10.14am BST10:14
Jonathan Howcroft
Thank you for joining me tonight. Ive got to quickly jump over to Tokyo and keep my eye on the Olympics. Ill leave you with the first cut match report and see you back here next week for round two.
9.52am BST09:52
9.47am BST09:47
Full-time: New Zealand 33-25 Australia
Bledisloe I to the All Blacks at Eden Park.
9.47am BST09:47
TRY! New Zealand 33-25 Australia (Uelese 80+3)
9.45am BST09:45
80+2 mins: Australia keep the ball alive as long as they can with short drives, inviting New Zealand into errors. Eventually they accept a penalty and kick to the corner.
9.44am BST09:44
80 mins: Another offside penalty against the All Blacks. Despite the scoreline this has been a scrappy old showing from New Zealand. One final Wallaby attack.
9.43am BST09:43
79 mins: The lineout works and the Wallaby forward get to work with pick and go drives. They get to the line and look certain to score… but the whistle blows for a gold jersey (Uelese) playing off his feet. Let-off for the All Blacks.
9.42am BST09:42
78 mins: Penalty against Beauden Barrett (on as a sub) on Australias 22 following the restart. The kick downfield sets up a lineout on halfway. The Wallabies try to go through hands but its slow and formulaic and Banks is nailed i midfield. Eventually theres a recycle to the right, which is then sent through the hands of Hooper to the left. An offside advantage gives Lolesio the freedom to attempt the bullet pass on his blindside, the left, where Banks hits the line at serious force to almost break the defensive line. He cant, but Australia can still kick to the corner.
9.40am BST09:40
TRY! New Zealand 33-18 Australia (Banks 75)
9.37am BST09:37
73 mins: Kellaway misses Banks with a floaty pass. Hodge only just holds onto the bouncing ball and play grinds to a halt in midfield. Tiredness now coming into the mix, along with the wind, ring rust, and general lack of form all round.
9.35am BST09:35
72 mins: Banks gets back into the gam quickly after the restart, galloping 25m to halfway. The All Blacks soon force the Wallabies into retreating and eventually kicking possession away. Aaron Smith jogs off to a huge ovation on his 100th Test. He has starred tonight yet again.
9.34am BST09:34
TRY! New Zealand 33-13 Australia (Banks 70)
9.30am BST09:30
68 mins: Were into pride, and momentum ahead of Bledisloe II, territory now. Australia begin this game within a game well, kicking to the corner, securing the lineout, then pushing forcefully with a terrific rolling maul. A try is on offer for the pick and go off the back of the breakdown, but nobody can extricate the ball and play comes back for the penalty advantage.
9.29am BST09:29
TRY! New Zealand 33-8 Australia (McKenzie 65)
9.26am BST09:26
63 mins: McReight is on for the Wallabies, and I know this because he has conceded one of the clearest breakdown penalties you could imagine. New Zealand milking the clock now in this second half, kicking to the 22 as yet more replacements flood onto the field.
9.24am BST09:24
62 mins: Banks does well to take a high box kick 10m inside All Black territory. A couple of phases later the Wallabies are awarded a penalty, which is tapped and run quickly, but Paisami cant hold on in contact and the All Blacks regain possession. Australia have consistently struggled with their centres linking play this season so far.
9.22am BST09:22
60 mins: Mounga misses the conversion in exactly the same way Lolesio failed with his kicks in the first half.
9.22am BST09:22
TRY! New Zealand 28-8 Australia (Havili 58)
The All Blacks rumble slowly forward off the back of a lineout on Australias 22. The move through hands from centre-field to the left isnt crisp but it gets the job done. The gain line keeps being crossed as the attack heads back infield. With the ruck 5m from home Smith dips into his quiver and pulls out an arrow, sending a gorgeous pass arcing over bodies to Havili to catch, step inside, then dive and reach over. Brilliant from Smith. New Zealand now firmly in control.
9.19am BST09:19
57 mins: Scrum to Australia. Soon enough its a penalty to New Zealand. Tupou is now on the field for the Wallabies but hes pinged when Hooper breaks behind him, forcing him to topple over.
9.18am BST09:18
56 mins: The All Blacks keep things simple for a series of short phases up the guts, but Australia never give them easy ball at the breakdown and eventually force the error with a knock-on at the ruck.
9.17am BST09:17
55 mins: New Zealand are penalised on their own 22. Australia have to kick to the corner and lay siege in search of a try as the forward replacements come on in droves. The lineout is secured but the counter-maul from the All Blacks stifles any momentum. Paisami then tries to barrel through, but hes stripped in the tackle! Australia cough up a golden opportunity and New Zealand run clear down the left.
9.15am BST09:15
TRY! New Zealand 23-8 Australia (Mo’unga 52)
The Wallabies have the run. They gather the restart and reload down the left wing. McDermott is bright, Hooper and the rest of the pack are busy recycling phases. The drive takes them from near halfway to the 22. Can they find the backs? They try shifting from left to right. They try again and…oh my…. oh boy… Paisami throws a spear to Petaia, but Mounga reads it, steps up, intercepts like Neo in bullet time and dashes 60m unopposed to dive under the posts. He adds the conversion for good measure. What a game-changing moment.
9.12am BST09:12
50 mins: Lolesio misses again! He cant utilise the wind to his advantage, dragging his long ranger left. The Wallabies have left eight very gettable points out there now.
9.10am BST09:10
48 mins: Another scrum requires packing twice, and on the second occasion it ends with a penalty to the Wallabies. Lolesio can go for goal from the halfway line.
