Date: October 30
Kick-off: Time : 4:30pm (Local),7:30pm (AEST)
Venue:Hong Kong Stadium
Competitions: Bledisloe Cup 2010
Watch Live stream New Zealand vs Australia Hong Kong Match Review
A commanding second half performance from the All Blacks saw them overcome a spirited performance from the Qantas Wallabies to win the historic Bledisloe Cup Test in Hong Kong by 19 – 14 tonight.
The Wallabies led 14-9 at half time after two tries to Wallabies winger Drew Mitchell, but they were cancelled out by five pointers to Sitiveni Sivivatu and Richie McCaw after the break to give the Kiwis the spoils.
With the house full sign going up at Hong Kong Stadium and Rugby fever gripping Asia like never before, the first ever offshore Bledisloe Cup match was clearly a success before it even kicked off.
But the result that all Wallabies and Wallabies’ fans craved was a victory over the All Blacks to square the ledger at 2 Tests a-piece for 2008.
A passionate haka from the All Blacks also dispelled any notions whatsoever of either team regarding this game as a ‘dead rubber’.
A good attacking opportunity for the Wallabies on 4 minutes was lost when the throw in at the line out from Stephen Moore was over-thrown as the new lineout combination found their feet.
The All Blacks were also disrupted a minute later when hooker Andrew Hore hobbled off to be replaced by Keven Mealamu.
On seven minutes the Wallabies opened the scoring when new All Blacks winger Hosea Gear spilt the ball in his 22.
The Men of Gold re-gathered and after sustained pressure through almost ten phases, well marshaled by scrumhalf Luke Burgess, flyhalf Matt Giteau slipped through a half gap underneath the All Blacks post.
He was just brought down by desperate All Blacks defence but the Force flyhalf managed to pop up a miracle ball to Force team mate winger Mitchell who did just as well to gather and crash over for the opening try.
Giteau converted to put the Men of Gold up 7-0 after eight minutes.
A debatable scrum penalty from referee Alan Lewis gave Dan Carter a chance to put the All Blacks on the board from 35 metres, wide-out and the New Zealand inside centre made no mistake. Wallabies up 7-3 after 13 minutes.
It was early in the match but the Wallabies had started by far the better and looked the hungrier, the more organized and dangerous team.
Another magnificent Wallabies attack, inspired by a break from Ryan Cross and again super-slick service from Burgess, saw the Men of Gold go close just a minute later but Al Baxter lost the ball just metres out from the Kiwi line.
Then a setback on 19 minutes when Giteau, stretching to take a floated pass from lock Nathan Sharpe, was hit in a robust tackle by All Black flanker Jerome Kaino. Thankfully the gutsy Wallabies flyhalf was able to shake off the big hit and continue, albeit a little groggy.
The All Blacks edged closer on 24 minutes when Dean Mumm was penalized for holding on at a ruck in front of Australia’s posts and Carter landed his second penalty.
But the Wallabies hit back immediately from a line out on the All Blacks 22. The ball was spun wide quickly to Mitchell who took the ball close then after good lead up work by Moore and a bullocking run by Benn Robinson,George Smith showed beautiful hands to shift the ball quickly back to Mitchell for the winger to go over out wide for his second try.
Giteau landed a superb conversion from the touchline and the Wallabies were deserved 14-6 leaders after 27 minutes.
Another penalty at the breakdown, when Baxter went off his feet, gave Carter a third chance for a penalty, and from over 50 metres the All Blacks marksman narrowed the gap once more, to 14-9.
Despite chances to both teams the score remained the same to halftime but the All Blacks were on even terms just a minute into the second half.
Giteau cleared from the Wallabies 22 into touch on the full, after Smith had passed the ball back from outside the 22, meaning the lineout came back to where the ball was kicked under the ELVs.
From the lineout the ball came wide along the All Blacks backline and clever hands from outside centre Conrad Smith and fullback (and Man of the Match) Isaia Toeava sent winger Sivivatu on a clear run to the line.
Carter however failed with the conversion from wideout, the first unsuccessful kick on the night from either goalkicker, and we were all square at 14-all with nearly all of the second half to play.
The Stephen Donald experiment at flyhalf had been negligible and he was replaced on 48 minutes with Hurricanes inside centre Ma’a Nonu coming on.
The Wallabies were having an ongoing battle with Lewis and Moore was penalized on 50 minutes for another ruck infringement but Carter missed again from 45 metres to keep the scores locked.
New Zealand went to the bench again straight after the missed kick with Piri Weepu coming on for Jimmy Cowan at scrumhalf.
The All Blacks were unlucky not to go in front moments later when Gear failed to re-gather a Nonu grubber kick inches from the line after a superb bust from Toeava.
New Zealand seemed to be getting the ascendancy and Wallabies coach Robbie Deans went to the bench bringing on Berrick Barnes for Cross, at inside centre with Stirling Mortlock moving to outside.
But there was a marked lift in the All Blacks physicality and competitiveness at the breakdown and the Men of Gold were only just holding on.
Eventually the pressure had to tell.
Some brilliant attacking play from the All Blacks, ten phases following a clever re-gather from their own 22 drop out, finally saw a long pass from Sivivatu picked up magically from the bootstraps by captain McCaw who dove over outwide for the All Blacks second try.
Carter missed the conversion but the All Blacks were threatening to take command, leading 19-14 after 65 minutes.
Deans again went to the bench bringing on Phil Waugh with Mumm moving to lock and Sharpe being replaced.
Soon after a high tackle by replacement Anthony Boric on Waugh gave Giteau a chance to narrow the gap but his penalty from 30 metres out drifted just wide.
In the humid conditions both teams were tiring and Baxter was replaced by Matt Dunning with ten minutes to go and the Wallabies desperately needing a try.
If almost came after superb attacking play from the Wallabies saw them put multiple phases together with Smith, Barnes and Robinson prominent but the final ball from Adam Ashley-Cooper to Mitchell went to ground and the possible winning score went begging.
David Pocock then came on to become the 829th Wallaby as Smith was replaced after another whole-hearted effort.
A poor kick out from replacement All Blacks fullback Cory Jane gave the Wallabies another opportunity and again Giteau and Robinson were brilliant but once more the ball went into touch.
When Peter Hynes was penalized for holding on with two minutes to go it looked like the Wallabies chance had gone and in a mirror image of the Brisbane Blesdisloe, Weepu kicked the ball into touch moments later to give the All Blacks another narrow victory.
The Wallabies now travel on to Italy where the will play the Italians in Padua next Saturday night.
All Blacks (Sitiveni Sivivatu, Richie McCaw tries; Dan Carter 3 penalty goals) defeated Qantas Wallabies 14 (Drew Mitchell 2 tries; Matt Giteau 2 conversions) at Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong. (Half time: Wallabies 14 – All Blacks 9)
Full Time Score
All Blacks 19
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