New Zealand withstood a ferocious second-half assault from Australia to retain the Bledisloe Cup on Saturday with a 13-9 Tri-Nations victory.
The All Blacks led 10-6 at half-time and held on for a gripping victory with Dan Carter’s 58th-minute drop goal their only score of a fiercely contested second half that saw the Wallabies dominate for long periods.
Roared on by a record 52 498 crowd, Australia spent several spells camped deep in New Zealand territory in the final quarter but were kept at bay by a magnificent All Blacks defensive effort as they chased a breakthrough try.
It was New Zealand’s seventh win in nine encounters with the Wallabies in the last three years and they will go to Auckland on August 19 with the Bledisloe Cup safely in their keeping.
The All Blacks have now held on to the Bledisloe Cup, symbol of trans-Tasman rugby supremacy, for the fourth consecutive year.
The victory stretched New Zealand’s lead in the Tri-Nations series to 13 points, seven points clear of the Wallabies, who gained a scoring bonus point with South Africa winless in their two games.
It was outstanding defensive effort from world rugby’s top-ranked team with skipper and open-side flanker Richie McCaw an inspiring man-of-the-match.
The Wallabies failed to score a try in a Test for almost four years.
The All Blacks, who did not perform their controversial ”throat-slitting” version of the haka before the kick-off, dominated the opening half. — AFP
