All Blacks produce show of force to extend Eden Park and Bledisloe Cup streaks against Australia
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Australia‘s hopes of wresting back the Bledisloe Cup for the first time in a generation were crushed in familiar fashion in a comprehensive 50-19 loss to New Zealand at Auckland’s Eden Park.
The Wallabies were in touch at 17-14 down at half time but the All Blacks scored five tries after the break to ensure they will retain the symbol of trans-Tasman supremacy for a 24th straight year ahead of next week’s second Test in Sydney.
Tries from Peter Lakai, Tupou Vaa’i, Cam Roigard, skipper Codie Taylor, Leroy Carter, Josh Moorby and Will Jordan combined with 15 points from the boot of fly half Damian McKenzie got the All Blacks back to winning ways after three straight losses to South Africa.
Australia, who came into the game unbeaten in six matches and looking for a first win at Eden Park since 1986, scored first-half tries through fullback Tom Wright and captain Harry Wilson and earned a late consolation score from hooker Josh Nasser.
The Wallabies, buoyed by a win over world champions South Africa last month, dominated the opening exchanges and got their reward in the eighth minute when full-back Wright cleverly straightened up an attacking move to score the opening try. The aerial battle was always going to be a key factor and New Zealand were enjoying the better of it with Jordie Barrett winning one duel and feeding McKenzie, who scythed through the defence before feeding flanker Lakai to level up the scores.
The All Blacks were also getting a width in the attack that was causing Australia problems and the home side cashed in to take a 14-7 lead in the 16th minute, when Vaa’i barrelled low and hard through the defence at the end of a multi-phase attack. Ryan Lonergan missed a kickable penalty for Australia in the 24th minute, but McKenzie made no mistake from closer range nine minutes later to extend the lead to 10 points.
The five minutes before halftime is traditionally a fruitful stage of the game for New Zealand, but it was Australia who scored three minutes before the break, with Ben Donaldson scooting through a gap in the defence and finding Wilson in support. Australia again came firing out of the blocks in the second half but New Zealand earned the first points after 50 minutes when scrum half Roigard darted over the line off the back of a rolling maul to extend their lead to 24-14.
The All Blacks were now relentless in attack and hooker Taylor, captaining the side for the second time, scored their fourth try five minutes later. The Wallabies were now struggling to hold onto the ball and wingers Carter, Moorby and Jordan capitalised on the remorseless pressure from the All Blacks in the last quarter to put the game well beyond the visitors.
Reuters
