NewsBite

All Blacks thump Wallabies in Second Bledisloe Cup Test

UNDER fire Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has turned a blow torch on two reporters after his team crashed to a historic new low.

10 min read
August 25, 2018 - 10:06PM
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 30: Wallabies coach Michael Cheika (right) announces players with Greg Clark from Fox Sports, during the Australia Wallabies squad announcement at Suncorp Stadium on May 30, 2018 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Jono Searle/Getty Images)
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 30: Wallabies coach Michael Cheika (right) announces players with Greg Clark from Fox Sports, during the Australia Wallabies squad announcement at Suncorp Stadium on May 30, 2018 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Jono Searle/Getty Images)

Live: Wallabies vs All Blacks

New Zealand has beaten Australia 40-28 at Eden Park.

AUSTRALIA’S 32-year hoodoo at the Eden Park fortress has been extended for at least another 12 months as the All Blacks claimed the Bledisloe Cup for a historic 16th consecutive year.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika erupted in his press conference following the All Blacks’ punishing 40-12 win.

The Wallabies mentor went into meltdown over two questions surrounding his immediate future and the growing threat that Rugby Australia will swing the axe.

The Daily Telegraph’s Jamie Pandaram asked Cheika if he is having thoughts of walking away from Australian rugby’s top job — and it attracted a heated response from the former Waratahs coach.

“You wouldn’t know, you’ve never coached, you wouldn’t know if there’s a debate in my mind,” Cheika said.

“I don’t know where you come off saying that. I told you exactly what I think about it, categorically.

“So if you think there’s a debate going on in your own mind you need to go and get some pills to sort it out, because there ain’t no debate going on in my mind.”

Senior rugby reporter Georgina Robinson was also criticised by the under pressure coach when she asked if he was worried about losing his job.

Anybody got an idea?
Anybody got an idea?

“Georgina, if you are naive enough to think that I’m worried about myself here, then you don’t know me at all,” Cheika said.

“You’ve known me for a while now, the last person I’m thinking about is me. I want Australia to play good rugby, and be the best it can be.

“So if you think that I’m worried about myself then you’ve never known me.”

New Zealand led 14-7 at half time, but the contest turned into a bloodbath in the second half as star playmaker Beauden Barrett became the first All Black ever to score four tries in a game against the Wallabies.

The result has left Australian rugby at an all time low heading into the Wallabies’ next game against South Africa on September 8 in Brisbane.

Barrett scored four tries and 30 points in a dazzling performance, heaping more trans-Tasman agony on a gritty but outclassed Australia at a venue where they haven’t won since 1986.

In a performance which will heap more pressure on under-fire coach Michael Cheika, the Wallabies couldn’t handle five-eighth maestro Barrett, whose points haul is a Bledisloe Cup record.

His four tries is the most by an All Black and equals the famous haul of Greg Cornelson at the same ground 40 years ago.

The 27-year-old unleashed his speed and full array of skills, also converting five of his team’s six tries in one of the great Test displays. Barrett’s brilliance aside, the Test was a hard-fought affair which mirrored last week’s 38-13 New Zealand win in Sydney.

Will Genia’s try pulled the Wallabies level 7-7 on the half-hour mark and it was only Barrett’s second try on the stroke of the break which left the visitors seven points adrift at halftime.

However, it was again one-way traffic after the break as the Wallabies turnovers were ruthlessly punished.

Unstoppable.
Unstoppable.

Among the few bright points for the Wallabies was an improved set piece display after a shambolic Sydney effort.

Their lineout was better and the introduction of props Scott Sio and Allan Alaalatoa stiffened the scrum.

Dane Haylett-Petty made some bright runs from fullback in the absence of Israel Folau while No. 8 David Pocock was a standout in the first half. Barrett’s first try came from New Zealand’s only real attack in the opening half-hour, bursting through a yawning gap.

Australia enjoyed their best period on the back of some brilliant long-range work from Kurtley Beale and Marike Koroibete.

They turned down a penalty shot from right in front of the posts, setting a number of scrums which the under-pressure hosts were deemed to have collapsed before Genia scampered over.

The All Blacks pushed seven points clear again just before the break when they pounced on a Beale turnover, swept 80m and Smith put Barrett over again, giving the five-eighth all their points for the half.

Wallabies hearts sank in the 10 minutes after halftime when prop Joe Moody and flanker Liam Squire powered across for straightforward tries. Wallabies five-eighth Bernard Foley followed up a try-saving tackle on Jordie Barrett with a scything run to set up centre Reece Hodge that reduced the margin to 16 points.

Barrett responded with a sizzling solo try, had another disallowed and bagged his fourth soon afterwards as the game opened up in a manner the New Zealanders thrive on.

