![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/image-80.png\")
<\/p>\nHappy Monday, G&GRs. Well, that was a lot of rugby to watch. Some of it good, some of it bad. Some of it excruciating! Let\u2019s break down these games and take a gander at what happened. So, pour a mellow cup of liquid gold\u2615 and get that into you while we wander into the mad, mad, mad world of Brisney.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
New Zealand 43 defeated Australia 21<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/image-83.png\")
<\/p>\n
All Blacks put the boot into the Wallabies as Bledisloe sweep leaves Australia seeing double! \u2013 Well, that was a thoroughly unpleasant evening for anyone wearing gold. The All Blacks have completed a clean sweep of the Bledisloe Cup, sending the Wallabies packing with a 43-21 victory in Sydney after delivering a first-half masterclass that left the home side chasing shadows, mistakes and, eventually, a mountain that even Everest would consider a bit much.<\/p>\n
Thirty-six first-half points told the story. The Wallabies had their moments early, with Max Jorgensen and Fraser McReight finding opportunities to make inroads, but the Kiwis had all the answers. And when Australia started handing out possession like samples at Costco at the breakdown, the men in black were more than happy to take the freebies. For all the promise of the opening exchanges, the Wallabies were soon reminded that against New Zealand, a couple of half-breaks and some enthusiastic running around aren\u2019t going to cut the mustard. The All Blacks were ruthless, clinical and utterly unforgiving.<\/p>\n
The black wave crashes over the Wallabies \u2013 The opening blow came courtesy of Josh Moorby, who finished off after Codie Taylor had made another damaging break. It was the sort of simple, effective rugby that makes coaches smile and opposition supporters reach for something stronger than a cup of tea.
Australia had their chance to respond, winning the restart and marching towards their five-metre attacking maul. Unfortunately, the ball went loose, and the opportunity disappeared faster than a Queenslander spotting an empty XXXX Gold esky. And that, dear readers, was when things started going pear-shaped.<\/p>\n
Peter Lakai, who would ultimately take home Player of the Match honours, burst through the Australian defence before Beauden Barrett crossed for a try. Lakai then got one of his own, and Rieko Ioane joined the party as the All Blacks surged to a 22-0 lead in what felt like approximately the time it takes to boil the kettle. The Wallabies were in danger of being completely blown off their own stage.<\/p>\n
Jeremy Williams finally gave the home crowd something to cheer about, gathering an offload from Declan Meredith to get Australia on the scoreboard. Meredith was one of the Wallabies\u2019 brighter performers, showing the sort of initiative that suggested there was still some life in the gold jersey.
But just as Australia appeared to be finding a foothold, Williams found himself spending ten minutes in the naughty chair after a cynical infringement.<\/p>\n
Against most sides, losing a forward for ten minutes is an inconvenience. Against the All Blacks, it\u2019s an invitation to rearrange the furniture. Wallace Sititi duly took advantage, while Barrett intercepted an Australian pass to score his second and put another layer of black icing on an increasingly ugly cake.
At 36-7 heading into the sheds, the Wallabies needed a miracle, a tactical revolution and possibly a direct line to the rugby gods. Instead, they got another All Blacks try.<\/p>\n
Moorby doubles up as the comeback stalls \u2013 The second half had barely begun when Moorby crossed for his second try, extending the margin and leaving the Wallabies with a 43-point mountain to climb.
At that point, the contest was less about winning and more about avoiding a scoreline that would have required a calculator and a stiff drink to process.<\/p>\n
Tom Wright did his best to stop the bleeding (well, at least trying to make up for a number of his stuff-ups), finishing after a terrific burst from Jorgensen. The Wallabies began to show more urgency, and there were patches of play that hinted at what might have been had they brought that same energy to the opening 40 minutes. But the damage was done.<\/p>\n
Meredith nearly produced a moment of individual brilliance, backing up some excellent work from the forwards and threatening to run the length of the field. Only a desperate intervention from Cam Roigard, who somehow managed to stop the ball from being grounded with his boot, prevented the Wallabies from adding another try. The Australians believed Roigard had illegally kicked the ball from Meredith\u2019s hands, but the TMO reviewed the foul-play referral and cleared the All Blacks halfback. No penalty, no try, and another opportunity gone begging.<\/p>\n
Jorgensen then produced a classy double chip-and-chase that had the crowd interested, but the All Blacks recovered possession and marched back upfield. It was another reminder that while the Wallabies could create moments of excitement, turning those moments into sustained pressure remained a work in progress. Eventually, Australia found their way over again after moving the ball the length of the field. Wright and Meredith combined beautifully to bring Filipo Daugunu into the action, with the winger backing up to finish the movement. It was a well-worked try and a deserved reward for a more spirited second-half effort. Unfortunately, spirited efforts don\u2019t erase 36 points conceded before half-time.<\/p>\n
A late surge, but the Bledisloe belongs to New Zealand \u2013 The closing stages offered the Wallabies a little more encouragement when the All Blacks were reduced to 14 men after Chay Fihaki received a yellow card and New Zealand ran out of replacements. The numerical advantage lifted the home side, who pushed hard in search of further points, but the All Blacks had already done the heavy lifting.
