Sun, Sea, and Sand-wiches: Tri-Nations Wallabies V All Blacks

One of the games i've always wanted to see was the southern hemisphere two big giants taking on each other. After a typical winter day of walking through the botanical gardens to get the ferry for manly for some pre-drinks, we left the ladies watching breakfast at tiffanies whilst we zoomed over to the ANZ stadium. What i didnt realise was that it was miles away from central Sydney, and after 2 hours of traffic, then running full pelt for 15 mins from the only availble parking about 2 miles away, we got to the game with 5 mins gone. Thankfully no points were on the board, so we wet our dry mouths and watched the action unfold. I'll let a real reporter tell the action, but the last 5-10 mins the stadium was going bonkers!

All Blacks coach Graham Henry may be requesting “More boring please” after a thrilling, pulsating, nail biting Bundaberg Rum Tri-Nations Test in Sydney tonight that was eventually won 19-18 by New Zealand to see them retain the Bledisloe Cup for another year.
It was a full blooded Test match played in front of a near capacity crowd of 80,228 contested between two teams desperate to win and willing to give every inch of mind and body to achieve the victory.
The injury count was high both during and after the match, which was not surprising considering the explosive nature of the collisions.
The match started at high intensity with Rocky Elsom taking out Richie McCaw as he leapt high for the ball from the kick off.
The result was a penalty from South African referee Jonathan Kaplan but Elsom was fortunate not to see yellow.
The All Blacks were hurtling in to tackles in the early stages but the Wallabies were determined to keep the ball in hand with scrumhalf Luke Burgess prominent with some strong runs from the scrumbase.
All Blacks inside centre Luke McAlister then hit Burgess in a big tackle and ended up coming off second best, being escorted to the blood bin, which brought Ma’a Nonu off the bench early.
Dan Carter then put the All Blacks in front after three minutes with a well taken penalty goal from forty metres in front after Matt Giteau was adjudged to be picking the ball up in an offside position.
Giteau then evened things up with a penalty goal right in front twenty metres out after the All Blacks were penalized for going over at the ruck.
He put the Wallabies in front on nine minutes when the All Blacks were penalized for a similar offence, the Brumbies flyhalf landing the penalty from thirty metres out just to the right of the upright. Wallabies in the lead 6-3.
The intensity around the rucks and mauls was ferocious with the Wallabies determined not to be shaded physically.
It was already clear Elsom’s return had given the Men of Gold pack some much needed “mongrel” that had perhaps been missing in recent Tests.
Both teams were determined to run the ball but the All Blacks execution let them down in promising positions with first Carter being pulled up for a forward pass and then Sitiveni Sivivatu dropping Conrad Smith’s inside ball on the Wallabies 22.
The All Blacks were go on to make a startling 9 handling errors in the Test while the Wallabies made 5 as both teams at times were guilty of over-playing their hands.
This was developing into a full blooded Test with both teams running full pelt and then being hammered back by just as committed defence.
On twenty minutes Wallabies No.8 Richard Brown hit Conrad Smith in a bone jarring tackle.
At the same time it was Wallabies hooker Stephen Moore and prop Benn Robinson’s turn to show the affects of the spirited clash both going to the blood bin with Tatafu Polota-Nau and Ben Alexander coming on.
Both teams were a definite step up from their performances previously in the Tri-Nations with the must-win nature of the match clearly coming to the fore.
The All Blacks were looking threatening using inside balls at the end of backline movements to break the Wallabies open.
McAlister found himself in space on the left touchline and chipped ahead but Giteau got back to save for the Wallabies.
The urgent physical Wallabies defence continued to force the All Blacks into errors.
The Wallabies scrum issues with South African referees continued and minutes later Alexander returned this time as a full replacement for Baxter and Moore returned for Polota-Nau.
The All Blacks continued to have most of the attack but fierce Wallabies defence repelled every New Zealand advance.
The counter-rucking from Australia was also impressive and on 34 minutes the Wallabies lead was extended after the Men of Gold forced another ruck penalty on half-way.
The All Blacks protested and Kaplan marched them ten metres which led to Giteau coolly slotting over to put the Wallabies out 9-3.
New Zealand re-gathered the kick off and surged deep into Wallabies territory but again they were penalized at the breakdown.
