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There are results that leave winners and losers alike frustrated. Only the neutral spectator was satisfied with what ultimately It was a victory for New Zealand over Australia. The All Blacks were left unhappy with how they ended up suffering after squandering a comfortable lead; the Wallabies, with the impossibility of reconquering, after a 23-year drought, la Bledisloe Cupwhich was won by the men in black at the Accor Stadium in Sydney.
The 31-28 victory guaranteed the All Blacks the right to retain the trophy that is put up for grabs every year between the two giants of Oceania, which Australia last won in 2002. The four points also allow them to jump to second place in the Rugby Championship, at least until Argentina faces South Africa at 6pm in Santiago del Esteroa match that completes the fifth and penultimate round of the hemispheric competition. In any case, they have no chance of catching up with the Springboks at the top.
After 15 minutes, New Zealand was winning 21-0 and Australia had accumulated eight tries in the last half hour of play, considering the end of the match against the Pumas in Santa Fe. The negative record of 67 points against inflicted by the Argentine team was beginning to be in danger. The tone of the entire first half was similar. Each attack by the men in black made the Australian defense tremble, which did not show any emotional response to reverse the bad moment that the team is going through.
Faessler and McReight’s first-half tries seemed, at this stage, exceptions to the rule. When the All Blacks accelerated, there was no stopping them. The 28-14 lead they had at half-time seemed small in relation to the difference in play on the field, and should have been even greater had Jordie Barrett’s try not been wrongly disallowed late on.
Cortez Ratima escapes Noah Lolesio’s tackleSAEED KHAN – AFP
It was strange that at the start of the second half the All Blacks settled for a penalty on the first drive instead of going for another try. However, those three points would end up being the difference.
Australia had started the tournament with two hard-fought but undeniable defeats against the Springboks. They found some fresh air on a rainy night in La Plata, where they salvaged a victory against the Pumas in the last action of the match, but in normal conditions the Argentines dealt them the biggest thrashing in their history by scoring 67 points seven days later.
In the second half, the Wallabies began to play more aggressively in contact situations, which, combined with the lack of cohesion that still prevails in the All Blacks, who were coming off two painful defeats against the Springboks that took them out of the title race, helped to revive their spirits. Australia began to feel encouraged to play and spend more time in rival territory. The introduction of the substitutes contributed to this injection of impetus and players such as Paenga-Amosa and Salakaia-Loto joined Harry Wilson and Tom Wright to put the team ahead.
Cortez Ratima celebrates a try for New ZealandSAEED KHAN – AFP
At 24, after a great break by Salakaia-Loto, the recovered Hunter Paisami (who did not come to Argentina due to injury) scored the third try, which brought his team within 10 (31-21). In the same action Anton Lienert-Brown was cautioned, and six minutes later Caleb Clarke was yellow-carded, so New Zealand was left with two less.
He immediately had a great chance to get into the game, but ended up giving away a penalty for holding on to the in-goal line. By then, the 68,000 spectators, many of them wearing black shirts, had come out of their stupor and provided a setting for the vibrant finale. Tom Wright finally scored a goal a minute and a half from the end, leaving the match within three points. There was one last chance. The Wallabies had to come back all the way to go for the feat. However, in the first action the All Blacks blocked the ball high up and won a scrum, which they had no trouble obtaining to get the ball out and seal the victory.
What seemed like a rout between two teams with no equals ended in a dizzying outcome. For the neutral spectator, a great show. For the Wallabies, a new frustration. It was the 12th consecutive match without a win against their arch-rivals, with 11 losses and one draw; the last victory was in 2019. The Bledisloe Cup, the annual trophy that is up for grabs in the series between the two (and in the event of a draw goes to the winner of the previous year), has eluded them since 2002.
Jordie Barrett was one of the stars of the All BlacksRick Rycroft – AP
For New Zealand, only victory and some flashes of brilliance are to be expected. However, the image that persists is that of a team that has not yet consolidated. The arrival of Scott Robertson this year seems unable to make up for the departure of a significant group of players. Beyond the names, even in victories they lack the solidity and authority that characterises them.
In seven days there will be revenge in Wellington, a scenario that has eluded the All Blacks. There they lost at the start of the competition against the Pumas and have accumulated five consecutive defeats; the last victory was in 2018, against France. Both teams will have reasons to redeem themselves.
The synthesis
Australia (28): Tom Wright; Andrew Kellaway, Len Ikitau, Hunter Paisami y Marika Koroibete; Noah Lolesio y Nic White; Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (c) y Rob Valetini; Jeremy Williams y Nick Frost; Taniela Tupou, Matt Faessler y Angus Bell. Coach: Joe Schmidt.
Changes: ST 5m, Allan Alaalatoa for Tupou; 10, James Slipper for Bell; 13, Brandon Paenga-Amosa for Faessler; 16, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto for Frost; 22, Tate McDermott for White; 24, Dylan Pietsch for Koroibete; 28, Langi Gleeson for Valentini; 31, Bell for Slipper.
Alternate: Tom Lynagh.
New Zealand (31): Will Jordan; Sevu Reece, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett and Caleb Clarke; Damian McKenzie and Cortez Ratima; Sam Cane, Ardie Savea and Wallace City; Tupou Vaa’i and Scott Barrett (c); Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor and Ethan De Groot. Coach: Scott Barrett.
Changes: ST Tamaiti Williams by De Groot and Anton Lienert-Brown by J. Barrett; 18m, TJ Perenara by Ratima; 22, Congregation Aumua by Taylor; 24, Luke Jacobson by Cane; 26, Sam Darry by Cow; 31, Cough Corridor by Lomax; 37, Harry Plummer by Reece.
PT: 3, 10, 16 and 26m, goals by McKenzie after tries by Jordan, Ioane, Clarke and Savea (NZ); 19 and 37, goals by Lolesio after tries by McReight and Faessler (A).
ST: 5m, McKenzie (NZ) penalty; 26 and 39, Lolesio scores from tries by Paisami and Wright (A).
Cautioned: 25m, Lienert-Brown (NZ); 32, Clarke (NZ)
Basketball court: Accor Stadium, Sydney.
Arbitrator: Karl Dickson (Inglaterra).
Conocé The Trust Project
