The All Blacks stormed to a 38-7 win over a sore and sorry Australia on Saturday to seal a third consecutive Rugby Championship title.
The victory in front of a massive crowd of 83 944 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground also ensured the Bledisloe Cup will stay in New Zealand for a 21st year in succession.
Livewire winger Mark Telea grabbed a try in each half, while Shannon Frizell, Codie Taylor, Will Jordan, Caleb Clarke and Rieko Ioane also crossed for the All Blacks.
Bledisloe Cup ✅
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) July 29, 2023
Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship ✅
A successful outing at the MCG#BledisloeCup pic.twitter.com/IwWdxYBkn3
Aussie hopes that Eddie Jones might engineer a turnaround in his second stint with the Wallabies have proven forlorn, with the team winless from their three games in the shortened Rugby Championship.
Barring periods of defiance at the start of each half, it was another undisciplined, ragged display by the hosts who were slapped with two yellow cards and made to pay.
Mark Telea out here playing human pinball 🎮#TheBestRun pic.twitter.com/Pgfh2tnv0I
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) July 31, 2023
The loss was further soured by a serious Achilles injury to veteran Allan Alaalatoa, while fellow prop Taniela Tupou suffered an apparent rib problem.
Of the defeat, Jones says: “I really like the way we came out in the first 20 [minutes] in the first half and the first 15-20 in the second half but we couldn’t turn that into points.
“We definitely ran out of gas at the end of the game. We had a number of blokes struggling.”
All Blacks coach Ian Foster says of their win: “We’re delighted with that. I think to come away with that sort of victory is something to be pretty proud of.
“To walk away with a couple of trophies is pretty special.”
BY IAN RANSOM
dailyvoice@inl.co.za