Opening try: Israel Dagg
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New Zealand opened their Rugby Championship account with a 27-19 win over Australia at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on Saturday.
In a tale of two halves in an overall scrappy game, the All Blacks did enough in the opening forty minutes of the match to bag four competition points as they kicked off the inaugural championship with a hard-fought victory.
The world champions raced to a commanding lead after scoring 18 unanswered points which left the Wallabies with a mountain to climb.
However, the hosts clawed their way back after trailing 18-10 at half-time and continued to stay in touch with their trans-Tasman rivals who had to work a little harder in the second half before Dan Carter sealed the deal with his fifth penalty goal on full-time.
Carter's three-pointer after the siren also denied the Wallabies a losing bonus point, which could prove vital in the overall standings later down the line.
Australia drew first blood after Berrick Barnes opened the scoring with an early penalty with barely three minutes gone on the clock, before Carter leveled matters in the 10th minute.
Three minutes later the All Blacks struck from a scrum outside Australia's 22. Two decoy runners in midfield allowed Carter to feed full-back Israel Dagg who stepped out of a tackle and then beat Kurtley Beale on the outside to score the opening try. Carter added the tricky conversion and the All Blacks were smiling with a seven-point lead (3-10) after 14 minutes played.
Australia were found wanting again after New Zealand's relentless pressure and masterly forwards overwhelmed their hosts who coughed up another penalty that Carter dualy converted into three more points.
Whilst the visitors' attack was giving the Wallabies a throbbing headache, so too was the All Blacks defence as Robbie Deans' troops hammered at New Zealand's tryline in a bid to narrow the ever-increasing scoreline but to no avail.
A dropped pass by Scott Higginbotham with Australia hot on attack and then another by Beale didn't help matters for the Wallabies either - the moans and groans from the home crowd becoming a regular feature.
The well-oiled black machine continued to rumble forward and with the Australians' defence once again stretched, Cory Jane finished off superbly in the corner for the world champs' second try of the night - Beale once again exposed out wide.
Carter's conversion missed by inches, but his team-mates wouldn't have been too concerned with an 18-3 lead. However, the same couldn't be said of their hosts, who looked down and out with eight minutes of the first half still remaining.
Finally, Australia struck gold when Digby Ioane made the intitial inroads after the wing found a chink in the All Blacks' armour only to be tackled inches short of the line. Nathan Sharpe wasn't to be denied from close range though, and the soon-to-be retired lock powered over. Barnes converted and the hosts headed into the half-time sheds with some restored confidence.
The second half became a battle of the boots as Carter and Barnes exchanged penalties. But, even after drawing the second half 9-9, the Wallabies weren't able to bridge the gap.
The result also means Richie McCaw and his merry men have taken a giant stride towards holding onto the Bledisloe Cup which has been in their possession since 2003.
Man of the match: All Blacks flanker Liam Messam repaid his coaches' faith by carrying his impressive Super Rugby form to the Test arena, while halfback pair Aaron Smith and Dan Carter proved once again to be a lethal combination. But the player who stood head and shoulders above the rest was Israel Dagg. The star full-back caused havoc whenever he touched the ball, bagged a try for his efforts and set up another.
Moment of the match: You just can't keep a good Dagg down! With only centimetres to work with, Dagg's 13th-minute touchdown after skinning his opposite number on the outside takes the cake.
Villain of the match: Despite an improved second half from Australia, they were unable to atone for Kurtley Beale's critical blunders in what was an error-prone performance by the full-back who will carry some self-inflicted psychological damage to Eden Park after letting in both of New Zealand's tries.
The scorers:
For Australia:
Try: Sharpe
Con: Barnes
Pens: Barnes 4
For New Zealand:
Tries: Dagg, Jane
Con: Carter
Pens: Carter 5
Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Anthony Fainga'a, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Berrick Barnes, 9 Will Genia, 8 Scott Higginbotham, 7 David Pocock (capt), 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Sitaleki Timani, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 James Slipper, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Radike Samo, 20 Michael Hooper, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Drew Mitchell.
New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Ma'a Nonu, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (capt), 6 Liam Messam, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Brodie Retallick, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 Ben Smith.
Referee: Alain Rolland (IRFU)
By Dave Morris
Comments
Wallaroo says...
@new_j4a - ROLMAO. Mate seriously, all Aussies are role models. We are the most compliant, generous, loving, kind and decent humans to ever grace this world (and of course neither are we conceited or arrogant). Right, lol.
Posted 13:59 21st August 2012
7ton says...
Carpelone
Defo up for a few beers Saturday. Cheers
For what difference it makes the AB's always used to have white collars in days gone by.
As for the no.7 we will just have to agree to disagree. As I have said many times he is no angel but he just does what every other decent loosie does. 3 times IRB international player of the year!
