All Blacks even it up in Auckland

[travelling_gerry]

The All Blacks struck back in Auckland tonight to comprehensively defeat the QantasWallabies 39 – 10 and leave the Bledisloe Cup evenly poised after two matches.

A hungry, desperate All Blacks outplayed the Wallabies all over the park as the Australians at times struggled to come to terms with the breakdown interpretations of South African referee Mark Lawrence which seemed to differ greatly from his countryman Craig Joubert’s decisions the week before.

It was the Wallabies Head Coach Robbie Deans first loss in charge of the Men of Gold.

It seemed the only bright spot for the Wallabies was that they would prevent the All Blacks scoring the fourth try which would give New Zealand a precious bonus point but even that disappeared when All Blacks’ inside centre Ma’a Nonu scored a questionable five pointer after the siren.

The All Blacks four tries were scored two each by prop Tony Woodcock and Nonu, the second a questionable five-pointer after the siren, while the Wallabies sole tryscorer was fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper.

A wet and windy night at Eden Park in Auckland greeted the teams with the rain teeming down for over two hours before the kick off, whipped up by gusting wind.

This suggested the All Blacks would go to a more forward based, kicking game rather than the adventurous style they favoured in the loss in Sydney last Saturday.

Qantas Wallabies Head Coach Robbie Deans spoke just before the kick-off about the All Blacks “coming out swinging” but Deans would also have known that, like against the Springboks, if the initial storm could be weathered the new-breed of Wallabies had an even money (or better) chance of winning.

Deans and his New Zealand counterpart, Graham Henry, also both spoke about “accuracy” being the deciding factor in what was set to be a ferocious battle in difficult conditions.

When All Blacks lock Ali Williams dropped the first kick off the signs weren’t good for New Zealand and the Wallabies dominated the early minutes before New Zealand No.8 Rodney So’oialo gave away a penalty at a breakdown on the All Blacks 22 for coming in at the side.

Wallabies flyhalf Matt Giteau stepped up to put Australia up 3-0 after 4 minutes.

But then it was the Wallabies turn to lapse with lock Nathan Sharpe dropping the All Blacks kick off over the sideline. From the line out New Zealand won a penalty at the breakdown, similarly for coming in at the side, and the All Blacks No.10 Dan Carter made it 3-all after six minutes from an identical point at the opposite end of the ground to where Giteau was successful minutes before.

It was clear from the early exchanges that the All Blacks would use the boot much more this week with Carter, fullback Mils Muliaina and scrumhalf Jimmy Cowan using a combination of grubbers, mid-field bombs (strongly contested) and chip kicks to pin Australia in their territory.

A well placed kick from Cowan set up a line out close to the Wallabies line and win they uncharacteristically lost the line out the All Blacks drove close to the line. Australian flanker George Smith then came in at the side of a ruck on the Wallabies line, giving Carter another chance.

Again the Canterbury flyhalf was on target from wide out making it 6-3 to New Zealand after thirteen minutes.

The collision areas were far more contested and an accidental elbow from All Blacks captain Richie McCaw on Wallabies flanker Phil Waugh, left the Waratahs captain groggy but he soldiered on.

A well judged kick from Carter had the Wallabies throwing into their line out from five metres out from their own line. A pedantic short arm free kick from South African referee Mark Lawrence for the ball not being thrown in five metres, saw the All Blacks then take a scrum metres out from the Wallabies line.

From the scrum the All Black forwards drove close to the line and after several rucks New Zealand prop Tony Woodcock picked up the ball and drove over through several Wallabies defenders. Carter converted to make it 13 – 3 to New Zealand after a quarter of the game.

Two minutes late things got even blacker for the Wallabies with another excellent kick from Carter taken into touch by Wallabies fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper a metre from his own line.

From the resulting line out Williams jumped high for a clean catch and then threw the ball down to Woodcock in a well worked move. Woodcock went straight through a gap in the Wallabies line out to burrow over for his second try in two minutes.

Carter missed the conversion but the Wallabies were down 18-3 after just 23 minutes and the Men of Gold r

Sharpe then went to the blood-bin with Dan Vickerman coming on.

But just when it seemed New Zealand were running away with the game the Wallabies hit back brilliantly.

From another line out, on the half way, this time the Wallabies won clean ball from Vickerman. The ball came quickly to Giteau who sent a perfectly judged spiraling pass to outside centre to a charging Stirling Mortlock.

The returning Wallabies captain went straight through Conrad Smith and charged twenty metres down field before drawing the last All Blacks defender and sending Ashley-Cooper on an untouched run to the line.

The conversion from Giteau brought the Wallabies back to 18-10 with 30 minutes gone.

But another Carter penalty just before half time extended the All Blacks lead to 21-10.

It could’ve got worse for the Wallabies moments later when Ashley-Cooper just managed to dive on a Carter kick through when the All Blacks flyhalf looked set to score. The All Blacks then won back possession in the next ruck but a knock on from Williams saw the attack break down and halftime blown.

