All Blacks pulled off Houdini act in thriller – By Trevine Rodrigo in Melbourne
Glad to witness one of the best Bledisloe Cup games ever.
It was a titanic struggle between the trans Tasman rivals in a high scoring game in which the All Blacks pulled off a sensational win with a last gasp try after the final siren.
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Couldn’t have asked for a better game, although it was heart stopping, and broke the hearts of the Wallabies and their long suffering supporters.
The game ebbed and flowed as the All Blacks valiantly attempted to wrest the game away only to find the spirited Wallabies come back time and again in a desperate attempt break the hoodoo.
A whistle happy French Referee, Mathieu Raynal, did not win many friends as his send off from an angry crowd after the game proved. But in my opinion he evened the ledger with his decision making for both sides.
The All Blacks were lucky to come away with the win after dominating most of the game but found the determined Wallabies hard to contain in offense.
The Wallabies backs looked dangerous when in possession and tested the All Blacks in every offensive foray.
The All Blacks for their part could have put the scoreline out of reach if not for crucial handling errors in certain try scoring situations. The Wallabies had their share of bad luck in what seemed like a certain try by Andrew Kellaway that was overturned by the TMO.
It turned out to be a brusing and draining game where both sides attempted to gain a physical advantage over the other resulting in several key players being helped off the field through injury. Both the Wallabies and All Blacks lost their leadership with James Slipper and Sam Caine sidelined after heavy knocks. David Havili and Rob Leota added to the All Blacks woes.
The infusion of Beauden Barrett at fullback gave the Blacks added impetus. His craftily executed chip over the advancing Wallabies defence was well weighted to winger Will Jordan who scampered over and rattle the optimistic Aussies.
The All Blacks won the try count 5-4 and Bernard Foley repaid Wallabies coach Dave Rennie’s faith in recalling him making an important contribution of four conversions and two penalties.
The Wallabies were also heavily punished for unwarranted indiscretions, at one stage exposing their vulnerability with two men on the bench which the All Blacks were unable to capitalise in the first half.
After things were locked up at 10 all at the turnaround, the All Blacks jumped the Wallabies early to silence a sold out Marvel Stadium with a succession of converted tries.
Possession and territorial dominance was the key that turned things around for the All Blacks who then squandered a 31-13 lead early in the second half and let the rampaging Wallabies overtake them minutes from the end. It laid the platform for the All Blacks to masterminded a desperate try in the dying seconds.
Although the deciding penalty was controversial, the rules were technically correct by the referee Raynal. After repeated warnings Foley was punished with a reversed decision giving the All Blacks the platform to snatch the game from the jaws of defeat.
After a mediocre first half, the two teams turned out champagne rugby, with first the All Blacks, and then the Wallabies producing brilliant forays that resulted in spectacular tries.
The best purists of this great game could not have scripted the outcome better as the All Blacks retained the prestigious Bledisloe Cup for another year compounding the pain Australia has endured for a long time.
They head off to a dead rubber second encounter at Eden Park which has been an impregnable All Blacks fortress for the Wallabies.
A win for the Wallabies could signal the changing of dominance of the world game. More importantly, it will question All Blacks coach Ian Foster’s future before the World Cup.