They had scored freely, punished Australian errors and built a lead that left little room for a comeback.
For the Wallabies, the 43-21 defeat will sting. <\/p>\n
There were flashes of promise, particularly through Jorgensen, Meredith and Wright, but the gulf in execution during the first half was simply too large to overcome. New Zealand, meanwhile, leave Sydney with the Bledisloe Cup sweep secured and another reminder delivered to Australian rugby that talent alone won\u2019t win trans-Tasman contests. The Wallabies can point to their improved second-half effort, and there were certainly signs of attacking life. But until they learn to turn early opportunities into points, protect possession and stop gifting the All Blacks easy entries into the game, these contests will continue to follow a depressingly familiar script.<\/p>\n
The Bledisloe remains across the ditch, the All Blacks have completed the job, and Australian rugby is left with a familiar question: how do we turn promising passages into 80 minutes of competitive rugby?
Because giving New Zealand a 29-point head start is not a strategy. It\u2019s an invitation.<\/p>\n
Three things we learned from this game<\/p>\n
You cannot afford to spot the All Blacks 36 points \u2013 The Wallabies showed enough attacking promise to suggest they could trouble New Zealand, but all that good work was undone by a disastrous first half. Missed opportunities, loose possession, dumb passes and defensive lapses allowed the All Blacks to score at will. You simply cannot give a side this clinical that much room to operate and expect to stroll back into the contest after half-time. By the time Australia found its rhythm, the scoreboard had already packed its bags, put on its jandals, and headed down to the dairy with their chilli-bins to buy some L&P.<\/p>\n
Declan Meredith and Max Jorgensen offer genuine attacking spark \u2013 There were positives among the wreckage. Jorgensen\u2019s ability to threaten the defensive line and create opportunities was evident, while Meredith showed initiative, sharp hands and the confidence to take the game to New Zealand. Their combination helped produce some of Australia\u2019s better attacking moments, including the build-up to Daugunu\u2019s try. The challenge now is ensuring that these flashes of creativity become part of a consistent attacking performance rather than highlights in an otherwise difficult evening.<\/p>\n
The Bledisloe gap is about execution as much as talent \u2013 Australia can produce exciting players and dangerous attacking movements, but New Zealand demonstrated the importance of converting opportunities, maintaining discipline and punishing mistakes. The All Blacks were ruthless when the Wallabies coughed up possession, while Australia\u2019s own chances too often ended without points. The second half showed that the Wallabies could compete for periods, but the first half showed just how expensive a lack of precision can be.<\/p>\n
The Bledisloe Cup sweep is complete, and the All Blacks have once again made themselves comfortable at the top of the trans-Tasman pecking order. For the Wallabies, the next step is obvious: fewer gifts, better discipline and a full 80-minute performance. Because until that happens, the Bledisloe is going nowhere.<\/p>\n
Wallaroos 56 defeated Scotland 12<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/image-85-619x348.png\")
<\/p>\n
Wallaroos have a whale of a time in the sun as Scotland cop a 56-point shellacking! \u2013 Sydney turned on the sunshine, the Wallaroos turned on the tries, and Scotland turned up with a disciplinary record that would have a school principal reaching for the detention book. The result? A thumping 56-12 victory for the women in gold at Accor Stadium, kicking off Saturday\u2019s historic quadruple header in thoroughly entertaining fashion.<\/p>\n
Coming off their 30-10 victory in Edinburgh last month, the Wallaroos were looking to make another statement as they prepare for the transition to full professionalism at the end of the year. If this was a job interview for the future of Australian women\u2019s rugby, they arrived in their Sunday best and proceeded to put their feet on the furniture. There were eight tries, some cracking individual efforts, and enough Scottish ill-discipline to keep the referee\u2019s whistle working overtime. For the Wallaroos, it was a performance that had plenty to like, with a few reminders that there\u2019s still work to do before the champagne gets put on ice.<\/p>\n
A Scottish start before the gold rush \u2013 Scotland came to Sydney with ambitions of their own, and they wasted little time showing the Wallaroos they weren\u2019t there simply to admire the harbour views.
