Dagg double as All Blacks whip Wallabies again
WELLINGTON, Aug, 25-A rampant New Zealand inflicted further pain on
Australia with a 29-9 victory to claim the Bledisloe Cup in Wellington
on Saturday.
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New Zealand’s Sam Cane (R) scores a try as he is tackled by
Australia’s Israel Folau during the rugby Test match between
New Zealand and Australia at Westpac Stadium in Wellington
on August 27, 2016. AFP PHOTO |
The Wallabies stayed in touch in the first half, with the All Blacks
only 15-9, but were kept scoreless in the second half as the All Blacks
added a further 14 points of the second-round Rugby Championship clash.
After thrashing the Wallabies 42-8 in Sydney a week ago, this victory
enabled the All Blacks to lock the Bledisloe Cup away for another year
making the third Test in October a dead rubber.
The cup is billed as the symbol of trans-Tasman rivalry, but it has
been all one-way traffic since 2002 when it was last held by Australia.
In two Tests this month the world champion All Blacks have scored 10
tries and conceded one. But, unlike the first Test, when the All Blacks
were in command from the start, they did not have it all their own way
for the first 46 minutes of the rematch. Israel Dagg scored two tries
with Julian Savea and Sam Cane also dotting down while Beauden Barrett
landed three conversions and a penalty for the All Blacks.
The Wallabies points came from two Bernard Foley penalties and one by
Reece Hodge.
For most of the game, the sublime flavour from a week ago was
replaced by a scrappy, sour performance as the Wallabies, as expected,
began with considerable intent.
Amid the feisty start they claimed two turnovers in the first four
minutes, but for all their endeavour and vastly improved line speed they
made little headway.
- AFP
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