It turned out to be Ashley-Cooper’s last action in the game with the Brumbies fullback replaced at half time dues to a hand injury with the Western Force’s Drew Mitchell coming on in his place.

Things got worse for Australia just five minutes into the second half after more troubles at the line out. After a well place kick from All Blacks winger Sitiveni Sivivatu saw a Wallabies throw in to a line out ten metres out from Australia’s line.

Sharpe tapped down to scrumhalf Luke Burgess but a big hit from All Blacks inside centre Ma’a Nonu knocked the ball from the Waratahs No.9’s grasp.

The All Blacks quickly scrambled the ball wide with Sivivatu eventually getting the ball back inside to Nonu who barged his way over for New Zealand’s third try. Carter converted again from wide out to put New Zealand out to a 28-10 lead after just five minutes in the second half.

Deans went to the bench on 50 minutes bringing Vickerman on for Sharpe and Tatafu-Polota-Nau coming on for Stephen Moore at hooker but the Wallabies lineout woes continued and if anything deteriorated further.

Another Carter penalty goal on 58 minutes put the All Blacks out to a 21 point lead at 31-10.

This brought another change from Deans with Reds flanker Hugh McMeniman coming on for Waugh but the Wallabies lineout continued to mal-function and the All Blacks were still winning the battle in the loose.

The Wallabies then had a chance on 60 minutes after a strong break down the right hand side from No.8 Wycliff Palu. The ball came to flanker George Smith who chipped over the top and then seemed to be hit high by Muliaina.

No penalty came though to Smith and instead the All Blacks were given a penalty for Palu tackling the catcher in the air.

Smith was also being penalized heavily by Lawrence at the breakdown and the frustrated flanker was again the cause of another sanction on 63 minutes for a high tackle on his All Blacks namesake, Conrad.

Again Carter was accurate with his penalty attempt and it was 34-10 to New Zealand and looking like a rout.

With five minutes to go inside centre Berrick Barnes was replaced by Ryan Cross.
Soon after the Wallabies were unlucky not to score a second try after Peter Hynes put his fellow wing Lote Tuqiri away on a run to the line.

The All Blacks were awarded the precious bonus-point try after they turned over some Wallabies ball after the siren had sounded. A long run by Nonu seemed to have been fruitless after he appeared to have lost the ball when tackled in the corner by Tuqiri.

But TMO Shaun Veldsman awarded the try to give Nonu his second and the All Blacks their fourth. Carter missed the conversion to leave the final score All Blacks 39 – Australia 10.

The Wallabies next Test will be against the Springboks in Durban in three weeks time while the Tri-Nations continues when the All Blacks take on South Africa in Cape Town on August 16th

Bledisloe Cup
Fulltime Score

All Blacks 39 (Tony Woodcock 2 , Ma'a Nonu 2 tries; Dan Carter 5 penalties, 2 conversion) defeat Wallabies 10 (Adam Ashley-Cooper try; Matt Giteau penalty, conversion) at Eden Park, Auckland. (Half-time: All Blacks 21-10)

http://www.rugby.com.au/news/wallabi.../section/21893

[Thequeerone]

massive come back by the All Blacks - the lads were played off the park this week

Betting on TPN starting again 9 turnovers from 11 lineout throws

[slomo]

cant complain about the result the all blacks definately the best side out there today, for the wallabies too many turnovers and the lineouts were awful, on the otherhand some of the strangest refereeing decisions in years, smith cautioned for tackling the man in the air, the TMO's decision on try at the end (even although australia had the advantage for a previous penalty), horwill being cautioned for the softest punches thrown, at the breakdown in the first half ,the game was held up for 3 minutes for nothing......

freier back for the next game hopefully........

[lara93]

well done blacks!
played a much better game then last week!

[robyn <3]

we realy didnt deserve to win that game. we played like we thought the game was in the bag, and we didnt snap out of it. we didnt play the game to win it.

our scrum was a disaster, our lineout brought tears to my eyes, and we were just generally bad!!

i turned the TV off before i looked at the TMOs decision on the try, but that is a piece of sh*t!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he lost it forward. any idiot could see that! ill sound like a really bad looser, but i dont care, the ref was a DISASTER! he called everything, not that it was much, that we did at the breakdown, and carter and mccaw cause temorary blindness to him. the breakdown was disgusting. i really do appreciate rocky so much more after seeing that game.

on the whole, a game i would quite like to forget

[NTT]

Congratulions NewZewland they were the far better team. As bad as the refereeing was, the wallabies had the chance to adjust to it and didn't. Tatafu Polota-Lauaki () should not be selected again until he learns how to throw straight. For an international level hooker it was embarrassing. The all blacks were far hungrier at the breakdown forcing the wallabies into an uncharacteristic 26 turnovers which was where the game was won. The all blacks rush defence was at its peak and Carters kicking was superb continually turning the wallabies around with precision. There were to many poor performances from the wallabies to go into detail, lets just hope the wallabies can find their mojo again before the next game against the boks or the promising start to the Deans era will have been nothing more than a myth.

