Bledisloe Cup: Wallabies suffer largest ever defeat by New Zealand

Australian rugby fans thought things couldn’t get worse. They did, with the Wallabies’ biggest loss to NZ since 1903.

Richie Mo'unga of the All Blacks celebrates after scoring a try with Aaron Smith and Jordie Barrett of the All Blacks. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Australia’s young Wallabies were forced to huddle together as the Bledisloe Cup was presented to a triumphant All Black side for an 18th straight year on Saturday night at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium, after suffering their heaviest defeat in trans-Tasman history.

Until last night, the Test at Athletic Park in 1996 had stood as the nadir of Bledisloe competition. But that 43-6 scoreline that day was just eclipsed at the Olympic stadium tonight as New Zealand blitzed the Wallabies six tries to one to win 43-5.

Every member of the NZ side played his role in the triumph, but none more so than the playmaker, five-eighth Richie Mo’unga who orchestrated his team brilliantly, contributing two tries himself to the record tally, while also making a nonsense of the wet conditions to land five conversions from six attempts, plus a penalty goal.

It was a sublime performance from a man who still is yet to convince all of New Zealand that he deserves to wear the 10 jersey ahead of Beauden Barrett.

“The quality of their kicking game, the quality of their skill set … we just really battled to deal with,” said Dave Rennie.

‘We’ve got to be better than that’

The Wallabies coach admitted that too many mistakes every time the Australians got the ball, turning over possession within one or two phases made the side’s task impossible. “We’ve got to be better than that. We talked about the quality of our carry and the ability to build pressure …. but for 20 minutes we were okay, but against an All Blacks side you have to do it for 80 minutes to be in the hunt.”

Karl Tu'Inukuafe of the All Blacks is tackled during the 2020 Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup match between the Australian Wallabies and the New Zealand All Blacks at ANZ Stadium on October 31, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Too often the Wallabies strayed from the game plan and the gay abandon with while they attempted to offload in the wet – almost invariably putting the ball into NZ hands – drove the devoted fans who had braved the conditions to support their side almost to distraction.

The Australian lineout reverted to the mess it was in Wellington, although hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa was one of the hardest workers for Australia, along with Marika Koroibete, James Slipper and Harry Wilson. Still, it was not a night for Australian heroes.

A lot of young faces – including debutants Noah Lolesio, Irae Simone, Tate McDermott and Fraser McReight – were forced to look on for the first time as All Blacks skipper Sam Cane raised the trophy at the end of the match, NZ winning the series 2-0 with one Test drawn. The New Zealanders will go to Brisbane for the final match of the series with freedom to really express themselves. It is a thought to chill the blood of most Wallabies’ supporters.

Early sin bin

The Test began on a disastrous note for Australia as right winger Filipo Daugunu tackled Caleb Clarke in the air from a Nic White box kick and referee Ben O’Keeffe had no option but to reach for the yellow card and send him to the sin bin.

Immediately, the All Blacks swung onto the attack and when captain Michael Hooper compounded the error by getting offside at a ruck, they cranked up the rolling maul and drove towards the Australian line. O’Keeffe eventually ordered them to run it and while Koroibete rushed infield to cut off a threatening raid, the All Blacks went left – back to the vacant Australian right wing – and prop Karl Tu’inukuafe had the luxury of ignoring four unmarked teammates as he crashed over for his first try in Test rugby.

Mo’unga’s conversion took the visitors to a 7-0 lead after less than five minutes. Not the start the Wallabies were wanting but it could have been worse, much worse. There was momentary respite when the All Blacks, too, were reduced to 14 men when their own right winger Jordie Barrett, on attack, elbowed Dane Haylett-Petty in the throat and also was sin binned for dangerous play.

