All Blacks crush Wallabies 38-7 to retain Rugby Championship title

New Zealand’s Cam Roigard (C) holds the trophy after the Rugby Championship 2023 and Bledisloe Cup Test match between Australia and New Zealand at the MCG in Melbourne on Saturday - AFP

MELBOURNE, AFP: A vintage All Blacks smashed Australia 38-7 Saturday to retain the Rugby Championship title and Bledisloe Cup as Eddie Jones’s gamble with a new-look Wallabies side backfired spectacularly.

The visitors reached the break with a 19-7 lead in front of 83,944 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and romped to a six tries to one win.

It was another hugely impressive performance from a team on a 10-game unbeaten streak as they ominously hit their straps ahead of the September-October World Cup in France.

Shannon Frizell, Codie Taylor and Will Jordan crossed in the first half to silence the bumper crowd, with Caleb Clarke, Mark Telea, and Rieko Ioane adding more tries in a devastating eight-minute second-half blitz.

“I’m delighted with that, it was on an iconic ground and it’s pretty special for us,” said New Zealand coach Ian Foster.

“To come away with that sort of victory is something we can be proud of. The way we were able to come through was really pleasing.” Australia’s lone try came from Rob Valetini and with stand-in skipper Allan Alaalatoa stretchered off with a nasty leg injury, it was another miserable night.

Ill-discipline again let them down, with two yellow cards making their job near impossible.

Victory secured New Zealand the southern hemisphere Rugby Championship for the ninth time in its 11 editions and the prized trans-Tasman trophy for a 21st year with a game to play against Australia in Dunedin next month.

In contrast, it left the Wallabies in an ever-deepening hole as Jones struggles to find the right combinations.

They have now lost all three games since the former England boss took over, with time running out to turn it around.