IndianZ Xpress NZ's first and only Hindi news website
By Paul Roltan
Rugby Championship All Blacks V Australia Optus Stadium Perth.
Needing a win and hoping that Argentina could topple World Champions, the Springbok in their encounter in London, to win the Rugby Championship the All Blacks were greeted with wet conditions which made for tough conditions for both sides.
Will Jordan was playing his 50th game for the All Blacks, whilst veteran Wallabies front rower James Slipper was playing his 151st and last test, on the ground where he made his debut in 2010 against England.
An early missed penalty by Damian McKenzie, saw the Wallabies draw first blood with Tane Edmed converting a penalty against Ardie Savea into 3 points in the 6th minute. The All Backs struck immediately when from a lineout 7 metres out the All Blacks attacked through outstanding centre Quinn Tupaea, who went within inches of scoring before Leroy Carter, the left winger came into halfback to burrow over under the tackle of a Wallaby forward.
The Wallabies were next to score with Edmed kicking his second penalty from 37 metres in the 9th minute as referee Matt Carley, who was a dominant presence in the game, called Ardie Savea for side entry. Matt Carley and his TMO were at in again in the 13th minute when after a flowing Wallaby attack which was finished off by big front rower Allan Alaalatoa, only to be called back for a “Croc Roll” by Wallabies loose forward Tom Hooper on Jordie Barrett, resulting on Hooper being sin-binned for 10 minutes.
To make matters worst for Australia the man mountain second rower Will Skelton went off for a head knock assessment, not to return for the rest of the game. They were next to score with another Edmen penalty from 40 meters in the 17 minute.
The All Blacks scrum started to show domination, with the presents of Captain Scott Barrett back after a shoulder injury, and the every improving Fabian Holland whilst Tamaiti Williams was outstanding at loose head prop total dominating his opposite on a number of occasions.
The All Blacks struct a double blow late in the half when Tupaea scored firstly from a “Falcon” off the head of Jordie Barrett, with Tupaea winning the foot race over 40 metre’s in the 32nd minute, and then from a smart quick from Jordan in the 34th minute Tupaea was again the scorer after pushing off Hooper and scoring in the tackle of Fullback Matt Jorgenson, both tries were unconverted but the damage had been done with the All Blacks leading 17-9 at halftime.
The second 40 never rose to any great height, with Lenny Ikitau being sin-binned in the 46 minute not being taken advantage off by the All Blacks, and it was not till the 62nd minute that a McKenzie penalty took the score out to 20-9 and the Wallabies looked out of the game at this stage.
The heavy rain which came in the second half saw a stop start affair with both sides having there moments without either looking dominant, though the Wallabies did get a sniff of a chance when Ikitau was the ever-present force around the maul and he sneaked over after a wave of attack from the Wallabies forwards for a 5 pointer taking the score to 20-14. A McKenzie penalty in the 71st stretched it out to 9 points and with the All Blacks now dominating field position the Wallabies never looked like closing it up.
The All Blacks put the icing on there 11th straight victory over their cousins across the ditch when replacement prop George Bower, a product of Taita College in the Hutt Valley, scored his first test try in the 81st minute, and securing the All Blacks a bonus point.
The All Blacks then had to sit and hope that Argentina could upset South Africa, and despite leading 13-10 at halftime they could not hold on and the Boks took it away 29-27 is a close fought battle that saw them win the Rugby Championship on points differential.
For the All Blacks returning loose forward Peter Lakai had a very industrious game, whilst Jordie Barrett continued his outstanding form from Bledisloe game 1, and his combination with Tupaea looks like the mix coach Scott Robertson has been looking for in the mid-field. Carter was again everywhere, and defended well whilst the returning Lester Fainga’anuku, playing on the left wing looked dangerous every time he touched the ball.
There were however still some worrying thoughts to be pondered over the next few weeks before the team assembles for the trip to Britian via Chicago were the All Blacks will clash with Ireland.
McKenzie was only average at 10, his attacking bombs seemed to be a metre or two to long, whilst he doesn’t spark the backline as you would hope a All Black 10 might. To add to this he had a poor night with the book missing 4 kicks at goal, one from right beside the posts. The question remains should have Robertson given Rueben Love his starting test at 10, with an eye to the future. To many the mix of the loose forwards still doesn’t seem right, though Lakai as mentioned was good, and Simon Parker is improving every test however there doesn’t seem to be the dominance we have enjoyed to our loosie forward trio in the past.
The team announcement for that tour will be interesting with a couple of spots, 1st 5/8 and wing for two, possibly needing some extra thought.