Bledisloe Cup: Nervous Wallabies pull off amazing win over All Blacks in Brisbane
Marika Koroibete pulled off an amazing last-second tackle as the Wallabies bounced back from two heavy defeats to stun the All Blacks at Suncorp Stadium.
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Wallabies coach Dave Rennie hailed his side’s character to fight back from a record-breaking Bledisloe Cup loss to inflict a rare defeat on the All Blacks on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium.
A week after an embarrassing 43-5 loss to New Zealand that gifted the All Blacks the Bledisloe Cup for an 18th successive year, the Wallabies produced a massive form turnaround to win 24-22 in front of 36,626 fans.
A 75th-minute try to replacement prop Taniela Tupou, converted by Reece Hodge, put Australia 24-15 ahead.
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But the All Blacks weren’t dead, with a 79th minute try to replacement Tupou Vaa’I ensuring a nervous finish.
However, Dave Rennie’s men held on a deserved victory – their seventh successive win at Suncorp Stadium - on a night of chaos.
Rennie was delighted with his side’s fightback after last weekend’s thrashing.
“We wanted a response tonight and we saw plenty of character out there,” Rennie said.
“We knew we were better than last week and the great thing was we only had to wait seven days for redemption.
“We were a long way off it last week. It was great to respond so well.”
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All Blacks coach Ian Foster was full of praise for the home side.
“A lot’s changed in seven days,” he said.
“It’s a great example of Test match rugby. It’s what we love about it.
“I congratulate the Wallabies for how they played today.
“They controlled the game better than us and deserved to win. We couldn’t break them the way we wanted to.”
Both sides had players sent off in the first half, and were both reduced to 13 men at different stages in the contest.
It was an amazing start by the Wallabies, with winger Tom Wright scoring with his first touch in Test rugby.
Having been shifted to fly half, Reece Hodge chipped over the All Blacks defensive line.
The ball bounced perfectly for recalled fullback Tom Banks, who produced a sublime flick pass that found Wright.
On debut, the 23-year-old Brumbies winger cut inside to score in just the third minute.
But Wright’s and the Wallabies’ joy was short-lived, with New Zealand back on level terms by the ninth minute.
In a move that started in their own half and involved 13 phases, the All Blacks scored out wide through winger Rieko Ioane despite the best efforts of Wright, who got his hands to the final pass from Ngani Laumape but could not prevent it finding Ioane.
Down 8-5 after a Reece Hodge penalty, the All Blacks were reduced to 14 men in the 23rd minute when prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi was sent off for a high tackle on Wright.
Tu’ungafasi’s shoulder caught Wright’s chin, with referee Nic Berry showing the All Blacks front rower a red card after viewing footage of the tackle on the big screen.
Despite being a man down, the All Blacks levelled scores at 8-8 with a Jordie Barrett penalty in the 32nd minute.
Australia’s numerical advantage was soon gone as well, with debutant Lachie Swinton sent off in 35th minute for a high hit on All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock.
Flanker Swinton’s shoulder connected with the head of Whitelock, giving Berry little option but to again show a red card.
The Wallabies finished the half with 13 men when winger Marika Koroibete was sin-binned after Berry lost patience with the Australians for a string of infringements as the All Blacks pushed for a second try.
There was further disappointment for Australia on the stroke of halftime when prop James Slipper, playing in his 100th Test, was forced off the field with an arm injury.
The Wallabies managed to take an 11-8 lead while Koroibete was off via a Hodge penalty, but the All Blacks scored soon after his return through hooker Codie Taylor, with New Zealand’s push too strong after winning a lineout close to Australia’s line.
Barrett’s conversion put the All Blacks 15-11 ahead, but a Hodge penalty on the hour mark after some powerful scrum work from replacement prop Taniela Tupou made it a one-point ball game.
Another Hodge penalty gave the Wallabies the lead before Tupou’s late try gave the Australians just enough breathing space.
Originally published as Bledisloe Cup: Nervous Wallabies pull off amazing win over All Blacks in Brisbane