Key events
3h ago
Summary
4h ago
Full-time: Australia 14-28 New Zealand
4h ago
TRY! Australia 14-28 New Zealand (Bower, 80+1)
4h ago
Penalty! Australia 14-23 New Zealand (McKenzie, 70)
4h ago
TRY! Australia 14-20 New Zealand (Ikitau, 66)
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Penalty! Australia 9-20 New Zealand (McKenzie, 62)
4h ago
Yellow Card! Australia (Ikitau, 46)
5h ago
Half-time: Australia 9-17 New Zealand
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TRY! Australia 9-17 New Zealand (Tupaea, 35)
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TRY! Australia 9-12 New Zealand (Tupaea, 33)
5h ago
Penalty! Australia 9-7 New Zealand (Edmed, 17)
5h ago
Yellow card! Australia (Hooper, 13)
5h ago
Penalty! Australia 6-7 New Zealand (Edmed, 11)
5h ago
CONVERTED TRY! Australia 3-7 New Zealand (Carter, 8)
6h ago
Penalty! Australia 3-0 New Zealand (Edmed, 6)
6h ago
Kick-off!
6h ago
New Zealand XV
6h ago
Australia XV
7h ago
Preamble
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Jonathan Howcroft
And I will be back here in three weeks as the Wallabies begin their overseas adventures with a one-off Test in Japan. I’ll see you then.
Just a reminder that the Rugby Championship will be decided at Twickenham. Argentina take on South Africa at the home of English rugby about half-an-hour from now.
We began tonight’s coverage scratching our heads at where the Wallabies are at, and we end the evening none the wiser. They have lost 13 of their past 20 Tests, end the Rugby Championship with a 2-4 win-loss record, and will need a strong European tour to avoid a nightmare World Cup draw in December.
Yet for large chunks of an 11th consecutive defeat to New Zealand they were the side in control. For two ten-minute spells they even managed to retain the ascendancy with 14 men. Ikitau and Sua’ali’i are a world class partnership in the centres, the back row is a match for anybody, and Max Jorgensen is as exciting as anyone in world rugby. But skill execution, decision making, and failure to seize opportunities handicapped them over and over again, as it has for many years now.
As the players sign autographs and take selfies with the crowd, Phil Waugh takes the dais to make a presentation to the retiring James Slipper, Australia’s most-capped international.
“We’re not out to be competitive, we’re here to win,” laments Wallaby skipper Harry Wilson after yet another defeat so full of promise. “Test footy, it’s fine margins and obviously we missed out… We’ve definitely progressed this Rugby Championship but ultimately we didn’t get the results in the last few games which we wanted, which is really disappointing.”
“A lot of silly errors that we need to get out of our game,” bemoans Max Jorgensen. “That’s what Test footy is, it’s the best of the best, so you can’t be making those mistakes. If you want to be the best team in the world you’ve got to be at your best at every aspect of the game.”
Jorgensen was excellent tonight, as he has been all TRC, and he’s accurate in his analysis.
That’s 11 wins a row for New Zealand over Australia.
ShareFull-time: Australia 14-28 New Zealand
The All Blacks get over the line at a sodden Optus Stadium and remain in with a shout of claiming the Rugby Championship.
ShareTRY! Australia 14-28 New Zealand (Bower, 80+1)
From the scrum 15m out the All Blacks attack in a series of short penetrating darts until Bower burrows over from close to the line.
McKenzie ends a poor night off the tee with another poor miss.
Updated at 08.24 EDT
79 mins: The lineout is safe, the maul forms, it begins to gain ground, but again the rearguard action is superb. The ball comes out and goes through hands to the right but Australia’s centres are up in a flash to clamp down on New Zealand’s halves. Then play is halted for a Wallaby out cold. That looked very ugly. Josh Flook I think it is, he just got his head in the wrong place and took the full force of J Barrett’s hip to his face.
Updated at 08.01 EDT
78 mins: No idea why, but play has been called back to an earlier infringement in New Zealand’s favour. They kick to the left corner again, secure the lineout this time, set up the maul, but it goes nowhere as Australia’s pack defends stoutly. But there’s a penalty advantage on the play so it’s copy and paste and we’re back in the left corner.
