Auckland (AFP)
New Zealand, much more comfortable than a week earlier, won the Bledisloe Cup and their first match of the Rugby Championship 2021 at the expense of Australia (57-22), Saturday at Eden Park d 'Auckland.
Last Saturday's victory was much more complicated to obtain (33-25) against the Wallabies capable of scoring as many tries -four- as the All Blacks.
Everything is back to normal and the shock of the Antipodes turned to demonstration in the second period: eight tries to three in total, while the score at half-time (21-15, three tries to two) still left a little hope for the Australians, despite a disastrous start.
From the 4th minute, the Blacks took the advantage (7-0) after a masterful interception, followed by a raid of 90 meters, from Rieko Ioane.
The Wallabies almost picked up for the first time thanks to a try from Andrew Kellaway but the young opener Noah Lolesio (21), already very clumsy last week, missed the transformation (7-5, 8th).
Australia's Andrew Kellaway scores a try against the All Blacks in Rugby Championship at Eden Park in Auckland on August 14, 2021 MICHAEL BRADLEY AFP
There were two other waves: the 2nd row giant Brodie Retallick (2m03, 120 kilos), concluded a perfect movement (24th), full axis, then the winger Julian Savea (33rd) made fear the worst for the Australians .
The Wallabies, more agile than powerful, then got back to the score thanks to a penalty from Lolesio (31st) followed by a try from scrum half Tate McDermott in the last second of the first period (40th), between the posts, in taking advantage of a rare moment of inattention from New Zealanders.
But upon resumption, the suspense took a fatal blow: 38-15, then 43-15, then 50-15, because of a flurry of testing from the Kiwis.
Including one after an interception of Sevu Reece (54th), as lethal as that of Ioane at the start of the match.
- Eight three-way trials -
As a bonus, a penalty at 57 meters narrowly passed by the back Damian McKenzie (53rd), a double from hooker Codie Taylor (47th, 60th), a test from Will Jordan (65th) and a little last for the road, from David Havili (80th + 3), who turned the correction into a rout.
The toll is heavy: eight tries to three, enough to extend the stranglehold of the All Blacks on the Bledisloe Cup, highly symbolic, since 2003. And they remain unbeaten at Eden Park since 1986, that is to say 46 test-matches including 22 against the 'Australia.
All Blacks third row Ardie Savea during the Rugby Championship match against Australia at Eden Park in Auckland on August 14, 2021 MICHAEL BRADLEY AFP
There was still some good news on Saturday for the Australians, ahead of the Rugby Championship: the entries of Lachie Swinton and Matt Philip helped well in touch and scrum, two areas in which the All Blacks had dominated the first game. .
The score therefore does not necessarily reflect the fierce resistance of the Wallabies, happy to be able to count on McDermott and Kellaway, author of a double (8th, 69th) to limit the damage, against Blacks able to seize the slightest opportunity to hurt, as usual.
While the first test was attended by 47,000 spectators, they were only 25,000 on Saturday for this rematch.
The beauty of this Bledisloe Cup will take place in Perth, for the honor of the Wallabies, and it will mainly count for the rest of the Rugby Championship.
© 2021 AFP