Bledisloe Cup 2023: Wallabies v All Blacks – Rugby Championship ...
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43 mins: Australia take the quick uncontested lineout and hit the ground running into New Zealand territory. McDermott is bright, keep play moving, finding runners. Bell makes ground, so does Kerevi as the drive shifts to the left corner with a penalty advantage. With the free hit, Petaia kicks on the 15th phase to the right corner but it’s a fraction too heavy for Nawaqanitawase.
41 mins: Gordon safely drop-kicks the restart, and the All Blacks get into their work on their own 22… but Kelton is soon in the action, snaffling his second clean breakdown turnover of the night! New Zealand regroup and B Barrett kicks to halfway.
The teams are back out for the second half. Can the Wallabies stage a comeback for the ages?
No shortage of highlights either, from S Barrett’s stunning early tackle and Koroibete’s massive hit on Telea. Lowlights aplenty too, from Alaalatoa leaving the field on a stretcher, to Gordon’s nightmare half with the boot.
After that initial 20 minutes and some ill discipline at the breakdown New Zealand took control of the match, working through the gears, showing great patience, and now enjoy the reward of a 12-point lead at the break.
It’s all been set up by the forward pack, ably supported by the magnificent Aaron Smith. He has sent everything down Australia’s right wing – as far away from Marika Koroibete as possible. And, if at times a little clunky, it has proven an astute tactic.
Australia started brightly and played well for 20 minutes but New Zealand just ground them down thereafter, hitting the lead with a man advantage then denying the Wallabies a sniff thereafter.
The MCG is packed for this first Test of the 2023 Bledisloe Cup. Photograph: Hamish Blair/APCONVERTED TRY! Australia 7-19 New Zealand (Jordan, 40)New Zealand are straight back into their work with Smith orchestrating everything. He heads to the left – again – with runner after runner looking to puncture that side of Australia’s defence. 11 phases tick over as Mo’unga darts towards the 10m line. They Taylor spins back to the left. Still New Zealand come, recycling play with sharp breakdowns. Phase 19 as Telea reaches 5m from the line under the posts. Now they relase! Through hands to the right and Will Jordan – who else – steps off his line, inside a weak tackle from Petaia, and carries Koroibete over with him for the score. Try 23 in Test 23.
Mo’unga drills a superb conversion from the right touchline.
Will Jordan scores a try right before hallf-time. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images40 mins: Off the lineout Telea busts a massive hole in the Australian line and the All Blacks flood forward. It’s pick-and-go from inches out but the Wallabies stick to their task well and force a line drop-out.
39 mins: Play resumes with New Zealand kicking to the 22m line and winning their own lineout ball at the front.
38 mins: The skipper for the night is going to have to leave the field on a medicab. Massive blow for the Wallabies. Taniela Tupou, not long back from a ruptured achilles, and perhaps not expecting more than 40 minutes of action, is on in his place.
Wallabies captain Allan Alaalatoa is stretchered off the field. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images38 mins: From the New Zealand scrum on halfway the All Blacks earn a penalty advantage, allowing Smith to dart to the left hand blindside again. They don’t get far and play is recalled. Meanwhile Allan Alaalatoa, Australia’s third captain in as many matches, is down clutching his left calf.
36 mins: Yikes! Carter Gordon’s boot has been shonky tonight, and it continues with a disastrous drop-kicked kick-off that skews off the outside of his right foot and never threatens the 10m line.
Conversion! Australia 7-12 New Zealand (Mo'unga, 35)Mo’unga curls over a beautiful conversion from near the left touchline. New Zealand do take advantage of the extra man.
TRY! Australia 7-10 New Zealand (Taylor, 34)The lineout is crisp, the maul is irresistible, and as it shears to the left Taylor, the ball-carrier, rumbles over the line. Quality technical forward play from the All Blacks.
Codie Taylor scores a try for New Zealand. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images33 mins: Angus Bell receives a bit of treatment, giving everyone a bit of a breather, and allow New Zealand to set-up from a 5m lineout.
32 mins: Second time’s a charm for the All Blacks with J Barrett hitting the line at speed behind the scrum. Taylor continues the drive in the left channel as New Zealand pass the 22m line. Still it’s all down the left and that short-side quick pass routine we’ve seen often tonight comes out, but they run out of room 10m from a score.
31 mins: The Wallabies eat away more seconds with a scrum reset.
30 mins: Undermanned Australia are milking the clock nicely in midfield – until Bell is stripped in the tackle that is – and New Zealand have a scrum on halfway. The All Blacks have offered very little with ball in hand so far. Richie Mo’unga has been very quiet.
29 mins: Apologies, the yellow card was to Koroibete, not Kerevi – I was listening to Wayne Barnes, who called out the wrong number.
28 mins: Can the All Blacks take advantage of 15 v 14? Not like that they can’t. Not for the first time tonight they get it wrong at the breakdown and Australia stall NEw Zealand’s drive just inside their own half.
27 mins: Play resumes with Australia winning their own scrum and belting clear.
Yellow Card (Koroibete)Still the drama comes … After the no-try call is cleared up, Koroibete is sent to the bin for his deliberate offside that started it all. Blimey.
Marika Koroibete contemplates his yellow card. Photograph: Martin Keep/AFP/Getty Images26 mins: From the restart Telea takes a quick tap and dives under the posts! Or does he? The TMO gets involved and identifies that the New Zealand winger doesn’t make contact with the ball with his boot to constitute a resumption of play!
26 mins: The lineout is secured but the maul is resisted well by the Wallabies. Back to the pick-and-goes, New Zealand shifting the drive infield from the left, but Australia’s line is rock solid for nine brutal phases. Phase ten gets scrappy and the Wallabies sniff a turnover but black jerseys get back in formation. Battle resumes, but the ball breaks free! And an Australian is first to it – but he’s offside. Penalty to New Zealand under the posts.
24 mins: New Zealand are soon on the front foot on Australia’s 22, profiting from a series of short-side drives among their forwards on the left touchline. Then it’s pick-and-go stuff with the line in sight – Smith darts off the back of the ruck – but he’s held up. There was an advantage on the play anyway, so the ABs kick to the corner and resume their assault.
22 mins: Australia grind in tight on halfway, drawing bodies in until Petaia makes a halfbreak in the right centre channel, extending his right arm for Kellaway to burst on to and reach the 22 – but he cannot continue the momentum. The Wallabies recycle to the left but the whistle blows for a ruck infringement and the All Blacks clear.
20 mins: New Zealand secure the lineout then get going in tight, but not for the first time tonight the All Blacks are penalised at the attacking breakdown, this time for obstruction. Barnes has given the visitors nothing on the ground early on.
19 mins: Both sides are making a mess of defusing long kicks – precipitating more long kicks in the process. B Barrett changes the line of attack with a chip and chase over Kerevi, and cannily picks a line straight at the leaping centre, earning a soft penalty. The long kick to the left hits touch on the 22.
18 mins: This is a disciplined, efficient Australia so far. Who knew this version existed?
Jed Holloway wins a line out. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP16 mins: Gordon compounds his poor penalty with his second weird up-and-under of the night, his sliced bomb travelling nowhere. Beauden Barrett seizes the opportunity, chips and chases ahead, to send the All Blacks downfield. Momentum builds for New Zealand, but they are again penalised at the breakdown with gold jerseys pointing for a penalty, that they duly receive.
Gordon tugs his effort to the left from 35m out bang in front. That could prove costly.