— with AAP

7.20pm

Naholo denied by TMO

Waisake Naholo appeared to plunge the final dagger into the Wallabies Bledisloe campaign in the 78th minute, but the try was disallowed by the TMO.

New Zealand 40, Australia 12 after 76 minutes.

7.15pm

Barrett gets historic awesome foursome

Minutes after the TMO denied him a fourth try, Beauden Barrett finished off a ridiculous All Blacks down-field raid to enter the history books.

Damien McKenzie was able to dance his way through the Aussie defence inside his own half before a series of sweet passes before Barrett was given the ball on the wing with 20m still to run.

He skipped inside Kurtley Beale and planted the ball over the try line.

That try saw him become the first ever All Black to score four tries in a game against Australia. It also gave him a personal haul of 30 points.

7pm

Barrett misses awesome foursome

Beauden Barrett officially killed off the Wallabies when he did it all himself with a devastating dummy and dart that split the Wallabuies open up the middle.

He was then able to change his line to skip around fullback Dane Haylett-Petty and complete a hat-trick.

Gordon Bray told Network 10, “It looks grim for Australia”.

It got worse a few minutes later then the All Blacks made the Wallabies pay for losing possession inside their own 22m.

The All Blacks were then able to shift the ball wide to find Barrett on the outside of the Aussie defence and allowed the star playmaker to cross for his fourth try.

The try was taken off the All Blacks by the TMO, when Ardie Savea was ruled to have tackled Will Genia high to force the ball loose.

6.55pm

Foley keeps Wallabies alive

The Wallabies showed they won’t go down without a fight when Reece Hodge finished off a Bernard Foley linebreak down the left touchline.

The 56th minute try was not converted by Foley.

It came just minutes after Foley made a try-saving cover tackle to deny Jordan Barrett the match-sealer.

6.45pm

‘Too easy’ for flying All Blacks

New Zealand scored their fourth try just five minutes after they crossed early in the second half to kill off the Wallabies.

Despite the Wallabies’ looking promising for most of the contest, the game was taken away in the blink of an eye with three quick tries just before and after the half time break.

Liam Squire scored under the posts when he ran through another gaping hole in the Wallabies’ defence 15m out from their try line.

“You’ve got to say that was just too easy,” Channel 10 commentator Gordon Bray said.

“The Australians are absolutely shell shocked as they suddenly find themselves 19 down.”

6.40pm

All Blacks land crushing blow

New Zealand crashed over in simple fashion in the 44th minute to leave Australia on the ropes.

A barging run from prop Joe Moody isolated Will Genia in the defensive line near the posts and the giant prop barged right through the small Wallaby playmaker.

6.25pm

Barrett gets a brace before half time

Beauden Barrett gave New Zealand a seven-point advantage when he fell over the try line on the second phase of a thrilling All Blacks raid. `

Jack Maddocks made a desperate tackle right on the Aussies’ defensive try line — only for the All Blacks to cross the strip a second later when the Wallabies were unable to get back onside and defend on their own line.

6.10pm

Genia responds for Wallabies

Will Genia darted off the back of a dominant Wallaby scrum five metres out to lock the scores up at 7-7 in the 29th minute.

Genia got on the outside of his man near the line and was able to slide through a hole to crash over.

The Wallabies had set-up camp inside the Kiwis’ red zone and finally got on the board after almost five minutes of scrumming.

6pm

All Blacks strike

Beauden Barrett strolled over in the 13th minute when the Wallabies’ defensive line failed to track his run.

Aaron Smith threw a nice pass to put Barrett threw a big hole in the middle of the park.

5.50pm

Pocock delivers early classy act

David Pocock almost trampled All Blacks forward Liam Squire when he ran his first hit-up of the game — and then asked the referee to make sure his rival had not been rocked by the hit.

Squire fell back awkwardly when trying to tackle Pocock. The referee eventually asked the third match official to check that Squire had not been concussed.

5.40pm

Wallabies pinch Kiwi line-out, still suck

After losing possession on eight of their own line-outs last week, the Wallabies pinched New Zealand’s first line-out of the game in the third minute.

“What an irony that is,” Channell 10’s Gordon Bray said.

The Wallabies then lost their first line-out throw in.

5.30pm

All Blacks win toss

The All Blacks won the toss and will kick off to the Wallabies. Kiwi forward Owen Franks will celebrate his 100th test cap after the game. Neither side had to make any changes to the teams announced earlier this week.

WALLABIES:

15. Dane Haylett-Petty 14. Jack Maddocks 13. Reece Hodge 12. Kurtley Beale 11. Marika Koroibete 10. Bernard Foley 9. Will Genia 8. David Pocock 7. Michael Hooper (captain) 6. Lukhan Tui 5. Adam Coleman 4. Izack Rodda 3. Allan Alaalatoa 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau 1. Scott Sio.