Inside four minutes, Katie Buchanan sliced through the Australian cover defence, stepping past Waiaria Ellis to cross for the opening try. The visitors had landed the first punch, and suddenly the women in gold had a little catching up to do.<\/p>\n
But if Scotland thought they\u2019d caught Australia napping, they were about to discover that waking a Wallaroo can be a rather unpleasant experience. Once the Australians settled into their work, they began to use their forward power to punch holes in the Scottish defensive line. With the visitors sucked in around the ruck, the Wallaroos found the space out wide that makes any decent backline start licking its lips.
Brittany Merlo was the first to cash in, crossing for Australia\u2019s opening try, with Samantha Wood adding the extras to give the hosts the lead.<\/p>\n
Scotland tried to hit back by spreading the ball, but their discipline was about as reliable as a wet paper bag. Six penalties inside the opening 20 minutes left the visitors constantly under pressure, and the Wallaroos were more than happy to accept the invitation. In the 21st minute, the ball went wide to Maya Stewart, who crossed for Australia\u2019s second try. The Scottish penalty count continued to climb, and Meryl Smith was sent to the sin bin as the visitors were reduced to 14 players.<\/p>\n
Now, giving the Wallaroos an overlap is a bit like leaving the fridge door open at a Queensland barbecue. Someone\u2019s going to help themselves. Desiree Miller duly obliged, finding her way over the line almost immediately after the yellow card. Scotland were suddenly chasing shadows, and the numerical disadvantage was beginning to hurt. Four minutes later, Amelia Whitaker produced a superb individual effort to score her first try in gold, completing a clean sweep of the Australian back three getting on the scoresheet.<\/p>\n
Waiaria Ellis then joined the party three minutes later, and Scotland were left wondering whether they\u2019d accidentally booked a ticket to a try-scoring exhibition. At the break, Australia led 35-5. The Wallaroos had scored five tries, the Scots had spent too much time arguing with the referee through their actions, and the contest was threatening to become a very long afternoon for the visitors.<\/p>\n
No mercy after the oranges \u2013 If Scotland were hoping for a stirring halftime revival, the Wallaroos had other ideas. Just two minutes after the restart, a scrum on the Scottish five-metre line gave Australia the perfect platform. Miller powered over for her second try, and the Wallaroos were marching towards the half-century with the sort of confidence normally reserved for a Queenslander spotting a sunny weekend forecast.<\/p>\n
Scotland did manage to get some territory after an Australian holding-on penalty, and this time the visitors made it count. Captain Rachel Malcolm took the direct route, barging over from close range in the 46th minute to give Scotland their second try. It was a reminder that the Scots still had some fight in them, even if their discipline had spent most of the afternoon on holiday. <\/p>\n
The match settled into something resembling an arm wrestle. Scotland enjoyed more time in Australian territory, but small errors kept letting them down, while the Wallaroos remained dangerous whenever they found room to move. And then Whitaker decided that one try simply wasn\u2019t enough. In the 65th minute, the Australian fullback produced an absolute pearler from deep, tearing through the Scottish defence in a long-range individual effort that had try-of-the-year nominations written all over it.<\/p>\n
It was the sort of run that leaves defenders checking their boots for missing studs and wondering whether they\u2019ve accidentally taken the wrong turn at the airport. Australia were closing in on 50, and Scotland were running out of answers. The final ten minutes brought another Scottish disciplinary lapse, with Eva Donaldson sent to the sin bin for a high shot on Eva Karpani. The Wallaroos headed to the corner, looking to finish the afternoon with one final flourish.<\/p>\n
And finish they did. With just 20 seconds remaining, Karpani carried several Scottish defenders over the line to score Australia\u2019s eighth and final try. It was a fitting end to a dominant performance, with the Wallaroos finally cracking the half-century and sending the Sydney crowd home with plenty to cheer about. The final score read Wallaroos 56, Scotland 12.<\/p>\n
Two wins over Scotland in as many meetings, a truckload of tries, and another sizeable step towards the next chapter of Australian women\u2019s rugby. Full professionalism is looming, and performances like this will only build the excitement.<\/p>\n
Of course, there will be tougher examinations ahead. Scotland\u2019s ill-discipline made life easier for the hosts, and the Wallaroos will know that better sides will punish any lapses in execution. But on a sunny Sydney afternoon, the women in gold were clinical, creative and powerful when it mattered. Not a bad way to open a historic day of rugby.<\/p>\n
Three things we learned from this game<\/p>\n
