All Blacks excel at MCG

New Zealand’s Richie Mo’unga (C) breaks through the Australian defence during the Rugby Championship 2023 and Bledisloe Cup Test match between Australia and New Zealand at the MCG in Melbourne on 29 July 2023 - AFP

By Nimal Luxshman

Sri Lankan Rugby enthusiasts would have switched on their TVs, sharp on time, to watch an exciting game of rugby between the All Blacks (ABs) and Wallabies, played for the Bledisole Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds (MCG) on Saturday, 29 July. The writer too missed watching it live on TV due to a personal commitment. However, thanks to technology, they watched the replay later and decided to scribble what was seen on TV to give a glimpse of the game for the benefit of those who were not so fortunate to watch the battle live on TV. It was revealed that the attendance was just 56 short of 84,000, the biggest crowd watching the Wallabies in action at home after 2000. The MCG, which is said to have been built in 1853, boasts of having a seating capacity of 100,024.

With the game barely 5 minutes old, Wallabies won a line out just 5 meters away from their own goal line. Scott Barrett, who had an outstanding game for the ABs, pounced in a lightning speed, on the Aussie scrum half Tate McDermott who collected the ball. The reaction time was less than half a minute for the Wallabies to realise what happened next. When the ball popped out of the hands of McDermott, Shannon Frizel was there in a flash to pick up and score the first try of the evening for the ABs. With Richie Mounga missing a difficult conversion, the lead of the ABs read 5-0. 

Two minutes later a try was scored by Marika Koroibete on the left flank but it was disallowed by the TMO, who found that the player’s left arm had been on the touch line in the process of scoring.  However, when a few earlier phases were reviewed, the TMO discovered that Rob Valentini had in fact scored under the post for the Wallabies moments earlier. With the try being allowed and fly half Carter Gordon making an easy conversion, the home team led 7-5 making their supporters go wild. 

Carter Gordon, who seemed to have left his kicking boots at home, made a mess with a penalty won by the Wallabies on the 13 minute. There was no scoring by either side during the next 10 minutes or so, though the Wallabies made inroads to the opponents’ territory with several threatening moves. 

A deliberate offside by Koroibete, who was sent to the “sin bin” for that offense, provided an extra one-man advantage to the ABs who scored about 5 minutes later, through a driving maul after they won a 5-meter line out near the Aussie goal line. The maul was executed to perfection and resulted in Codie Taylor, the Abs hooker, scoring. The visitors sprung into a 12-7 lead when Mounga made a perfect conversion from the left touch line. 

About seven minutes before the half time, the Aussie skipper Allan Alaalatoa had to leave the field being “cartered off” in the electric vehicle driven by the medics, presumably due to a calf injury. Minutes before the half time, several threatening phases by ABs, which numbered 20, resulted in Will Jordan scoring his 23rd try, in as many matches, on the right wing. Mounga made a difficult conversion to take the ABs to a comfortable 19-7 lead at the “lemons”. 

Both sides brought in “fresh legs” during the 10 minutes after the half time, with the Wallabies halves combination too being replaced by Nick White and Quade Cooper. The first ten minutes after the replacements were brought in after the break saw the Wallabies making several threatening moves, without results. However, one of the replacements for ABs, Caleb Clarke, became the next scorer for his side. The tally increased to 26-7 in favour of the visitors, when Mounga’s conversion was successful.

The tally in favour of the ABs increased to 31-7 when Mark Talea, the ABs No. 11, who previously made several dashing moves whenever he had the opportunity of collecting the ball, scored next. However, Mounga failed with the conversion. 

What was conspicuous during the last 30 minutes of the second half was how weak the Wallabies defence was. By that time, they had lost another player in Taniela Tupou, who was “sin binned” just seconds before he was substituted for a rib injury. Once again, the ABs got their act together with a stunning move, with the ball skillfully changing hands among several players, paving the way for Rieko Ioane to put the finishing touches. An unassailable 38–7 lead was displayed on the scoreboard, in favour of the New Zealanders, when the veteran English Referee Wayne Barnes blew the final whistle.

There was no further scoring by both sides, who were engaged in a gruelling battle during the last 10 minutes, but the ABs ensured that they retained the Bledisole Cup for the 21st year and took it with them when they returned home. No one could be faulted for saying that four out of the six tries scored by the ABs were when Wallabies players were cooling their heels in the “sin bin”. 

This final result of the game would have brought much joy and delight to Ian Foster, the ABs coach, about his team’s performance. However, his counterpart Eddie Jones may be having certain concerns with injury worries to some of his players. The Aussie Co-captain Michael Hooper, tight head prop Allan Alaalatoa and Taniela Tupou are all unlikely to play when the two sides meet in Dunedin next Sunday. Therefore, it will be interesting to see what strategies Jones would resort to, for the Wallabies counter a possible second onslaught by the ABs.