Posted 11:45 21st August 2012
carpelone says...
Almost All Blacks because they have now that little touch of white, which I am not sure that I like it.
The Chiefs are rightfully and truly deserving S15 champs. Honestly, I am more angry with the refs, rather than with the players (apart the # 7 in black). Consistency is the key, otherwise we will all be like football supporters, which would be a disgrace.
Will have more beers on you mate.
Posted 08:54 21st August 2012
chuckpaki says...
Fish have ever played this game SBW was average him and Maa were used as decoy players which left their opponents in noddy land with 2 tries from a set play
their defence was far superior forward pass is that the best you can complain about even Stevie Wonder with blown the whistle.
Posted 08:52 21st August 2012
ruckingkiwi says...
One of the worst games of rugby I have seen in a long time, not helped by the referee of course but some of the skills shown by both sides were school boy. Not sure how NZ managed to butcher 3 or 4 clear cut scoring chances, Read knocking on with an open line, Gear being cut down when an easy pass or even side step should have been the option and Messam going through only to pass the ball into touch.. seems like they went to sleep with the game already won at 18-3 I wont comment on Australia because they're largely an average team but they did well to stay in touch but they never looked like winning the game, they were pretty much smashed at the breakdown and dominated up front, the scrum and in the tackle, led by McCaw, Messam and Mealamu. The stop start nature of the game definitely didn't help the ABs who prefer the game to flow. But good to get that one under the belt and glad the ABs have got a shocker out of the system by playing poorly and still winning comfortably away from home with only 1 weeks preparation, they should be much better for it this weekend. Be good to see Australia step up for once but nothing this season so far has given me reason to believe they anything but on the downslope. Sadly!
Posted 23:49 20th August 2012
7ton says...
Carpelone
But sadly it is not just the no.7 is it? It was the chiefs just recently and it goes way back further than that.
I would be interested to know what you mean by and what is the point of your comments "Why All Blacks? Almost All Blacks"
Glad to hear you enjoyed your beer and Thankyou I enjoyed a couple as well.
Posted 20:35 20th August 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
Worthy win and they are in the driving seat after SA failed to pick up the bonus point dispite having three tries in the bag with 30 minutes to go... New Zealand will take that for round one thank you very much!
Posted 15:31 20th August 2012
carpelone says...
7ton.
Please be serious. You cant ask me to be happy with #7 in black, way too much to ask. Hope you enjoyed your beer as much as I did.
Posted 13:59 20th August 2012
jontheref says...
melkdave
Agree with you, about Rolland.
If anyone watched Jonkers in the TV game later in the day, he refereed in the same style, and I have not seen any comments about him being pedantic.
Was very surprised by the Aus commentators, who correctly picked up from the refs mike, when players were told not to do someting (Genia coming in from 10, before the lineout was over), probably something he gets away with at S15?
Posted 11:20 20th August 2012
jontheref says...
bigb6969
"the ABs where so quick in coming back for the quick throw (Smith ) and an incredibly smart thinking was ruled out while the dimwitted officials made the ABs take the thrown from where the ball went out instead of up to 5 metres from the line..."
It was in front of where it went out, has to be between the line of touch, and your own goal line.
Not the opposition's goal line.
Posted 11:11 20th August 2012
tha_mai says...
damo - hilarious interpretations of the same match I watched. If there were cards for idiots . . . well, Kurtley would have gone after the Dagg try (was he signing an autograph?), suggest there mighn't have been too many in gold by match end.
For this weekend - plain to see where ABs can improve, simple things wuld have resulted in a few more tries - basic missed opportunities on replay. Wallabies? change some of the team . . but for who?
I will be both disappointed and surprised if there is not a 15+ margin this time.
Posted 04:47 20th August 2012
Trinats2 says...
Now that the tears have gone, now lets look forward to Eden park. And not back on one of the worst error ridden and poor performance games Wallabies have ever played.
As an Aussie it's not in our DNA to think it is impossible to win at Eden Park. It's a huge mountain to climb, but no mountain is too big !!
Looking at the positives, on Sat as poorly as we played, we were within winning the game (5 points down) right until the last minute on attack (until mysteriously the ball cam out onto NZ side when everyone was off their feet !!! not sure how that happened !!!) We didn't deserve the win and that's Karma I guess.
Our scrum !!! it had the AB's in reverse a couple of times (not sure what game some people on here were watching ?? or if they know the laws !!) The only time Aus had trouble was when they had a few forwards off with bloodbin injures. Scrums were pretty even over the game.
Another positives are that Cooperman should be included in the starting lineup this week, Beale should have washed off all the vaseline off his hands he picked up in prison, Sonny Williams will be playing again, M.o.m. for NZ was Beale, Dean's will be under pressure to field the best side he can and Dom Shipperly might get a call up (he can defend on the wing, unlike Beale) Although I think Mitchell will go to the wing and ACC at full back. Cooper 10 and Barnes 12.