The Wallaroos have some serious attacking weapons \u2013 Eight tries don\u2019t happen by accident. From Merlo\u2019s early finish to Stewart\u2019s work out wide, Miller\u2019s double and Whitaker\u2019s long-range brilliance, Australia showed they can hurt teams through the middle and out in space. The back three, in particular, demonstrated just how dangerous they can be when given room to operate.<\/p>\n
Scotland\u2019s discipline needs urgent attention \u2013 Six penalties inside the opening 20 minutes set the tone for a difficult afternoon, and Smith\u2019s yellow card allowed Australia to pile on the pressure. Donaldson\u2019s late sin-binning only added to the frustration. Against a team as willing to attack space as Australia, giving away penalties and playing with 14 women is a recipe for a very long day at the office.<\/p>\n
The road to professionalism is looking promising \u2013 The Wallaroos are building momentum at precisely the right time, backing up their Edinburgh win with an even more emphatic performance in Sydney. There is still plenty to refine, particularly when it comes to maintaining control under pressure, but the attacking intent, finishing ability and depth of contributors offer genuine encouragement as full professionalism approaches.<\/p>\n
The message from Sydney was simple: the Wallaroos are growing in confidence, the tries are flowing, and Australian women\u2019s rugby has plenty to look forward to. Now, if they can bottle some of that sunshine and take it into the next challenge, things could get very interesting indeed.<\/p>\n
Rugby Sevens<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/image-87.png\")
<\/p>\n
Sevens split the spoils as Aussie women take the series, while Fiji and the men leave it all square!<\/p>\n
Sydney served up a cracking weekend of rugby sevens, with the Australian women getting the job done against the Black Ferns Sevens before the men and Fiji decided that neither side deserved to go home with bragging rights.<\/p>\n
The women took two of three matches against New Zealand, while the men\u2019s series against Fiji finished with a win apiece and a draw after the Fijians snatched a late leveller in Saturday\u2019s finale. Plenty of pace, plenty of tries, and enough late drama to remind everyone that in sevens, seven minutes of madness can undo an awful lot of hard work.<\/p>\n
Saturday, October 17<\/p>\n
Australia Women 12 \u2013 21 New Zealand Women (Game Three) \u2013 The Black Ferns Sevens finished the series on a high, defeating Australia 21-12 in the third and final match in Sydney. Jorja Miller got the visitors moving early, and New Zealand made sure the Aussies would have plenty to think about at the break, with Felix Hotham extending the advantage to give the Kiwis a two-try cushion at half-time.<\/p>\n
New Zealand then landed another blow after the restart, taking the match away from Australia and leaving the home side with a mountain to climb. Maddison Levi did her best to make things interesting, crossing twice to give the scoreboard a slightly more respectable appearance, but the damage had already been done. The Australians may have lost the final instalment, but with two wins from three, the series honours stayed on home soil.<\/p>\n
Australia Men 19 \u2013 19 Fiji Men (Game Three)<\/p>\n
Just when Australia thought they had done enough to finish the series with another win, Fiji decided to remind everyone why you should never count out the men from the Pacific. The sides finished locked at 19-all in a thriller, with the Australians seemingly having done enough after a second-half fightback.<\/p>\n
Tries by Tylan Berryman and Maurice Longbottom helped Australia hit the front, putting the home side in a position to close out the contest. But Fiji had other ideas. With just five seconds remaining, the Fijians struck to level the scores, leaving the Australians staring at a draw when victory had looked so close. There was no extra time to settle the argument, meaning the match finished all square.<\/p>\n
Fiji had already shown in the opening game that they could frustrate Australia, and this late strike was another reminder that against these blokes, the full-time whistle cannot come quickly enough.<\/p>\n
Friday, October 16<\/p>\n
Australia Men 24 \u2013 14 Fiji Men (Game Two) \u2013 Australia responded to their opening defeat in style, producing a 24-14 victory over Fiji to level the men\u2019s series and set up Saturday\u2019s decider. Bailey Roberts-Lintmeijer did the early damage, helping the Aussies establish a half-time advantage and putting the pressure back on the Fijians. Maurice Longbottom then took charge of the finishing duties, crossing for a double to help Australia secure a valuable ten-point win.<\/p>\n
After being held scoreless in the opening match, the Australians had found their attacking rhythm and showed they could match Fiji\u2019s physicality with some clinical finishing of their own. The win brought the series back to level pegging, setting the stage for a decisive third encounter. Well, decisive might have been asking a bit much, as it turned out.<\/p>\n
Australia Women 36 \u2013 26 New Zealand Women (Game Two)<\/p>\n
