All Blacks Run Rampant in Second Half in Sydney

Dishing out a set-piece masterclass, the All Blacks stymied a determined Wallabies first half defensive approach to claim a 38-13 win in the Bledisloe Cup/Investec Rugby Championship opener at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on Saturday.

Inspired by lock Brodie Retallick, playing his first Test match in 11 months, the All Blacks killed off the Australians with a stunning five-try second half effort.

It was claimed that Wilson Whineray’s dummy to score a try against the Barbarians at Cardiff Arms Park in 1964 was the greatest dummy sold by an All Black forward, but Retallick’s 62nd minute try will rate alongside, if not in front, of it, especially considering it was his turnover which had started the move.

But stealing lineouts seemingly at will, where Retallick was a pickpocket supreme, and turning over ball in tackles he had made, he was outstanding. The Australians won only 41.7 percent of their lineouts and while their defence was tight in the first half, they ended with 40 missed tackles to 11 by the All Blacks.

Centre Jack Goodhue made an emphatic Test debut, stepping up after losing midfield partner Ryan Crotty 11 minutes into the game after they clashed heads. Apart from his tackling where his 11 tackles were the most by an All Black in the game, he helped the All Blacks seize control two minutes into the second half.

It came after a controversial steal made from Wallabies wing Marika Koroibete on the All Blacks 22m by his marker and fellow Fijian Waisake Naholo. First five-eighths Beauden Barrett made an instant decision to fling the ball wide to Goodhue.

With wing Rieko Ioane, who later left the field with a hamstring injury, making ground outside him, Goodhue stayed with him to take an inside pass and run nearly 50m unchallenged for the try.

From the restart Goodhue ran the ball back at the Wallabies and broke through again with the move only breaking down from a lack of support.

A knock-on when Australia attempted a breakout by wing Dane Haylett-Petty saw first five-eighths Beauden Barrett toe the ball ahead, head off halfback Will Genia and get control of the ball to score.

The Australians had a great chance of scoring after replacement back Jack Maddocks broke into the All Blacks 22m area with the defence spread, however he failed to pass and the ball was knocked on. Again the All Blacks’ scrum got them out of trouble. He did score in the 66th minute after flanker Michael Hooper made a critical intercept as the All Blacks were pounding the Australian line.

But it was momentary respite as Naholo scored two tries in the 72nd and 74th minutes – the first after a Barrett downfield kick and the second on some thrust provided by replacement Damian McKenzie.

Australia enjoyed the halftime advantage at 6-5, from two penalty goals landed by first five-eighths Bernard Foley. The All Blacks, especially in the second quarter, applied their continuity game working away at the Australians.

The break when it finally came was right on halftime, and from a missed penalty goal to Beauden Barrett. From the resulting 22m dropout they built something out of nothing, lock Sam Whitelock securing the ball and setting up three rucks as they moved the ball right.

Fullback Ben Smith created the breakthrough when beating Wallabies blindside flanker Lukhan Tui’s tackle. He passed out where Goodhue touched the ball to Naholo.

Snaking along the sideline he flicked the ball inside to No.8 Kieran Read and he was able to pass inside to halfback Aaron Smith who scored the try.

The halftime statistics bore out the tackling the Wallabies had to do, making 71 tackles to 54 by New Zealand while the All Blacks made use of 13 missed Wallabies tackles conceding seven of their own. The penalty count had been expensive for Australia, conceding seven to four by New Zealand.

Having put so much effort into their preparation the Wallabies were left having to go back to the drawing board knowing they possibly could be without one of their key players fullback Israel Folau who limped off the field with what appeared to be an ankle injury.

Scorers: Australia 13 (Jack Maddocks tries Reece Hodge pen ; Bernard Foley con, pen) New Zealand 38 (Aaron Smith, Jack Goodhue, Beauden Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Waisake Naholo 2 tries; Beauden Barrett 4 con). HT: 6-5

Source: allblacks.com