Eddie Jones has had a rocky start to his second reign as Australia head coach and remains without a win as the World Cup quickly approaches. Photo: AFP/Sanka Widanagama
A 79th-minute penalty goal from Ritchie Moungi doomed Eddie Jones to his fourth successive defeat as head coach of Australia after the Wallabies succumbed to a 14-point lead at halftime in the roof Dunedin.
Consistency throughout the entire World Cup – not to mention 80 minutes of the same game – seems beyond that green side, whatever Jones' tournament record and despite the relatively soft draw.
“This is not good, buddy; it's a bad feeling,” Jones said after the final whistle following a 23-20 loss. “We should have won this game. We've done enough to win this game, but we can't continue to do the simple things well.”
Australian players are falling on your knees as the New Zealand team celebrates the final whistle. Photo: AFP/Sanka Vidanagama
Thrilling and sharp at the start of this Bledisloe Cup dead rubber, the visitors should have been farther ahead. In an improved performance, although against the background of a significantly weakened New Zealand selection, they collected sparkling passages of attack. As Sam Kane, captain of the All Blacks, later acknowledged, Australia was “taking all the shots” early on. However, they couldn't resist yet another strong other half of their masters.
Desperate to capture momentum and build cohesion, Jones couldn't afford the luxury of mass rotation. Ian Foster did this by winning the Rugby Championship and the Bledisloe Cup the previous weekend and named a starting line-up that saw numerous changes.
All three Barrett brothers rested, but in the end it was familiar faces that made the difference. Ardie Savea and Sam Whitelock exuded authority, while Aaron Smith and Mounga came off the bench to guide New Zealand on a difficult day. Just as it was snatches at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia's potential was clear.
Tate McDermott's first free kick was saved by Mark Navakanitawase and the Wallabies did an impressive job. They distribute the ball accurately and at lightning speed, unloading the ball out of contact where possible and stretching New Zealand on both flanks.
Carter Gordon looked confident in his second Test match, starting in the half of the field, and Marika Koroibete squeezed through into the left corner after Samu Kerevi gave him a short pass as part of a sweeping movement. Angus Bell built his belligerent carry in Melbourne and the up-and-coming unraveled mainstay continued to hit the All Blacks with almost every touch. One bulldozer run started deep in his own territory.
New Zealand Samipeni Finau runs towards the defense of Australia. Photo: Photosport via AP/John Davidson. Koroibete went up to the first receiver to feed Tom Hooper. Hooper stopped last weekend. Here, having moved from open flank to blind flank to accommodate Fraser McRaith's rout, he swept through the bodies to score wide.
Gordon's second touchline pass gave the Wallabies a 14–0 lead with just eight minutes on the clock. New Zealand were lucky to keep up more by the break. Whitelock and Saveya teamed up to hold off Australia's running skipper McDermott when a third try looked imminent.
Damian McKenzie and Gordon traded penalties, but a lackluster New Zealand didn't deserve to be any closer than 17-3 behind . They spent the vast majority of the first period on the defensive, with any attacking platform broken by fumbles, penalties and set-piece problems.
It didn't take long for the situation to change. Leicester Faingaanuku stole its wing and swept through Australia before Sean Stevenson, the other side of New Zealand, made his debut try just four minutes after restarting. Whitelock and Saveya solved the problem with several interceptions and Foster began to unload his illustrious reinforcements.
Mo'unga replaced McKenzie with a penalty to make it 17-13 with Smith and Dane Cowles introduced . for their parting caps on New Zealand soil. At one hour, Gordon hit the post with a direct penalty that would have restored the Wallabies' seven-point lead. Five minutes later, another All Blacks rookie, rower in the background Samipeni Finau, stretched out.
A long-range Quaid Cooper shot equalized at 20:20, but the Australian scrum suffered from a host of injured props. , creaked. New Zealand converted a penalty and Mounga rose from 45 meters to seal the result.
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