77 mins: The All Blacks are happy to grind, eating up the clock, gaining inches. They close to within five metres before a pass goes astray and forward into a gold jersey. In difficult conditions this has not been a showpiece half.
Updated at 08.36 EDT
76 mins: Australia steal the lineout!
But then Edmed’s clearing kick is charged down!
New Zealand get back into rhythm on attacking 22 in centre field.
75 mins: New Zealand grind off the attacking lineout and bunt their way to the 22. There’s a gold jersey miles offside so the referee’s arm extends horizontally. Play continues a few phases longer until it is inevitably recalled. The All Blacks kick to the left corner aiming to put this match to bed from the set piece.
73 mins: It’s now or never for the Wallabies as James O’Connor enters the fray. Australia win the scrum free-kick just outside their 22 and set off from right to left. Valetini is strong, then Wilson tries to free Jorgensen on the short side but there isn’t enough room. Then a Wallaby is penalised for an illegal clearout at the breakdown and McKenzie belts the ball deep into attacking territory. Another decisive moment in this match goes against the hosts.
71 mins: Both teams exchange kicks, New Zealand continuing their second-half strategy of going to the sky at every opportunity, but they knock-on in the chase and the Wallabies will feed a scrum.
SharePenalty! Australia 14-23 New Zealand (McKenzie, 70)
From 35m out, 10m to the right of the posts, McKenzie atones for his earlier misses and strokes the All Blacks nine points ahead.
70 mins: Jordan marks then kicks for himself to chase. Edmed meets him mid-air, the ball goes to ground – somehow no knock-on from either team – then Australia are penalised for not releasing and the All Blacks have an opportunity to steady the ship.
68 mins: Australia are calm at the restart and Lonergan box kicks to halfway. New Zealand haven’t had much phase ball recently so they relish the five they get either side of halfway before McKenzie boots high for territory. Jorgensen deals with the danger and the Wallabies try to run their way downfield. It’s a risky strategy in these conditions, and Tupou is fortunate his fumble is backwards. Eventually Lonergan concedes defeat and kicks to halfway.
ShareTRY! Australia 14-20 New Zealand (Ikitau, 66)
Australia secure attacking ball off the lineout finally! There’s an early penalty advantage as the ball goes to ground. The gold jerseys lay siege to the line. From under the mass of bodies Ikitau thinks he’s got the ball down. The referee agrees, but he wants the TMO to confirm. He does!
Edmed strikes the post with the conversion!
Is this another Australian comeback at the death?
Len Ikitau of the Wallabies crosses over to score. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAPShare
Updated at 07.49 EDT
64 mins: New Zealand make a mess of the restart allowing the Wallabies a scrum 40m out on the right hand side. Lonergan and Ikitau link well off the back, then Daugunu does well to stay the course as he’s manhandled by Ioane – high as it happens – and Australia can kick to the left corner.
SharePenalty! Australia 9-20 New Zealand (McKenzie, 62)
The All Blacks try to take advantage but gain little ground and play is recalled. From 35m out, dead in front, McKenzie kicks the first points of the second half in teeming rain.
60 mins: New Zealand secure their lineout allowing the slick Roigard to direct his troops from right to left before Carter straightens up and dabs a kick in-goal that Edmed has to touch down. From the drop-out there’s an early penalty advantage for a high tackle from Valetini on J Barrett.
Leroy Carter is tackled by the Wallabies’ Filipo Daugunu. Photograph: Colin Murty/AFP/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 07.37 EDT
59 mins: New Zealand win their scrum on halfway but make little ground before Valetini wins the breakdown turnover penalty. Edmed kicks the Wallabies into All Black territory – but for the umpteenth time tonight the throw is ghastly and New Zealand hack the clearance deep into Australia’s half.
Conditions are grim. Errors are mounting. Champagne rugby this is not. But it is full blooded and the Wallabies are hanging tough.
58 mins: Australia have again controlled large passages of this half, even with 14 men. But so often skill errors or discipline comes back to bite them, and it does so again when Jorgensen fails to angle his 50-22 effort and the ball goes dead.
