Rugby Championship: Australia succumbs to New Zealand 33-13
Caleb Clarke, the winger for New Zealand, was instrumental with two tries in their 33-13 victory over Australia on Saturday. The win sealed their third in the Rugby Championship and concluded their six-year winless streak in Wellington.
New Zealand’s backline trio, Sevu Reece, Will Jordan, and Clarke, each scored tries in the opening half. Following the interval, prop Tamaiti Williams contributed before Clarke landed his second in the closing quarter.
Despite previous defeats to South Africa and Argentina, denying them a 21st Rugby Championship triumph, the All Blacks relished the opportunity to salute former skipper Sam Cane in his centenary Test.
This victory marked the end of their losing streak in Wellington, with their previous Test win in the capital dating back to 2018.
All Blacks Captain, Scott Barrett, expressed his satisfaction with the result. “We kicked off poorly, but I am delighted with our finish. Our defence showed resilience, and we managed to keep the Australians at bay…And a shout out to Sammy – a hefty hundred matches. Each time, he put his heart and soul onto the pitch, and I’m immensely proud of him,” he stated.
The Wallabies delivered commendable performance in the first half, with a try from Fraser McReight and two penalties from Noah Lolesio. Yet despite their efforts, they concluded the tournament with just one win in six games.
Australia’s captain, Harry Wilson, expressed his disappointment, “We began the match quite well, but our possession waned in the second half. We had opportunities to score, but we failed to do so.”
Following Australia’s loss to the All Blacks in Sydney the previous week, with an early concession of three tries, head coach Joe Schmidt was hoping for an improved start this time, but it was not to be.
Scrumhalf Jake Gordon from New Zealand had an unfortunate fumble while within striking distance from the line following a well-executed scrum manoeuvre; however, flanker McReight did not disappoint, scoring the first try after eight minutes of relentless pressure on the Wallabies. Despite being mid-field from a turnover ball, Wallace Sititi, playing blindside, stormed back a few minutes later, giving Anton Lienert-Brown the chance to pass to Reece, resulting in an exemplary score for the All Blacks.
Australia’s Lolesio gave the Wallabies hope, taking the lead with a penalty taking the score to 10-7 at the 19-minute mark. However, this lead was brief, with Jordan showing his skills once more by manoeuvring through the defenders and landing his 35th Test try in his 36th international game. Australia edged ahead 13-12 in the final minutes before half-time following another penalty from Lolesio. Still, New Zealand retaliated swiftly with Clarke landing a third try just as the whistle blew, adjusting his line to score directly under the posts.
The second half resumed with a score of 19-13 in favour of the All Blacks, a disheartening scoreline for the Wallabies, considering their solid performance. As the game advanced, both teams received a fair share of possession and penalties from the referee. Williams broke through the line in the 55th minute and Clarke followed suit, finalising a round of pressure with an impressive second score nine minutes later, marking a first for the All Blacks in the final quarter of the six Rugby Championship Tests played this year.
Despite the pressure, the Wallabies refused to back down, persistently hammering at the All Blacks line for most of the remaining game. Even when Clarke received a yellow card, the home team’s defence remained unrelenting, holding back the Wallabies until the end. Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024.