All Blacks sweep Bledisloe series

New Zealand has swept the three-match Bledisloe Cup series, defeating Australia 34-27 at Eden Park in Auckland this evening.

The All Blacks (17 points) have also claimed their seventh Tri-Nations crown today, moving ahead of Australia (11) by six points, while South Africa struggle in last place with only one-point from three games.

Both teams finished with three tries each, penalty goals proved to be the scoring difference.

Wallaby winger Lote Tuqiri finished with another double-try effort, while several TV replays finally convinced the South African video referee to award a try on the stroke of half time to flanker Rocky Elsom.

Australia took an early stranglehold of the match and went ahead through a penalty from centre Stirling Mortlock. New Zealand hit back minutes later with Daniel Carter calmly slotting through his first of five successful attempts.

The battle between the traditional rugby rivals developed into an arm wrestle as neither team could break the opposing line. The Wallabies snuck ahead 6-3 with Mortlock on target again, while Carter brought his team back to level pegging at 6-6.

After 25 minutes, Tuqiri took advantage of a one-man overlap, intercepting Jerry Collins’ pass with Carl Hayman down behind play. Mortlock made no mistake with the conversion as the Wallabies took a seven-point lead.

Such is New Zealand they responded almost immediately. Greg Somerville replaced injured Hayman, while lock Jason Eaton dived over with the aid of the driving forward pack maul.

Elsom’s try on half time stretched the Wallabies lead to nine points (20-11). The All Black faithful were stunned as a 20-match winning streak on home soil was finally under pressure.

However, in true Kiwi spirit they responded after the break. Two penalty goals from Carter restored hope all was not lost in New Zealand, who trailed 20-17 some 15 minutes into the half.

After Piri Weepu went agonisingly close before losing the ball on the line, All Black replacement lock Ali Williams gathered the misguided clearance from Wallaby replacement winger Mark Gerrard.

The All Blacks scored moments later when Williams and Joe Rokocoko combined for the hit-ups before offloading to Mils Muliaina and finally Chris Jack who crossed the try line.

New Zealand had grabbed the lead for the first time in the match, and they were not about to surrender it either.

Luke McAlister put a buffer between the teams when he received the offload from Carter after the heavy hit on Wallaby flyhalf Stephen Larkham.

Tuqiri bagged his second when a neatly timed grubber kick put him through into free space, however he faces a nervous wait with a possible visit to the tribunal after a spear tackle on All Black skipper Richie McCaw.

Australia was back in the game and trailed 31-27 after Mortlock’s conversion, however a late infringement and subsequent sin-bin of Phil Waugh ended all hope for the visitors as Carter slotted his fifth penalty goal.

Next match, both teams head off to South Africa to complete the formalities. New Zealand plays the Springboks twice in the next fortnight, while Australia tackle the South Africans on Saturday September 9.

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