57 mins: Valetini, on as a finisher, helps the Wallabies with some solid phase play near halfway. Gordon goes for the garryowen – and it’s perfectly weighted for the charging Sua’ali’i to contest – but J Barrett wins the aerial contest superbly and marks. The clearing kick doesn’t find touch, not for the first time for New Zealand.
55 mins: Off the lineout the All Blacks gain metres from right to left and seem poised for one almighty shove into the left corner but Williams concedes a daft penalty for tackling an Australian off the ball. He’s then marched ten metres for backchat.
It is absolutely hosing it down now in Perth.
53 mins: Roigard marshals his forwards through a series of drives down the middle of the park then invites McKenzie to go to the sky. It’s a menacing bomb that Australia can’t secure in the marking contest. Gordon eventually gets his hands on it and tries to dash down the left but he’s isolated, nailed by Savea in the tackle, and holds on too long on the ground. The All Blacks kick to attacking 22 on the right.
51 mins: Australia come back again and earn an offside penalty against the onrushing New Zealand defence. The kick to the right corner is deep, the lineout is secured, but then the passing off the back misses the mark and the All Blacks can intercept and hack miles downfield for yet another crucial change of momentum! That was ambitious attacking play from the Wallabies, especially in these conditions, but its failure is the latest in a long list of missed opportunities in clinch moments.
49 mins: Australia run the dropout back with intent. Tupou hits the line hard, Gordon is busy, then Edmed kicks harmlessly for New Zealand to mark uncontested and clear. That golden 10 jersey has been an issue for years for the Wallabies and Edmed is not making a strong claim to be the solution.
47 mins: New Zealand fail to take immediate advantage, coughing up possession then conceding a penalty. Australia kick to the 22 on the right, win their throw, then get into phase play from right to left. As play reaches the left centre momentum evaporates with a mass of bodies committed to the contest. It looks like a turnover is imminent but instead it’s a penalty Australia – that Gordon taps and goes in a flash – to send the All Blacks spinning on their heels. Play gets recycled to the left wing, the ball gets toed ahead, but Parker is on hand to dab down for the dropout.
ShareYellow Card! Australia (Ikitau, 46)
A second yellow card of the night for the Wallabies. As the All Blacks ran their flat line pattern Tupaea ran into Ikitau and the pair clashed heads. Responsibility was on the defender to execute the tackle, he failed to do so, so he has to spend ten minutes in the bin. No malice about it, but it was awkward.
46 mins: The All Blacks win the lineout and attack from left to right. It’s flat and energetic but lacking precision.
New Zealand’s Leicester Fainga’anuku attempts to fend off the Wallabies. Photograph: Gary Day/APShare
Updated at 07.18 EDT
45 mins: And while there’s a pause in play, James Slipper is applauded from the field for the 151st and final time. He’s been good tonight. There’s still a Test player there, no doubt.
44 mins: Australia secure lineout ball and Gordon clears for a superb touch finder in the rain.
42 mins: Not the first poor lineout throw of the night from Australia on halfway. New Zealand attack down the left but are happy to kick for territory under duress. Australia don’t want the wet ball either so they kick for Carter to run back at them. Play then gets bunged up in midfield with both sides conceding turnovers until Carter is isolated on the right wing and does brilliantly to keep the ball alive.
The All Blacks return infield and get into some phase play before Roigard spots a gap behind the Wallaby defence and nails a 50-22 with his left boot – but it’s not awarded because the No 9 stepped back into his own half.
41 mins: We’re back in action in Perth with floodlights now taking full effect.
Enjoy Jordie Barrett’s headed assist in all its glory.
Will Skelton has failed his HIA. That’s a long way to travel for just 15 minutes of rugby. Huge loss for the Wallabies.
The enigma that is the Wallabies continues to mystify. For most of that 40 minutes (even the ten with 14 men) Australia controlled the game, yet they trail by eight points – and even that flatters them thanks to McKenzie’s wayward kicking for goal.