Reserves: 16. Folau Faingaa 17. Tom Robertson 18. Sekope Kepu 19. Rob Simmons 20. Pete Samu 21. Nick Phipps 22. Matt Toomua 23. Tom Banks.

ALL BLACKS

15. Jordie Barrett 14. Ben Smith 13. Jack Goodhue 12. Ngani Laumape 11. Waisake Naholo 10. Beauden Barrett 9. Aaron Smith 8. Kieran Read (captain) 7. Sam Cane 6. Liam Squire 5. Sam Whitelock 4. Brodie Rettalick 3. Owen Franks 2. Codie Taylor 1. Joe Moody.

Reserves: 16. Nathan Harris 17. Karl Tu’inukuafe 18.Ofa Tuungafase 19. Scott Barrett 20. Ardie Savea 21. TJ Perenara 22. Damian McKenzie 23. Anton Lienert-Brown.

5pm

Hooper, Cheika responds to snub accusation

Michael Hooper has defended his troops.
Michael Hooper has defended his troops.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika and captain Michael Hooper have responded to suggestions the Aussies disrespected All Black Sam Whitelock during his 100th international Test last week.

Whitelock was honoured in a post-game presentation, which the Wallabies were reportedly unaware had been planned. However, multiple Australian stars stayed on the field after full-time to congratulate Whitelock.

But New Zealand coach Steve Hansen lit the fuse for a fiery clash in Auckland when asked about the perceived snub.

“I know if it was us, we’d stay out and acknowledge it,” Hansen said. “There’s a lot of energy, mental fortitude, time, a lot of sacrifices by the player’s family, his kids, his wife, his partner, to get to that point.

“So it’s worthy of respecting.”

Cheika bit back at Hansen’s claim, saying: “Well I’ve never seen it before, we certainly wouldn’t be asking to do it on another team’s ground, we’d do it in the dressing room.

“To say that we lack respect is a little bit of a stretch from Steve Hansen.”

Owen Franks plays his 100th Test for New Zealand tonight and Hooper spoke about that milestone while denying his side had disrespected Whitelock.

“I know individually a lot of players paid their respects. But that was last week. Owen Franks is tomorrow night. It’s Whitelock’s 101st tomorrow,” Hooper said.

“I don’t know how they’re doing that (honour Franks) but we’re going into the changing room after the match and I’m sure everyone will pay their respects to an amazing career that he’s had so far.

“I’m sure he’s got more in the tank. Every 100th cap is a great opportunity and we’ll have an opportunity to do that.”

4pm

Wallabies need to be better

The Wallabies need to compete for longer.
The Wallabies need to compete for longer.

Halting the All Blacks’ lethal late finishing power has been identified by Australia as a key to winning the second Bledisloe Cup Test.

The Wallabies led at halftime before conceding five tries to a rampant New Zealand in the second spell of last week’s 38-13 loss in Sydney. It was a typical display from the world champions, who have made a habit of owning the latter stages of matches, aided by a relentless approach to attack and quality bench strike weapons.

They have won the second half of their four Tests this year by a combined scoreline of 110-14, also leaving France in their wake during the June series. On last November’s tour of Europe, New Zealand won all five matches despite only leading twice at halftime.

Wallabies captain Michael Hooper rejected suggestions his team lacked the requisite fitness, as put forward this week by former greats on both sides of the Tasman.

He simply wants his players mentally at their sharpest as the minutes count down.

“I’d say the period we’re trying to work on better is three-quarter time,” he said. “We went into halftime 6-5 up and it was that same score until the 50-minute mark.

“It’s probably after that that we need to focus on.”

Hooper believes his team can be stronger at the death if their lineout and scrum function better. The Wakkabies lost seven lineouts from their own throw and were penalised a handful of times for scrum infringements.

Playing with so little ball in Sydney left them defending for long periods.

“It stifled our attack and put a lot of pressure on our defence to be able to deal with New Zealand, which we did for a period of time,” Hooper said.

“But it gets to a point where you need to start throwing some bullets there.”

An improved penalty count will help too.

The match will be controlled by English referee Wayne Barnes, who has overseen three Wallabies wins in his four Bledisloe Cup Test appointments.

— AAP

More related stories
Reds primed for Super season
Rugby

Reds primed for Super season

The Reds don’t want to waste their good work on a successful pre-season tour of the United Kingdom when they kick-off their Super Rugby Pacific season later this month.

Read more

Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/live-wallabies-vs-all-blacks-in-auckland-second-bledisloe-cup-test/news-story/adb08786a3830b67e8fc4c42715dd21d