Leave it to the weather to get in the way of a good match. Neither side was able to get much purchase with ball in hand, and tries were nowhere to be seen. As such the kicking dual was the best we could hope for, and all we got.
It was a poor weekend for the Championship, and given the conditions there really shouldn’t be too much drawn from either contest. The All Blacks were of course favorites to extend their winning run and set a new record, but a draw is all they were afforded as they spent a quarter of the match down a man and took numerous penalties for various infringements.
Nearly all of those shorthanded minutes came in the second half, which aided Australia’s comeback after being down three penalty goals to one at the end of the first. The All Blacks defense had dominated the advantage line, halting just about all of the Wallaby advances and giving them all sorts of trouble at the breakdown.
Of course in doing so they had taken some liberties and tip-toed the line of legality on more than a few occasions, and in the end Jaco Peyper’s patience ran thin and Wyatt Crockett was sent to the bin. Michael Hooper’s decision to opt for the attacking scrum rather than taking the relatively easy points on offer was a big call, and surely the wrong one. Even with the All Black scrum down a man the conditions were not to be trifled with, and a three point gap would have been much preferrable to six.
The Wallabies failed to find the line, though they did eventually get a crack at the posts, but Kurtley Beale’s effort rang off the uprights and the All Blacks escaped to the break. Beale found his range early in the second half, an ideal start for Australia, but it was still New Zealand’s game to lose.
On attack and for all money sure to take more points, the All Blacks spilt the ball and a huge kick downfield put them in extreme danger, but it was the unlikely figure of Dane Coles who got back and saved the day, recovering the ball before stepping and giving it to Malakai Fekitoa in support. Aaron Cruden’s chip from his own end caught the Wallabies by surprise and New Zealand escaped, somehow on the front foot.
A baffling tactical change then turned out terribly for New Zealand. With Coles playing superbly, Steve Hansen opted to bring on Keven Mealamu in what appeared to be a pre-planned substitution. The veteran Aucklander’s first act was to throw short at the lineout, and he did little to justify his place on the field during the final quarter. While hooker is a known concern for Hansen, surely Mealamu’s days in the black jersey are numbered.
Beale and Cruden exchanged penalties as Ma’a Nonu trudged off with a shoulder injury, and then another curious exchange saw Cruden replaced by Beauden Barrett, surely another move decided before the match. On a dry day it might have been a godo move but Cruden was playing well and the game was still in the balance. Barrett was hardly on five minutes when he played the ball from a blatantly offside position and was dispatched whence he came.
Beale’s resultant penalty goal drew the match level, and was his last act of the game. It’s safe to say the rain didn’t suit him and it’s hard to say whether the gamble of picking him at no10 was justified. He’s probably done enough to get another shot.
As Beale was lining up his shot, Jerome Kaino was leaving the field with a bang to the elbow. While he wasn’t perfect, the big man put in some fearsome hits early on and if he and Nonu are out their losses will be keenly felt. It’s fair to say Nonu’s absence might be more of a problem with both Steven Luatua and Liam Messam options at no6, but those names don’t quite put the fear of God into opposing boots like Kaino does.
A draw was probably a reasonable result in the game. The All Blacks certainly had the ascendency in the first half, and the Wallabies the second, but for the most part the slate will be wiped clean heading into Auckland next week for Bledisloe II. Let’s hope the rain stays out of it this time.
AUSTRALIA 12 vs 12 NEW ZEALAND
Saturday, August 16, 10:05 GMT, Sydney
SCORING
04 mins – A. Cruden pen 0-3
12 mins – K. Beale pen 3-3
16 mins – A. Cruden pen 3-6
22 mins – A. Cruden pen 3-9
44 mins – K. Beale pen 6-9
56 mins – K. Beale pen 9-9
60 mins – A. Cruden pen 9-12
70 mins – K. Beale pen 12-12
CARDS
39 mins – W. Crockett yellow (professional foul)
69 mins – B. Barrett yellow (professional foul)
AUSTRALIA
I. Folau; P. McCabe, A. Ashley-Cooper, M. To’omua, R. Horne; K. Beale (B. Foley 71), N. White (N. Phipps 67); J. Slipper (P. Cowan 71), N. Charles, S. Kepu (B. Alexander 79); S. Carter, R. Simmons; S. Fardy (S. Higginbotham 67), M. Hooper (capt.), W. Palu (W. Skelton 71).
NEW ZEALAND
B. Smith; C. Jane, M. Fekitoa, M. Nonu (R. Crotty 57), J. Savea; A. Cruden (B. Barrett 64), A. Smith; W. Crockett (B. Franks 49), D. Coles (K. Mealamu 53), O. Franks (J. Moody 71); B. Retallick, S. Whitelock; J. Kaino (B. Franks 39-49) (S. Cane 69), R. McCaw (capt.), K. Read.
Referee: J. Peyper (SARU)
Assistants: R. Poite (FFR) & S. Berry (SARU)
TMO: S. Veldsman (SARU)
