Monday, 21 October 2013 00:00
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REUTERS: Flanker Sam Cane produced an outstanding performance to help the All Blacks extend their unbeaten run over Australia in New Zealand to 16 games with a 41-33 victory in their third and final Bledisloe Cup clash in Dunedin on Saturday.
Coach Steve Hansen’s side have not lost a test at home since 2009, a run that now extends to 30 successive matches, while the Wallabies remained winless against the All Blacks in New Zealand since 2001.
The All Blacks, who have won all 10 of their tests this year, have also now won 29 of their last 31 matches since the beginning of the 2011 World Cup and despite the closeness of the score, the home side were just too good for the visitors.
They scored three brilliant first half tries to Julian Savea, Cane and Aaron Cruden, with the flyhalf adding three conversions and four penalties.
The Wallabies provided plenty of endeavour but their first half scoring was restricted to three Quade Cooper penalties and a drop goal before Adam Ashley-Cooper crossed for a 40th-minute converted try to reduce the gap to 30-19 at the break.
Cruden landed his fourth penalty shortly after the break before the Wallabies reduced the scoreline to seven points when Matt Toomua scored their second try following an intercept from Tevita Kuridrani when the home side were hot on attack.
The All Blacks quickly put that behind them, swinging back onto attack and captain Kieran Read crossed to give the home side a 38-26 lead after a sustained buildup that swept back and forth across the field.
Beauden Barrett added a penalty when he came on as a second-half replacement before Kuridrani scored a late try for the Wallabies, who had improved in the second half but the result had realistically been put out of doubt with Read’s try.
