightened things up,” Phipps said after full time. True, and they did it from 43-7 against a side that ran out of replacements.
Was Jeremy Williams’ yellow card harsh?
Yes. Luke Pearce saw cynical play, offside as the All Blacks attacked the line. On the live pictures Williams was retreating, and he did nothing to play the ball.
It still cost seven points. Wallace Sititi scored off the first scrum of the match a minute later, with the Wallabies a lock short.
Full time: Australia 21-43 New Zealand (half-time 7-36), Accor Stadium, Sydney, Saturday 17 October 2026. Attendance 73,399.
Australia 21. Tries: Jeremy Williams, Tom Wright, Filipo Daugunu. Conversions: Ryan Lonergan 2, Declan Meredith 1.
New Zealand 43. Tries: Josh Moorby 2, Beauden Barrett 2, Peter Lakai, Rieko Ioane, Wallace Sititi. Conversions: Damian McKenzie 4 from 7.
Yellow cards: Williams (31 minutes) and Chay Fihaki (76). Referee: Luke Pearce (England). Australia had 49% of the ball in the first half and trailed by 29. The All Blacks have now beaten them 13 Tests in a row.
Meredith’s 8 at the top, McReight’s 5 near the bottom. Which one is wrong? Make your case in the comments.
The Wallabies team for Eden Park has one change, Isaac Henry at 13, and keeps Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii on the wing. The reason is the All Blacks back three.
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