Bledisloe Cup 2024 live updates and results: Wallabies stare down two-decade drought in NZ
The Wallabies showed plenty of fight but the All Blacks flexed their muscle when it counted to secure another Bledisloe sweep.
The Wallabies’ Test drought in New Zealand extended to 23 years when their brave challenge in Wellington was repelled by an All Blacks’ onslaught on Saturday.
The Wallabies were worthy leaders at 13-12 a tick before half-time but were swamped 21-0 from there to lose 33-13.
Even though the Wallabies won just one of their six games in The Rugby Championship, the final two hours of the tournament against the All Blacks in Sydney and Wellington produced their most positive play.
The Wallabies binned the box kick and ran the ball in “The Cake Tin” where the heart and scramble in defence also gave reason for optimism.
The Wallabies corrected their ordinary 0-21 opening in Sydney a week earlier with a fast opening that tested the All Blacks early.
“We are obviously gutted. It is not the result we came for,” Wallabies captain Harry Wilson told Stan Sport.
“We showed up. We started fast and had a few chances at the end to get points which we didn’t.
“We haven’t got the results we wanted in The Rugby Championship but we felt we have built and improved.
“We need to win. (What we need is) a complete 80-minute performance and we have not really not done that through the tournament.”
SAME OLD STORY ACROSS THE DITCH
The Kiwis were on the back foot early but when they had their first chance centre Anton Lienert-Brown put a perfect pass into the hands of winger Sevu Reece for the try.
By contrast, when Tom Wright made a superb break his pass to winger Andrew Kellaway wasn’t within metres of its target.
Poor finishing like that has crippled the Wallabies when they have created chances throughout The Rugby Championship.
The All Blacks were more clinical and that proved the difference.
The visitors led 13-12 before a 21-0 scoring sport by the All Blacks across 23 minutes broke the game open.
CHANCE TAKEN
In his starting debut, aggressive winger Dylan Pietsch showed that rugby’s high paid recruit Joseph Sua’ali’i will not just waltz into a wing spot on the end of season tour of Europe.
Pietsch made a strong fist of replacing Fijian flyer Marika Koroibete (hand injury).
He relished his starting role with his thumping defence including a jolting trysaver on Codie Taylor. He made angled runs back infield and was safe under the garryowen.
The best of his impressive first half moments came when he leapt acrobatically from in touch to reel in a Beauden Barrett penalty kick for the sideline.
If he didn’t, the All Blacks could have struck for a try.
You still had to compare him to the marvellous Caleb Clarke whose superb timing and power for the first of his two tries on half time grabbed the lead at 19-13.
TUPOU’S TICKER
Tighthead tank Taniela Tupou finally answered disgruntled Wallabies fans who had been questioning his resilience and fitness this season in his limited minutes.
After going down within the first 60 seconds with a right knee injury, Tupou carried on, gingerly, to help get his team in the match in the first half.
He played until the 44th minute. He earned a breakdown penalty at a crucial time as well as winning a scrum penalty that led to Noah Lolesio retaking the lead, 13-12, with a penalty goal.
How it unfolded.
More Coverage
Originally published as Bledisloe Cup 2024 live updates and results: Wallabies stare down two-decade drought in NZ
Suaalii set for Grand Slam return after Kerevi banned
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is set for a hasty recall to the Wallabies starting side after Samu Kerevi was suspended for the rest of Australia’s Grand Slam campaign.
How Wallabies demolition job could hurt Grand Slam plan
For the Wallabies to emulate the feats of the legendary 1984 Australia side, there’s one area in particular they need to conquer – and their destructive win over Wales solved none of it.