The Australian women produced an attacking display to remember, defeating New Zealand 36-26 and taking their second win of the series. Maddison Levi was once again the headline act, opening the scoring inside 15 seconds before completing a first-half hat-trick. When Levi gets a sniff of space, opposition defenders tend to discover that turning and chasing is an excellent way to improve their cardiovascular fitness, if not their chances of stopping a try.<\/p>\n
Australia kept the pressure on after the break, capitalising on a yellow card to score twice and build a lead that proved too much for the Kiwis to overcome. New Zealand managed to put points on the board, but the Australians had enough firepower to keep the visitors at arm\u2019s length. The 36-26 victory secured Australia\u2019s second win in as many matches and guaranteed the home side would take the series, regardless of the result in the final game.<\/p>\n
Australia Men 0 \u2013 10 Fiji Men (Game One)<\/p>\n
Fiji opened the men\u2019s series with a 10-0 victory, producing the sort of disciplined, physical performance that has made them such a dangerous proposition in the shortened format. The Fijians struck early in each half, giving Australia little opportunity to settle into the contest. Possession largely belonged to Fiji throughout the 14-minute battle, with the visitors controlling the tempo and forcing the Australians to spend long periods defending.<\/p>\n
Australia pushed hard for a late try, but the Fijian defensive wall refused to budge. The Aussies were left scoreless, with Fiji\u2019s combination of possession, power and defensive commitment proving enough to secure the opening win. It was a timely reminder for Australia that you cannot win a sevens match if you spend most of it chasing blokes who already have the ball.<\/p>\n
Australia Women 24 \u2013 19 New Zealand Women (Game One)<\/p>\n
The Australian women got the weekend off to a flying start, edging New Zealand 24-19 in a tight opening contest. Maddison Levi crossed twice to keep Australia in the hunt, while Jorja Miller was a constant menace for the Kiwis, contributing to three try-scoring moments as New Zealand looked to take control. Australia stayed in touch before Mackenzie Davis put the home side in front during the second half.<\/p>\n
The Kiwis responded to level the scores, setting up a tense finish with the match hanging in the balance. Enter Kaitlin Shave. Shave crossed in the final minute to deliver the decisive blow, giving Australia the lead when it mattered most. New Zealand launched a desperate search for a late winner, but the Australians held firm to protect their advantage and claim the opening victory. It was a gutsy finish from the home side, who showed plenty of composure when the pressure was on.<\/p>\n
Three things we learned from the Sydney series<\/p>\n
Maddison Levi remains Australia\u2019s ultimate attacking weapon \u2013 Levi was a nightmare for New Zealand across the women\u2019s series. Her hat-trick in Game Two, double in the final match and brace in the opener underlined just how devastating she can be when given room to run. Australia\u2019s attack looks a whole lot healthier when Levi is getting quality ball and space to work with.<\/p>\n
The Australian women have the edge, but the Kiwis are never far away \u2013 Two wins from three secured the series for Australia, but New Zealand\u2019s 21-12 victory in the finale showed there is still plenty of work to do. The rivalry remains fiercely competitive, and the Black Ferns Sevens will take plenty from their final-match performance.<\/p>\n
Against Fiji, the game isn\u2019t over until the game is over \u2013 Australia\u2019s men recovered from a 10-0 opening defeat to win Game Two, only for Fiji to snatch a draw with five seconds left in the decider. The lesson is simple: against a side with Fiji\u2019s speed, skill and ability to create something from nothing, switching off for even a moment can be fatal. The men finished the weekend with honours even, while the women claimed the series spoils. Sydney delivered its fair share of entertainment, and both Australian sides will have plenty to take away as they continue their sevens campaigns.<\/p>\n
Well GAGRs! I don\u2019t think it is humanly possible to watch any more rugby. Well, not at least without ending up divorced. So over to you lot! Have at it!<\/p>\n
Stay in the loop with G&GR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Happy Monday, G&GRs. Well, that was a lot of rugby to watch. Some of it good, some of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":932836,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[64,63,44,228,760,304615,85,2500],"class_list":["post-932835","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-news","tag-review","tag-rugby","tag-slide","tag-sports","tag-wallabies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/932835","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=932835"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/932835\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/932836"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=932835"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=932835"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=932835"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}