The Wallabies’ Bledisloe drought has extended to 23 years following another loss at Eden Park to the All Blacks, but there was a lot the green and gold will and should be proud of.

It has been anything but a happy hunting ground for Australia – they haven’t won at Eden Park in 39 years – but with just minutes remaining the Wallabies seriously threatened to break the hoodoo.

They trailed 26-24 after a Carlo Tizzano try and had all of the momentum.

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However, when the Wallabies lost a man to the sin bin in the 73rd minute and the All Blacks crossed soon after, it thwarted any hope.

The Aussies showed plenty of guts, fighting back from an early 20-3 deficit. With the teams heading to the sheds after the first 40, it was anyone’s ball game at 20-17.

Discipline (14 penalties) and mental errors cost the Wallabies, who looked dangerous every time they had the ball, particularly when closing in on the All Blacks’ line, but then they’d make an error or give away a penalty.

Former All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams, commentating for Stan Sport, showered the Wallabies with high praise.

“From an attacking point of view, this is probably the best I’ve seen the Wallabies play in the last 3 or 4 years,” Williams said when interviewing Australia coach Joe Schmidt.

“I’m proud of the way we stayed in the fight … With 10 to go we were right in the fight,” Schmidt said in response.

“And after being 20-3 down again early on again it was on the back of a number of penalties.

“When we got our chances, we didn’t quite find touch with a couple of them, which are our access points but jeez, we put a couple of really good attacks together at the end to get within two points.

“We’ve got to keep building on those positives, the negatives.”

Once again the Wallabies fall just short at Eden Park, but the signs are promising.Source: Getty Images

Wallabies captain James Slipper was celebrating his 150th Test cap, which is the third highest of all-time.

Despite the loss, the Aussie skipper believes his side will take a lot out of it.

“We really wanted to prepare well for this game and represent those boys as well. And you know, to our credit, we did that tonight. We just probably didn’t get the rub of the green a bit,” Slipper said on Stan Sport.

“But yeah, the All Blacks were too good.”

Wallabies legend Morgan Turinui made some controversial comments in-game over the performance of referee Andrea Piardi.

Australia seemed to be on the wrong end of a couple of suspect calls which quelled momentum and gave the ball to the opposition.

After the Wallabies were pinged for not releasing, Turinui was scathing to say the least.

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – SEPTEMBER 27: New Zealand hold the Bledisloe Cup aloft after winning the The Rugby Championship & Bledisloe Cup match between New Zealand All Blacks and Australia Wallabies at Eden Park on September 27, 2025 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

“The Wallabies just need to take a breath. They’re in the fight, they’ve just got to be more accurate and not allow a referee that’s not up to this occasion, that’s been appointed by World Rugby in error to take them out of the game at the moment,” he said.

Schmidt was asked about his interpretation of some of the penalties that went against his team. While he admitted there was some confusion in the coaches box, ultimately, Australia needed to “adapt better”.

“It’s really hard because what we’ve perceived as inconsistencies and, that makes it difficult,” the Wallabies coach said.

“And then players are asking us questions and we get clarification afterwards.

“But I do think that we’ve just got to be better at adapting to how the referee is refereeing.

“And if you don’t do that, then you pay the price as we did today.”

While a Bledisloe opportunity slips away again for another year, the Wallabies are still well and truly in the hunt for the Rugby Championship.

Ahead of Sunday morning’s clash between South Africa and Argentina, the Wallabies are on 11 points, three behind New Zealand.

A win in Perth against the All Blacks next week could see the Wallabies clinch their first Rugby Championship title since 2015 given South Africa and Argentina split their series.