The All Blacks beat Australia in Melbourne on Saturday to claim their third straight Rugby Championship title and retained the Bledisloe Cup trophy.
Leading 19-7 at half time, New Zealand scored six tries in a convincing 38-7 victory against the Wallabies, who lost winger Marika Koroibete and prop Angus Bell to yellow cards either side of the break.
Flanker Shannon Frizell, hooker Cody Taylor and winger Will Jordan crossed the whitewash in the opening 40 minutes for the Kiwis, before outside backs Caleb Clarke, Mark Telea and Rieko Ioane dotted down to add the cherry on the cake at the MCG.
All Blacks flyhalf Richie Mo’unga kicked eight points, while a converted Rob Valetini try was all the Aussies had to show for their efforts, with head coach Eddie Jones still winless since taking charge again.
The All Blacks made a blistering start with a try after only three minutes. Australia executed a perfect lineout and fed the ball to Tate McDermott on his own tryline, but a crunching tackle by Scott Barrett flattened the scrumhalf and the ball spilled to Frizell.
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Mo’unga missed the conversion and the Wallabies immediately hit back when winger Mark Nawaqanitawase galloped into space and after a series of drives Valetini grounded the ball.
Unperturbed, New Zealand regrouped and began applying pressure which led to a penalty five yards out. Telea took a quick tap and dived under the posts, but the try was overturned with the winger’s boot not making contact with the ball to constitute a resumption of play.
In the melee, Koroibete was carded for the deliberate offside that led to the drama.
With Australia a man down, the All Blacks raised a level and a driving maul saw Taylor flop over before Jordan bagged his 23rd try in as many Tests, finishing a multi-phase move in the corner.
Australia were livelier as the second half began after Jones made six substitutions.
But poor discipline again came to the fore with Bell sin-binned and New Zealand taking full advantage with tries from Clarke, Telea and Ioane in quick succession as the Wallabies were forced into damage limitation.
Has the ‘G ever seen something quite like this?#BledisloeCup pic.twitter.com/fkT5OgTO88
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) July 29, 2023
Photo: William West/AFP