Jorgensen has been dynamic from fullback, the pack has held its own in open play, and Edmed has kicked truly for three penalties. But crucial moments continue to go against them.
Tupaea’s double before half-time began with a stolen lineout on New Zealand’s 22, the same part of the field a wonky throw cost the Wallabies earlier in the half. Edmed dropped a simple pass from Gordon with a promising attack mounting. And most significantly of all, after 14 minutes a wonderful multiphase passage of attacking rugby involving both forwards and backs was called back for Hooper’s yellow card clearout.
Updated at 07.02 EDT
Half-time: Australia 9-17 New Zealand
In what has become a familiar pattern, the Wallabies trail at the interval. Three tries leads three penalties as the All Blacks gain the ascendancy in the battle to compete with South Africa for the Rugby Championship.
Leicester Fainga’anuku of the All Blacks runs the ball. Photograph: Janelle St Pierre/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 07.28 EDT
39 mins: Jorgensen is again offered first phase attacking ball and he darts down the left. The Wallabies establish themselves on the front foot through Slipper… then Edmed drops a dolly at mid-on and the air escapes through the Optus Stadium crater.
38 mins: Australia have been the better side for most of the half but the All Blacks have three tries, and in the space of a couple of minutes Tupaea has blown open this contest.
ShareTRY! Australia 9-17 New Zealand (Tupaea, 35)
Tupaea has two in two minutes! From behind their scrum the All Blacks rumble downfield, earn a penalty advantage, Jordan engineers the space then the centre takes over, fending off a Wallaby one-on-one in the line and then taking a couple of gold jerseys over with him for good measure. That was dominant individual rugby.
McKenzie strikes the post! Three awful kicks for goal from the All Blacks so far.
Updated at 06.57 EDT
TRY! Australia 9-12 New Zealand (Tupaea, 33)
New Zealand celebrate a try… but is it? From an Australian lineout in New Zealand territory the ball is pilfered and the All Blacks send it through hands from right to left. J Barrett chips ahead for the second time, into space, drawing Jorgensen forward. What happens next? There’s a collision, a ricochet, the Wallaby fullback slides, the All Black centre dives, the ball comes loose and Tupaea is quickest to it. He gathers and dives over for what could be five points.
What does the TMO say? They slow down the collision between Barrett and Jorgensen – and they reveal the ball rebounding off Barrett’s head! No knock-on, no infringement, New Zealand try! That is an extraordinary try assist.
McKenzie with his second poor miss of the night.
Quinn Tupaea and the All Blacks celebrate his try. Photograph: Janelle St Pierre/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 06.50 EDT
32 mins: Just inside attacking territory the All Blacks win their scrum feed and peel off to the right. Fainga’anuku and S Barrett hit the line hard, but the gold wall stands firm, and despite the best efforts of Roigard to keep New Zealand moving, McReight is first to the breakdown and wins a decisive turnover penalty.
30 mins: New Zealand win penalty advantage on their own scrum feed on defensive 22. Lakai shears off the back and leads the charge towards halfway. Thereafter things get a bit messy with Barrett chipping and chasing dangerously, but failing to gather, before a couple of Wallabies conspire for an accidental offside among the ricochets.
28 mins: Australia kick over halfway and secure clean lineout ball. After a couple of steadying phases Edmed floats an ambitious – but poor – pass out wide to Potter. The winger has to kick almost immediately or risk carrying into touch, but his toe ahead is too strong and bounces dead.
26 mins: Australia earn a free-kick off their own scrum feed on defensive 22. A wicked garryowen causes mayhem in the air on halfway but it comes down in All Black hands. They go for their own up-and-under that Daugunu defuses expertly, setting up some phase play that goes nowhere and ends with Jordan penalised at the breakdown.
Filipo Daugunu tackles Codie Taylor. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAPShare
Updated at 06.39 EDT
24 mins: Australia win the scrum on their own 22 and Jorgensen sets off on yet another exhilarating dash. He almost pierces the line but Tupaea lays a superb tackle, then earns a penalty for the Australian not releasing. New Zealand kick to touch deep on the left, but then fluff their lines at the lineout, for the second time tonight. The ball is slippery in wet conditions.