New Zealand retained the Bledisloe Cup by beating Australia 50-19 at Eden Park, pulling away with five second-half tries after the Wallabies had stayed within three points at half-time. The first Test of the two-match series ended Australia’s unbeaten run and gave the All Blacks a result which halted their own three-match losing sequence following the series defeat by South Africa.
The All Blacks led 17-14 at the interval, but Cam Roigard’s try soon after the restart began a spell in which Australia could not contain the home side’s pressure. Codie Taylor, Leroy Carter, Josh Moorby and Will Jordan subsequently crossed, taking New Zealand to seven tries overall and ensuring the trophy will remain with them.
Australia had started with purpose and took an early lead through full-back Tom Wright. New Zealand responded through Peter Lakai and Tupou Vaa’i, before Wallabies captain Harry Wilson scored before the break to narrow the margin. Josh Nasser added a late Australian try, but by then the contest had been decided.
Second-half pressure turns a close Test
BBC Sport reported that Roigard’s kicking helped New Zealand shift the momentum after Australia’s encouraging opening. The scrum-half also scored himself shortly after half-time, extending the lead from three to 10 points. Sky Sports reported that Roigard crossed after Australia had opened the second half strongly, with his try following a rolling maul.
Australia had an attacking opportunity close to New Zealand’s line early in the second half, but the Guardian reported that an obstruction penalty at the ensuing maul allowed the hosts to reverse the field. Roigard’s try followed, and the All Blacks then converted territorial control into a sequence of scores. Taylor added New Zealand’s fourth try five minutes later, according to Sky Sports, before Carter, Moorby and Jordan scored during the final quarter.
New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie said after the game that Roigard’s kicking had enabled the hosts to apply pressure. He said the side had used more kicks from scrum-half than it had previously, while its chasers had either won aerial contests or recovered loose ball.
Will Jordan also identified the adjustment in kicking distance as important. He said shorter contestable kicks had given New Zealand’s chasers more opportunity to compete in the air, particularly after their difficulties in that area during the South Africa series.
The comparison with Australia’s previous outing is notable. The Wallabies had beaten South Africa in late September, but New Zealand’s second-half performance prevented them building on that result at a ground where the All Blacks have remained unbeaten since 1994, according to BBC Sport.
Bledisloe secured, but Sydney still matters
New Zealand retained the trophy, and Sky Sports reported that Australia can no longer win it in the return fixture.
That does not remove the importance of the second Test in Sydney on 17 October. Australia captain Wilson said his side had entered the Eden Park match with belief after its recent results, but had not won key moments. He pointed in particular to the missed chance at the beginning of the second half, after which New Zealand controlled possession for a lengthy spell.
For New Zealand, the result offered a clear response after three consecutive defeats. It also produced a modest but meaningful rankings gain: Planet Rugby reported that the All Blacks rose by 0.66 points, from 91.15 to 91.81. They remain second, 1.28 points behind South Africa on 93.09.
Australia fell by the same 0.66-point amount, from 85.55 to 84.89, and remained sixth. Their cushion over seventh-placed Scotland is now 0.11 points, while England stay fifth on 85.68. The ranking movement underlines that the Sydney meeting carries consequences beyond the trophy, particularly for a Wallabies side now narrowly ahead of Scotland.
New Zealand will travel to Accor Stadium with the Bledisloe Cup already secure, but the return match gives Australia an immediate opportunity to answer a defeat defined by a sharp shift after half-time.