Wallabies are champions again
The 27-19 win in Sydney on Saturday not only gives the Wallabies the Rugby Championship title, but also allows them one hand on the Bledisloe Cup – with another 'decider' in Auckland ext week.
I believe in miracles. I also believe that it's possible to make your own miracle, for that is what Australia did in this thrilling match today. They won where they were expected to lose, they deserved the win and they achieved it through their own heroic efforts, despite two silly yellow cards.
It was a day of heroes – a hundred years since the disaster of the Battle of Lone Pine when Australian and New Zealand forces fought bravely in the madness of the Gallipoli campaign in World War I. the two countries remembered them with military presence, the reading of the oath, the sounding of the mournful Last Post and the optimistic Reveille and the singing of anthems with the leader in military khakis, even the slouch hats. New Zealand performed the haka, kamate led by Richie McCaw in his 141st Test and then the game began.
At the end of 8-0 minutes both teams were playing with the same energy and rest that they started with and carried throughout the game. They did not get tired, not in the All Black zest for victory and the Wallaby determination that they would not pass. No pasarán, as some fighters once said.
New Zealand looked promising at the start when Israel Folau knocked on a good box kick by Aaron Smith. Then Ben Smith broke, ran up to Folau and gave to newcomer Nehe Milner-Skudder who looked likely to score but Adam Ashley-Cooper felled him. The All Blacks bashed at the line. The All Blacks were penalised, Aaron Smith tapped and immediately Sekope Kepu tackled him. The referee sent Kepu to the sin bin and Daniel Carter kicked the goal. 3-0 after 8 minutes.
Milner-Skudder had another break and then Sonny Bill Williams charged down a Bernard Foley kick and Carter toed the ball into the in-goal where Matt Giteau won the race for the ball.
Things started to change. The Wallabies won three turnovers at tackles and the All Blacks were creaking in the scrums. A penalty against the All Blacks in a scrum gave Giteau a simple kick which he made hard but goaled. 3-3 after 26 minutes. But the Wallabies continued to have chances. A Giteau penalty attempt bounced off an upright. Folau burst through Carter but Ben Smith felled him, but line-outs were a problem for the Wallabies.
The All Blacks had a chance when Dane Coles burst away towards the posts but David Pocock caught him just in time. and Michael Hooper got Julian Savea on his way to the line.
Half-time came with New Zealand leading 6-3 after a tryless but engrossing first half. The second half would step up a gear and become gripping.
In the first real action of the second half Adam Ashley-Cooper raced down the right where Aaron Smith jumped up to grab him round the neck. This earned Smith a trip to the sin bin. And while he was absent the Wallabies took the lead.
A penalty to Australia became an attacking line-out which became a maul and then suddenly Kepu burst over for a try, his first in Test rugby and scored with glee. Giteau converted. 10-6 after 43 minutes.
Nick Phipps passed back deep into his in-goal. Foley tried to clean up but the upshot was a five-metre scrum to New Zealand. They bashed and the Wallabies were penalised for being offside. Carter goaled to make the score 10-9. The goal also made Carter the first played to reach 1 500 points in Test rugby.
Matt Toomua replaced Foley. The Wallabies attacked through 12 phases which ended when they were penalised.
The All Blacks attacked and when Phipps did what Kepu had done – stop a player from advancing at a tapped penalty, he did what Kepu had done and went to the sin bin. Giteau played at scrumhalf till the 10 minutes were up and Nick White came on to scrumhalf, enhancing Wallaby chances greatly.
New Zealand were attacking when Ben Smith grabbed the ball form Ashley-Cooper, ran to Folau and have to Milner-Skudder who scored a try on his Test debut. 14-10 to New Zealand after 56 minutes.
The lead did not last long. The Wallabies went through several unpromising phases till Toomua grubbered down to his right. The ball bounced high at the touchline but Ashley-Cooper grabbed the ball and scored in the right corner as Ben Smith tried to stop him. Giteau converted from touch. 17-14 to the Wallabies after 60 minutes.
Again the lead was not long lasting. From a scrum, while Phipps was sitting on the sideline, the All Blacks went 8-9 and there was strong Milner-Skudder fighting for the try as Giteau, Folau and Tevita Kuridrani strove to stop him. The All Blacks led 19-17 after 64 minutes as the lead continued to change hands.
Phipps's sin bin was over and Nick White came on in his stead. The All Blacks were penalised marginally inside their half and White's kick had plenty of room left when it crossed the crossbar. The Wallabies led 20-19 after 68 minutes.
The lead had changed four times in 12 minutes, but it did not change again, apart from growing bigger.
Aaron Smith fumbled around near the touchline and the Wallabies were attacking five metres from the New Zealand line when White burst through some fragile defence to score a try which he converted. 27-19 after 73 minutes.
The last seven minutes of the match were played with zest that knew no rest. The Wallabies were penalised; the All Blacks were penalised but the penalty was reversed for silliness and at last the match ended, the victors delightful, the vanquished suddenly tired.
And there were some 75 000 spectators to see it happen. Spectators who were almost players in their enthusiasm.
An aspect of the match that made it more attractive was the scrummaging – just two resets in 12 scrums.
History suggests that this victory ends Wallaby hopes of winning the World Cup because doing that after winning the Rugby Championship has not happened before. But then histoiry is there to be made.
Man of the Match: There are lots of candidates, more Wallabies than All Blacks, and the player we have chosen is the fearless veteran Adam Ashley-Cooper for his attacking but even more for his defence – and that tiptoe try. He had ANZAC spirit in what he did that day in Sydney.
Moment of the Match: There were many – the All Blacks penalised at a scrum, the tackling of Adam Ashley-Cooper, the second Milner-Skudder try, the Ashley-Cooper try, Carter's 1 500, Nic White's long kick, the first whistle, the final whistle. We have chosen Nic White's penalty to stop the seesawing of the scoring.
Villain of the match: Nobody, nothing nasty – just great entertainment.
The scorers:
For Australia:
Tries: Kepu, Ashley-Cooper, White
Cons: Giteau 2, White
Pens: Giteau, White
For New Zealand:
Tries: Milner-Skudder 2
Pens: Carter 3
Yellow cards: Sekope Kepu (Australia, 8 – professional foul, not 10 metres back from a quick-tap penalty), Aaron Smith (New Zealand, 43 – foul play, high tackle), Nick Phipps (Australia, 54 – professional foul, not 10 metres back from a quick-tap penalty)
Teams
Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 David Pocock, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 James Horwill, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Stephen Moore, (captain), 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Will Skelton, 20 Ben McCalman, 21 Nic White, 22 Matt Toomua, 23 Kurtley Beale.
New Zealand: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Luke Romano, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Samuel Whitelock, 20 Sam Cane, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Beauden Barrett, 23 Malakai Fekitoa.
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
