Debut tries from Shaun Stevenson and Samipeni Finau saw the All Blacks rally from 17-3 down at half-time and protect their 22-year home win streak against Australia; Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones is yet to win a match in his second stint in charge, opening with four defeats
Highlights of the Bledisloe Cup clash between New Zealand and Australia in Dunedin.
Richie Mo’unga booted a last-minute penalty to lift New Zealand to a 23-20 comeback win over a much-improved Australia in the second Bledisloe Cup match in Dunedin on Saturday.
Debut tries from winger Shaun Stevenson and backrower Samipeni Finau helped the All Blacks rally from 17-3 down at half-time when it looked like their 22-year home win streak against the Wallabies was in peril.
Ardie Savea sparked the All Blacks’ rally with a try-saving tackle in the first half and proved a force at the break-down throughout the contest.
The win is New Zealand’s fourth in succession this year and ensured they swept the two-Test Bledisloe Cup series against their Antipodean neighbours. However, head coach Ian Foster’s decision to field a second-string starting side nearly blew up in his face.
New Zealand head coach Ian Foster was delighted with his side’s second half performance as they came from behind to beat Australia in the Bledisloe Cup.
Eddie Jones’ Australia were led superbly by stand-in captain Tate McDermott, a week after being smashed 38-7 by the same opponents at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Jones was the last coach to guide Australia to victory over the hosts in New Zealand at the old Carisbrook ground in Dunedin in 2001. The former England coach is yet to win a match in his second stint in charge, opening with four defeats.
“It’s a bad feeling,” Jones said. “We should have won that game. We didn’t quite make it but they’re taking steps in the right direction.”
Australia captain Tate McDermott says he is gutted after a late defeat to New Zealand in the Bledisloe Cup but insists they are heading in the right direction.
Australia had made a flying start, with tries from Marika Koroibete and Tom Hooper in the first seven minutes seeing them take a 14-0 lead.
Both teams had early casualties, with Queensland Reds hooker Matt Faessler making his Test debut for the Wallabies when Dave Porecki came off early for a head injury assessment. All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick was off the ground with an apparent knee problem in the 26th minute.
The All Blacks’ old guard stepped up in Retallick’s absence, with Sam Whitelock and Savea combining to save a try when scrumhalf McDermott made a dart for the right corner.
Inevitably, the All Blacks found their range and four minutes after the restart, winger Stevenson crossed at the right corner as they came storming back, before Mo’unga sealed victory with a well-taken kick from a tight angle.
