Wallabies defeat All Blacks 34 - 19 in Bledisloe Cup classic in Sydney
If there were any doubters about the new ELVs there can be no better endorsement of the new laws than an enthralling, fast-paced Bledisloe Cup classic at ANZ Stadium in Sydney tonight eventually won 34 - 19 by the Wallabies.
It was end to end action through the whole eighty minutes with both teams backing their own attacking abilities with the ball and being met by strong defence and fierce contests at the breakdown.
It was evenly matched all night played in front of 78,944 – the biggest crowd of the year at ANZ Stadium. Bigger even than the third and deciding league State of Origin game in July.
The Wallabies dominated the early exchanges with clever kicking and strong defence trapping the All Blacks near their line.
After a big tackle on Ma’a Nonu by flyhalf Matt Giteau after three minutes turned over possession on the All Blacks 22 the Wallabies had a chance but Matt Giteau’s cross field kick in search of Lote Tuqiri went in to touch.
Soon after Luke Burgess skirted down the blind side from a scrum forty metres out. He just failed to re-gather his chip ahead five metres out with Rodney So’oialo hovering.
But soon after the Wallabies looked certain to score after a super run from Wycliff Palu deep into All Blacks territory. But a head high tackle on Matt Giteau by Brad Thorn stopped the move resulting in Thorn going to the sin-bin for ten minutes.
Giteau recovered to slo the penalty goal to put the Wallabies up 3-0 in the 8th minute and the All Blacks down to 14 men. Such was Australia’s donminance the kick off by the All Blacks was the first time New Zealand had been in Australia’s half.
Then a wayward kick from Mils Miliaina found Tuqiri 40 metres out from the All Blacks line.
Tuqiri made a brilliant run straight through the New Zealand defence breaking three tackles before passing inside to Rocky Elsom who was tackled metres out. Burgess then thre a long ball to the left that Giteau picked up beautifully before passing to Ryan Cross who strolled in for his third Test try, and the first of the night.
Cross was able to run around under the posts making Giteau’s conversion the simplest of tasks to put the wAllabies up 10 – 0 after eleven minutes.
Bu the All Blacks were determined to play and after Sitiveni Sivivatu made a incisive break So’oialo busted a tackle and could have put Dan Carter in for the easiest of tries but he did not see the All Blacks flyhalf on his inside.
The All Blacks forward then pounded the Australian tryline but desperate defence from thr Wallabies held them out with the All Blacks deciding to keep the pressure on rather than going for a goalable penalty.
It was developing in to an open pulsating match and the All Blacks had done well to match Australia as Thorn returned from the bin.
Carter charged down a kick from Berrick Barnes on the half way line and could have sprinted away to score but failed to regather.
The All Blacks continued to make excellent use of the ball but excellent defence and strong counter-rucking from the Wallabies won a penalty for offside to Australia. Giteau’s kick put the Wallabies on the attack five metres out.
But good defence in the mid-field turned the ball over and the All Blacks broke away through Sivivatu.
Muliaina kicked ahead with scrumhalf Andy Ellis regathering and putting Richard Kahui on a charge. Kahui was stopped inches from the line but the ball bobbled up from the breakdown into the hands of Muliainia who crashed over for the All Blacks first try.
Carter missed the conversion to leave the score at Australia leading 10 – 5 after 25 minutes of an exciting first half.
The All Blacks looked the more dangerous team now but again excellent defence and good work at the breakdown, particularly from Barnes, halted several New Zealand raids.
The next score was going to be crucial and it was the Wallabies who took advantage of a scrum win on half way with Giteau making a half break before getting a ball away to a charging Adam Ashley-Cooper who grubbered ahead for Tuqiri.
Tuqiri seemed certain to score but he and Sivivatu clashed with the Australian winger just managing to toe the ball over the line. Peter Hynes got their first to ground the ball for a second Wallaby try. Giteau again converted to put Wallabies up 17 – 5 after 32 minutes.
But the All Blacks came back just as hard and from a ruck on the Wallabies 22 Ellis fed a good inside pass to Muliaina who passed back to Ellis but once again crunching defence by Australia, this time by Burgess and Elsom, again forced a New Zeraland error.
But finally with just minutes to go in extraordinary first half the All Blacks poured forward and long balls from Ellis and Carter found All Blacks hooker Andrew Hore lurking outwide.
Hore hit the ball at pace at a perfect angle and cut inside past two defenders to score a magnificent try. This time Carter converted as the siren sounded to make the half time score 17 – 12 to the Wallabies.
The pace didn’t let up after halftime with the All Blacks keeping the ball through numerous phases before they finally crashed over from close range thanks to Ellis. Carter landed the conversion to put the All Blacks ahead for the first time on the night 19 – 17 after three minutes in the second half.
But the action continued to go from end to end and replacement All Blacks scrumhalf Jimmy Cowan just plucked the ball from Tuqiri as he seemed certain to score after a well plced kick and chase.
But moments later Elsom charged through the exhausted All Blacks defence after another multi-phased attack to put the Wallabies back in front. A Giteau conversion had the Wallabies out again by five points – 24 – 19 after fifteen minutes in the second half.
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans went to the bench bringing Tatafu Polota-Nau on at hooker and Phil Waugh on for Elsom.
The game continued to stretch from end to end and the All Blacks had a good claim for a penalty try after Hynes appeared to take down Sivivatu after he had toed the ball over the line.
But the Wallabies continued to press and when Berrick Barnes landed a thirty metre drop goal with 13 minutes to go to take Australia out to a 28 – 19 lead it looked like the Wallabies were home.
The Wallabies again looked threatening with Cross starting to make some impact and after good lead up work by Palu, James Horwill crashed over from close range on 35 minutes to give the Wallabies the first bonus point for four tries in this year’s Tri-Nations.
Giteau converted to sew up the game for the Wallabies at 34 – 19.
Matt Dunning came on for Al Baxter and then a big moment for Timana Tahu who came on for Giteau with three minutes to go to earn his first Wallaby cap.
A late penalty attempt from Barnes went wide but it could do little to take the gloss from a great Wallabies victory.
Bledisloe Cup
Full time score
Wallabies 34 (Ryan Cross, Peter Hynes, Rocky Elsom, James Horwill tries; Matt Giteau 4 conversions; penalty; Berrick Barnes drop goal) defeated All Blacks 19 (Mils Muliaina, Andrew Hore, Andrew Ellis tries; Dan Carter 2 conversion). Half time: Wallabies 17 - 12. Crowd: 78,944
