Wallabies’ Bledisloe hopes up in smoke after record 42-8 home loss against All Blacks in Sydney

THE All Blacks celebrated a record breaking 42-8 win over the Wallabies in Sydney, all but burying Australia’s hopes of winning back the Bledisloe Cup.

Beauden Barrett starred for the All Blacks as New Zealand ran riot over the Wallabies.

THIS is not a trans-Tasman rivalry, it is an annual funeral.

It’s a chance to pay homage to the All Blacks’ mastery of the game of rugby union, and bury the hopes of Australian fans who hope to see the Bledisloe Cup back in their cupboards.

New Zealand won the Test at ANZ Stadium 42-8, just short of a new record winning margin, with the 43-6 humiliation in Wellington in 1996 remaining intact.

Thirteen years of failure and there’s no end in sight judging by this latest annihilation on the scoreboard and in spirit.

Two games remain, both in New Zealand, both which the Wallabies must win, having not won in New Zealand since 2001.

The two sides played in the World Cup final last November, but while the All Blacks lost 881 caps worth of experience in retiring players they have gone forward in style and skill while Australia is reeling backwards.

New Zealand's Jerome Kaino celebrates his first half try in Sydney.

They trained together for a month, working to improve their kicking game and lineout, both which failed miserably.

Coach Michael Cheika has presided over five successive Test defeats and seems to be losing his lustre as a motivational specialist. He spoke prior to the game about the work his squad had done to build mental toughness.

The best barometer of mental fortitude in contact sport is defence; the Wallabies conceded six tries and missed an unforgivable 31 tackles.

There were 65,328 spectators in the arena, about 10,000 short of what the Wallabies should be pulling for this fixture particularly given it was their final game in Sydney for 2016. Only those draped in black will be planning to return next year.

Kiwi five-eighth Beauden Barrett, man of the match, toyed with Australia’s defence and orchestrated a staggering 32-3 by halftime for his side.

The game was over and it was then a battle for the Wallabies to prevent a record losing margin, which they just managed to do despite late pressure on their line.

Disaster struck the Wallabies midfield as injuries hit one after the other in the first half.

Matt Giteau was forced off the field in the 12th minute with a leg injury, replaced by Matt Toomua who was concussed in the 30th minute, replaced by Rob Horne who was taken off with a shoulder injury just before halftime.

Kiwi centre Ryan Crotty, who few rated as a genuine replacement for retired Ma’a Nonu and injured Sonny Bill Williams, showed he can be every bit as damaging with a fine performance before he was replaced for the second half by Aaron Cruden.

Crotty scored the first try after a clearing kick from Giteau was collected by Israel Dagg and then the ball spread breathtakingly across the line, with Waisake Naholo and Read finding Crotty on the sideline. He beat three defenders to cross.

Barrett added the conversion and two further penalties before scoring his own try.

The Wallabies suffered a record breaking defeat in Australia against the All Blacks.

From deep in attack, the Wallabies lost two consecutive lineouts, the Kiwis worked the ball through hands and Barrett used his pace to slice back through the defence to put his side 20-3 ahead at the half-hour mark.

Bernard Foley attempted a clearing kick three minutes later which was charged down and regathered by flanker Jerome Kaino who scored New Zealand’s third.

One minute before the break, Barrett again carved up Australia’s flaky defence by putting on the afterburners and found Naholo in support. The winger stormed through for a try but injured himself in the process and was taken off.

Overturned possession in the second half gifted the All Blacks more tries, with Dane Coles and Julian Savea getting on the scoresheet in the 56th and 59th minutes respectively.

It took until the 76th minute for Australia to cross the line, with makeshift winger Nick Phipps crossing in the corner with many seats already vacated for the early train home.

When they were fully involved in the game, the crowd gave Bronx cheers each time the Wallabies did manage to win their own lineout ball, and gasped on the odd occasion the All Blacks made an error.

Originally published as Wallabies’ Bledisloe hopes up in smoke after record 42-8 home loss against All Blacks in Sydney