Another positive is that if Australia fail to win at Eden park, there will be one less seat on the flight home on the Sunday. So pack up your belongings and take them with you Deans, if you intend to loss this one you will not be permitted back into Australia.
Aus getting 5 points in NZ would make up for all Dean's short comings. !!!
Posted 03:17 20th August 2012
7ton says...
carpelone
with a very large chip on you shoulder
Posted 20:59 19th August 2012
Golden_statenba says...
@Damo
"I hope the Argies recover as they play the game well !!!"
Lol that makes no sense!? They lost. Also I like the pumas but they disrupt the rucks right in front of the reff. Let's just say they are not that suttle about it. The abs do it very well so I don't understand you comment at all.
I understand the hating tho. Being the dominant team it's going to be that people are looking forward to the next ABs loss rather then win. I love the NBA and I hate the Heat for the same reason.
There is a long way to go in this series and as we saw in the Irish test series never judge a team by there last game.
Posted 18:20 19th August 2012
C_Mac says...
The biggest downside of watching a Wallaby game played in Australia for the past years has been the commentators. There was a MASSIVE upgrade in the commentators for this first test, a welcome change from the gingoistic clowns calling the past few years. I hope this will continue!!
Posted 17:48 19th August 2012
melkdave says...
@Damo
Yes Roland did penalise scrums when the ball was avilable to play.The reason why is it was available for Australia to play and it was they that collasped the scrum.to stop NZ pushing them off or wheeling them round.Im all for allowing a game to flow ,but not at the expense of illegal means,which the wallabies have turned into an art form .They just cant scrummage so are always collasping it and eating dirt Personally im glad referees are now penalising them for it at every oppotunity.Perhaps it will encourage them to actually scrum .SIX times i counted them blantly collapsing the scrum ,and i most probably missed more.
Posted 17:35 19th August 2012
new_j4a says...
@Wallaroo says.."There is more theft in Joburg in 1 day than in Australia in 1 year" Which 1 day in Joberg are you counting....Cooper and Beale in town or not? Anyway let's talk rugby....what are your views on Oz chances for the Bledisloe?....more or less less the same as the 'Tah's chances in the S15, do you think? Just following your advice from "Great Australian Book of commandments to have a laugh and take the mick," mate....Cooper is a fine lad and a model for our youth, and Kurtley,...well he's never been done for anything more serious than assaulting his sister, has he?
Posted 17:16 19th August 2012
damo says...
@melkdave
Roland and many other ref's are ruining the game, the ball was out of scrums and available to play in rucks and every one Roland blew the pen rather than allowing the game flow, let him award pens and let the innocent team try play on with the advantage you idiot no need to stop the game at every infringement.
@everyone, McCaw what a hero, standing offside with his hands up and bumping into Genia resulted in an Ozzie pen, a good ref would have carded him for being an idiot and for the fact he lives on the edge :, he does in his ehem, also did anyone notice the holding off the ball from the NZ players slightly out of the view of the ball, lines men need to be catching this, also Nonu bumped that rubbish Horne lad for one of the NZ tries, of course Roland didn't spot that one he was too busy wondering when he could toss his coin at the scrums and which team's turn it was.
One final thing Ozzie scrum was slightly dominant in my opinion and if the ref wasn't swapping decisions they would have won 4 or 5 more legit pen's!!!
I hope the Argies recover as they play the game well !!!
Posted 14:39 19th August 2012
passtheball says...
Melkdave - the problem with this ref and most NH refs is that they are always looking to intervene for a stoppage in play. I don't think they would have the fitness to last the full on S15 game, unless it was the Stormers of course, as they would be out on their feet. Scrums, penalties give the players and the ref a rest. Many Eng club games have 30 penalties or more and in one game this year I watched shots at goal take well over half the game time. Its a mind set. And that can kill the game.
Posted 14:24 19th August 2012
melkdave says...
@ToAll
Ok i feel i have to defend A.Roland to some extent ,not that he had a brillent game or that he iwasnt just a tad to pedantic..But lets remember its the players who commit offences,not the referees.Also as ive said before and say again ,at virtually evrey ruck,mual lineout or scrum a player or players are commiting an offence ,a good referee will see them and in that split second he has to decide does this impact on the game,if yes then a penalty or free kick if no then play continues.You cant blame a referee for enforcing the laws,as we all know what happens when a referee just lets it be a free for all ala Bryce Lawrance at the RWC,and just look at the fallout from that game A.Roland is known to be a little pedantic ,and arnt players always talking about adapting/ playing the referee .So its upto the players to adapt to what the referee expects /wants isnt it ,not vice-versa.
Posted 13:21 19th August 2012