SYDNEY – The Wallabies have won the Rugby Championship for the first time in its history and gone part way to winning back the Bledisloe Cup after beating the All Blacks 27-19 in Sydney for the first time since 2011.
In a heart-stopping second half after a dull and scrappy first stanza, the Wallabies were stingy in defence and outstanding on attack as, for the first time in 10 games, they found a way to blunt the All Blacks attack.
Australia’s bench was immense in the second half as the introduction of Nic White and Matt Toomua changed the game for the home team, Toomua setting up a try for Adam Ashley Cooper and Nic White scoring the match winner in the 73rd minute.
The Pocock Hooper experience was very successful as both New Zealand’s back rowers Richie McCaw and Jerome Kaino struggled to get parity at the breakdown.
The win will be welcome news for an Australia rugby public that have been starved of a win over New Zealand and is significant in terms of how the Wallabies will fare at this year’s World Cup