Try as they might the All Blacks sharpness and execution was not up to their usual standards with Carter taking some time to adapt to the speed of Test Rugby after so long out of the game.
Another All Blacks error saw Adam Ashley-Cooper make a long run before kicking ahead but New Zealand covered.
The half time siren sounded as the All Blacks took the 22 but the Wallabies continued to attack long after the siren.
After several phases and a strong burst down the right touchline by Lachie Turner, the ball came wide to Berrick Barnes who broke through an All Blacks tackle and passed inside to Nathan Sharpe who seemed certain to score but he was hauled down in a try saving tackle by New Zealand scrumhalf Jimmy Cowan.
From the ensuing ruck the All Blacks were again penalized for slowing the ball down leading to a stern talking to from Kaplan to McCaw and another penalty shot to Giteau.
The Wallabies flyhalf made no mistake and the Men of Gold well deserved their 12-3 lead at the break.
During the break Barnes went off with a neck injury to be replaced by Ryan Cross.
And for the All Blacks Conrad Smith was replaced by Nonu.
The second half started just as the first with the All Blacks throwing themselves at the Wallabies line and the Men of Gold turning them back with tough defence.
But suddenly the Wallabies were down to 14 men with Brown questionably yellow carded for the second time in two Tests for a marginal dangerous tackle on young All Blacks prop Owen Franks.
Carter missed the ensuing penalty goal but landed one soon after as the Wallabies gave away a ruck penalty after a dangerous All Blacks attack.
But on forty nine minutes the Wallabies restored their lead to nine points with Giteau landing a penalty from another ruck penalty. Australia up 15-6.
The physical nature of the contest was taking its toll with now James O’Connor going off with a suspected corked thigh. Peter Hynes came on on the wing with Turner dropping back to fullback.
McAlister also succumbed with what turned out to be to a fractured cheekbone to be replaced by back up flyhalf Stephen Donald.
And Moore returned to the blood bin with Polota-Nau back into the fray.
Carter thought he was over on 52 minutes after finishing off an All Blacks attack from close range in the left hand corner but he was pulled back by Kaplan for a forward pass.
Then just a minute later Cowan thought he had scored when he dove over from close to the line but Jerome Kaino was penalized for obstructing Sharpe.
When the All Blacks were pulled up for a negligible knock on just a moment later after a promising run from fullback Mils Muliaina, New Zealand supporters might have begun to suspect it wasn’t their night.
Still the All Blacks piled forward and Carter had another chance from a penalty to bring them closer which he did from an acute angle, 30 metres out. Wallabies 15-9 with 22 minutes remaining.
The All Blacks sent on new blood with Rodney So'oialo making an impact after replacing Kaino.
There were chances for both teams from kicks with first a wicked bounce eluding Hynes that sent opposing winger Joe Rokocoko on a dangerous break.
Hynes again made a long surge moments later down the left touchline, the Reds winger adding much spark to the Wallabies outside backs.
Then on 55 minutes the Wallabies defence finally broke.
A clever wrap around by Nonu saw McCaw and Keiran Read handle before Sivivatu broke through on the left. Nonu looped again to take the return pass and dive over wide out for the game’s opening try.
Carter converted from wide out and the All Blacks were in front for the first time in the match – 16-15.
But the Wallabies hit back straight away, re-claiming the kick off and James Horwill charged at the All Blacks line.
He was pulled down on the 22 but from the ensuing rucks the Wallabies won a penalty. Giteau was successful and the Wallabies were back in front 18-16 with the clock ticking down.
The All Blacks worked down field for a drop goal but with Carter perfectly placed on the 35 metre line he badly scuffed a kick he usually would have potted with ease.
Deep in to the last five minutes the Wallabies continued to cling to their two point lead but then the Wallabies failed to clear a kick on their own line and Turner was penalized for holding on.
This time Carter made no mistake from wide out and the All Blacks were back in front 19-18 with just two minutes remaining.
The Wallabies launched frenetic attack after attack, spurning numerous drop goal opportunities, and just when it seemed the All Blacks line would break Ben Alexander spilled the ball on the New Zealand tryline and the All Blacks had retained the Bledisoe Cup for the seventh straight year.