[jono]

cautioning smith WHEN HE WAS EFFIN' LEVELLED 2 SECONDS BEFORE SAID INCIDENT WAS BULLSHIT!
i dont object to the caution.but get the right bloody player you twat!!!

[laura]

Ease up Turbo.
The game was lost by more than just 1 poor call. No one was sent off and it was hardly a crucial turning point that lost us the game. Poor call by the ref, yes but not why we lost.

[jono]

not the point. he is a professional ref.
he gets paid to be correct.
as does that INEPT fijjian assistant ref who held up the game 3 times just so he could get his face on television...

the ref had no buisness warning smith for that. he should have at least said it to the right player.

[shasta]

The Wallabies were outplayed all over the park and did a fair bit to help the AB's along right throughout. They were never in the hunt. BUT referee Lawrence has a tendancy to rule against the Wallabies "on suspicion" consistantly in the 50/50's. Early in the match his cautioning of So'oialo 3 or 4 times for being offside in a ruck before finally blowing a penalty when the player just refused to get back on was immediately contrasted when he called advantage against Smith at the other end of the park within about a minute. That attitude didn't seem to change much as the trainwreck unfolded. Back to the drawingboard.

[NTT]

The Wallabies' pathetic recent away record against major countries continued to haunt them last night when they were bulldozed 39-10 by the All Blacks in an embarrassingly one-sided Test.

It was the 15th Test in a row that Australia had succumbed to a top-shelf team on foreign soil, and the 22-year drought at Eden Park continues to bite deep into the Wallabies' psyche.


Line goes down, Wallabies lost in Black out - rugbyheaven.com.au

[NTT]

All Blacks bounce back in style

Wallabies rugby coach Robbie Deans faces his first inquisition and Graham Henry gladly vacated the coaching hot seat as his All Blacks side kept their Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup defences alive with a 39-10 victory at Eden Park here tonight.

The much maligned All Blacks orchestrated a dramatic turnaround after last weekend's 19-34 loss in Sydney to clinically dismantle the Australians and end a two-match losing streak.

A compelling four tries-to-one bonus-point triumph handed Deans his first defeat in his six-test reign and continued the Wallabies' miserable record on the road in the Tri-Nations.



All Blacks bounce back in style - 02 Aug 2008 - NZ Herald: New Zealand and International Sports News

[NTT]

All Blacks trounce Wallabies
From correspondents in Auckland, New Zealand
August 02, 2008 ROBBIE Deans' Australia bubble well and truly burst as the Kiwi coach tasted his first defeat since taking the helm of the Wallabies, a 39-10 loss to New Zealand in his homecoming Test at Eden Park.

Injury depleted New Zealand dominated Australia from the outset with a pinpoint kicking game, some smothering defence and enormous lineout pressure allowing them to score four tries to one in front of a jubilant sell-out crowd of 46,600.
Deans had taken Australia to five straight Test wins since assuming control in June, including a first up win over his homeland in Sydney last weekend.

But the All Blacks returned to their clinical ways after two straight losses, stretching their winning streak over the Wallabies at Eden Park to 10 games.



All Blacks trounce Wallabies - Rugby - Fox Sports

[laura]

Like was said before, I think they needed to lose this one. After winning 5 straight a bit of complacency might have set in and to me it looked as though they played the same game as last week but NZ were all over them and shut them down. They didn't have moments of brilliance because NZ stopped it at the breakdown. Maybe a bit more improvisation and spontanuity (sp?), shake it up a bit and surprise the opposition.

[laura]

Throat-slitting haka inspires All Blacks
AAP - August 3, 2008, 11:29 am

Triumphant All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw says his side drew inspiration for its big win over Australia from performing the controversial "throat-slitting" haka.

The New Zealanders replaced the more commonly performed "Ka Mate" haka with the "Kapa O Pango", a newer haka developed specifically for the All Blacks, before going on to thrash Australia 39-10 at Eden Park.

Translated as "team in black", the new haka is performed at the players' discretion and includes a final gesture resembling a throat being cut.

It also includes the lines: "Our dominance rises, our supremacy emerges to be placed on high."

"We've been waiting to use it for a while to be honest but there's a few new fellas that obviously needed a bit of work, so we've been working on it to make sure everyone's up to speed," McCaw said.

"That certainly adds a little bit extra to the boys and they enjoyed doing it so we decided right at the start of the week that it would be time to do it."

That decision came with the All Blacks under huge pressure to avoid losing three straight Tests for the first time since 1998.

more...Throat-slitting haka inspires All Blacks - Yahoo!7 Sport