9.08am BST09:08
46 mins: The lineout is secured, then the All Blacks travel 90 metres, from right to left, to right, to score! The ball went through who knows how many hands before it touched down. It was brave and audacious to attempt to run from so deep in their defensive area. But… theres a flag on the play. Theres at least one, maybe two forward passes in amongst the blistering attack, and the superb move does not result in a try. Scrum to Australia on halfway.
9.05am BST09:05
45 mins: The first scrum of the half requires resetting. At the second time of asking it holds long enough for Australia to break, but as they move from left wing infield Lienert-Brown nails a tackle and stops any momentum. The Wallabies regroup and McDermott shows plenty of game awareness to kick to the left corner and lock the All Blacks into defensive territory.
9.03am BST09:03
43 mins: Solid lineout on halfway from Australia but the ball is slow out of the ruck and McDermott has to kick. It works for the Wallabies though. A huge Garryowen is difficult for Reece to take on the burst and he knocks on.
9.02am BST09:02
42 mins: Kellaway does well to accept the restart on his 22 near the touchline. The Wallabies go for a front row drive and soon earn a breakdown penalty against Retallick.
9.01am BST09:01
Were all set for the second half…
Updated
at 9.01am BST
8.51am BST08:51
8.47am BST08:47
Half-time: New Zealand 16-8 Australia
Not the best half of rugby in Bledisloe history, but it ends with the All Blacks ahead.
8.46am BST08:46
TRY! New Zealand 16-8 Australia (Reece 40)
8.44am BST08:44
39 mins: Penalty advantage to the All Blacks as they try to link phases in midfield. They fail, and play is advanced a long way downfield and turns a tricky kick into a gimme. But Mounga turns it down and kicks to the corner! Big flex from New Zealand.
8.43am BST08:43
38 mins: Lolesio again misses a simple-looking kick. From 22m, on a 45 degree angle he glides his effort wide right.
8.42am BST08:42
TRY! New Zealand 9-8 Australia (Kellaway 36)
The first moment of class of the night and Australia score! Lineout 10m inside New Zealands half and the throw goes way way over the back where Paisami hits it on the burst, through the defensive line, and on his inside shoulder Kellaway is in support and has the speed to burst through and over midway between the posts and the left corner. Superb set play from the Wallabies! Brandon Paenga-Amosa has been under pressure, but what a call.
8.40am BST08:40
36 mins: Cheeky lineout from Australia sees McDermott run 10m down the blindside, set up a couple of phases infield and earn an offside penalty. This remains a scrappy, stop-start, low quality contest.
8.39am BST08:39
35 mins: The All Blacks run again, but fail to make ground in midfield. Mounga slips a tackle and offloads niftily to the right, but not for the first time they run out of room and the stout Australian defence earns a lineout on their defensive 22.
8.38am BST08:38
33 mins: Lolesio goes crossfield with his exiting kick, and it invites pressure when the All Blacks secure it. They cant connect in the backs though – their handling has been awful tonight – and the territorial kick is claimed well by Kellaway who marks and clears.
8.37am BST08:37
PENALTY! New Zealand 9-3 Australia (Lolesio 32)
Much closer, much straighter, much better for Lolesio. Both teams on the board.
8.36am BST08:36
31 mins: Superb chargedown from Salakaia-Loto gives Australia a lineout on New Zealands 22. The ball is secured safely, goes infield for a couple of phases then Retallick is too tall for the sniping McDermott and the Wallabies win a very kickable penalty.
8.34am BST08:34
PENALTY! New Zealand 9-0 Australia (Mo’unga 30)
Just inside Australias half, 10m in from the left, Mounga sends another missile miles up and over the bar. All Blacks extend their lead.
8.33am BST08:33
28 mins: New Zealand run for a series of phases on the left wing, Lienert-Brown, barrelling through. The ball comes infield inside Australias half and McKenzie is trying to dance through. He cant though, Hooper pinches the turnover and Australia regroup. Not for long though, another breakdown near halfway and the Wallabies are pinged for interfering on the ground. Another long penalty effort for Mounga on the way.
8.31am BST08:31
26 mins: Lolesio also requires a teammate to keep his ball steady. Can he narrow the margin? NO! That was a gimme in regular circumstances but the wind made the ball misbehave in the air and fade wide. Opportunity missed.
8.29am BST08:29
25 mins: The drop-out is short and gathered by the Wallabies. Theres soon an offside advantage on the play. Australia move from left to right again, but the phase ends with Paisami kicking away possession – not for the first time in his career. Play is called back for the penalty and a shot for goal 30m out, 10m infield.
8.28am BST08:28
23 mins: New Zealand are happy to play territory with the wind at their backs, kicking long whenever theres a sniff of Australia establishing territory. After kicking away possession to halfway Australia win the lineout ball and earn a penalty advantage at the ruck. The Wallabies spread to the right and Lolesio and Kellaway link well to engineer half a yard. The latters kick is perfectly weighted and forces the ABs into a line drop-out.
8.26am BST08:26
PENALTY! New Zealand 6-0 Australia (Mo’unga 22)
New Zealand move six points ahead with a penalty 20 metres out dead in front. Hopefully the game improves soon.
8.25am BST08:25
21 mins: Perfect attacking platform for the All Blacks. Smith takes the scrum and heads to McKenzie on his right shoulder. Theres no penetration though, nor is there for another couple of shaky phases, but play is recalled for a scrum penalty.