Richie Mo'unga of the All Blacks dives over to score a try. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

But it was still the All Blacks who kept on coming. A Dane Coles try was disallowed when the All Black hooker could not control the grounding after Mo’unga had crosskicked to him brilliantly. Moments later, Koroibete came up with a piece of defence that would have done justice to George Gregan as he dislodged the ball from Clarke’s hands as he looked to be going over in the corner.

Still, with all the ball going NZ’s way, there was no way the most skilful side in world rugby would not make them pay. Sure enough, the All Blacks carefully set the trap, winning a lineout, shunting the maul 10m sideways to create a workable blind and then allowing Mo’unga to demonstrate that a five-eighth will always beat a hooker – particularly one standing still — as he sliced past Paenga-Amosa for an official second try.

A third try wasn’t far behind though initially it looked like it might fall to the Wallabies. But Daugunu – having a night that Queensland Reds fans occasionally have witnessed, where he does everything wrong – flung the ball back inside when tackled, hoping for a runner. All he achieved was for the ball to bounce into NZ hands, with fullback Beauden Barrett immediately chip kicking over the Australian defensive line.

Mo’unga, as ever, was right there when it bounced and beat the despairing tackles of Hooper and Koroibete to race away to the line.

Punch drunk

The Australians by now were like a punch drunk boxer, again surrendering the ball soon after. It was hoofed downfield where Lolesio, curiously defending at fullback, was isolated and forced to concede a penalty. It was no surprise when the All Blacks kicked to the corner, with Australia taking a massive gamble by hoisting Matt Philips at the front of the lineout hoping to steal the throw. It was a brave move but, sadly, a foolish one as the throw went over his head to NZ lineout ace Sam Whitelock. He slipped the ball back to Coles, the dynamic hooker simply riding the juggernaut as the All Blacks rumbled over the line. Barely half an hour had elapsed and already the visitors were 26-0 ahead and hungry for more.

Daugunu almost gave them another seven pointer, dropping a high ball cold as – guess who? – Mo’unga swept through. It looked a certain try until a desperation ankle tap brought him down.

Even so, all centre Jack Goodhue needed to do was catch his pass off the ground and the All Blacks could bank try No.5. He dropped it, and a befuddled Australians couldn’t wait to head to the sheds, trailing 26-0.

Debut try

In all likelihood, the game was probably already gone for the Wallabies. It had now become a test of character and the Australians rose to the challenge. Inside centre Irae Simone showed his talent as he put midfield partner Jordan Petaia through a gap, the young Queenslander barrelling his way through the tackles of Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett before finally being dragged to ground by Clarke. But the Wallabies wasted not a second in unloading the ball to a flying Lolesio who crashed through for a try on debut.

Sadly, his first shot at goal was not quite up to the standard of his try, as he stabbed the ball well wide of the posts. Still, while the Wallabies had hardly stopped the bleeding, they were at least beginning to cauterise a few of their gaping wounds. And it was a tribute to the improved Wallabies defence that when they were handed a penalty on the hour mark, they chose to kick for goal.

Inevitably, Mo’unga did not miss, taking the All Blacks out to 29-5.

Or perhaps they were only catching their breath. Both side rang the changes, with Queensland halfback Tate McDermott and then flanker McReight came off the bench for their Test debuts. But the All Blacks were not finished yet, replacement winger Reiko Ioane scoring a simple try in the corner after All Black number eight Hoskins Sotutu had picked up channel one ball from the back of the scrum and fed Ioane on the charge.

Moments later it was the turn of Jordie Barrett to add his name to the list of tryscorers, Scott Sio missing a one-on-one tackle as the winger scampered away.

The Wallabies continued to fight and the game ended, typically, with a botched effort to put Koroibete over in the corner. Once again, on the biggest stage, the Australians had done all the things they had vowed not to do – kicking poorly, not treasuring possession and missing 19 tackles. Against any side, that would invite defeat. Against the All Blacks, they invited a massacre.

Noah Lolesio of the Wallabies celebrates with teammates after scoring Australia’s sole try. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images