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Just barely Wallabies defeat New Zealand on late penalty goal
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- Wallaby skipper John Eales slotted a dramatic last-second penalty goal Saturday as Australia stole a one-point Tri-Nations win against the All Blacks in Wellington. The world champion Australians avenged a 39-35 loss in last month's series opener with the 24-23 victory on New Zealand soil, clinching the Bledisloe Cup -- the trans-Tasman trophy -- for the third successive year. The win also kept the Tri-Nations alive, ending New Zealand's unbeaten run and ensuring the series will go down to the remaining two tests in South Africa. Australia and New Zealand each have two wins and a loss apiece and each have a match remaining against the Springboks. Eales, with Australian hope hinging on him, replaced regular kicker Stirling Mortlock and calmly slotted an angled 21-meter goal before punching both arms into the air in triumph. "Stirling was off the field, there wasn't a choice thankfully," Eales reasoned after taking his only kick of the match. "You don't get the chance to kick a goal if the team doesn't get you into position," said Eales, disregarding his own composure under pressure. "It was a very memorable moment." Deep into injury time, the All Blacks led 23-21 and were on course to sweep this season's head-to-heads 2-0 -- until replacement prop Craig Dowd surrendered the critical penalty inside his own quarter. Referee Jonathan Kaplan of South Africa was booed off the field after signaling full-time and was pelted with trash by members of the crowd who felt overtime went too long. "I never felt threatened," said Kaplan, who was shielded from physical abuse by All Blacks lock Norm Maxwell and team doctor John Mayhew. "I kept the time, the time was correct, no doubt about that." Wallabies coach Rod Macqueen said the Aussies showed tremendous character, while his counterpart Wayne Smith commended the cool-headed Australians. "They aren't the world champions for nothing," Smith said. "They've got great character, they played to the end." In a worthy sequel to the thriller at Stadium Australia, where Al Blacks winger Jonah Lomu scored the winning try two minutes from time, the Australians produced a stunning reversal. "It was great, just a great team effort," Eales said. "We maintained our composure -- it wasn't our best performance, but we won." Eales said the Wallabies, who let New Zealand race to a 24-0 lead after eight minutes three weeks ago before fighting back to send the game to the wire, were worthy Bledisloe Cup winners. "One point in this [game], four points in the first game, it was a very special series," he said. For New Zealand, fullback Christian Cullen scored two tries and flyhalf Mehrtens became New Zealand's No. 1 all-time point-scorer, notching 13 points to overhaul the record 645 points set by Grant Fox. Mortlock became the fastest Australian to register 100 points in tests, scoring a try and adding three penalties and a conversion in his sixth international to boost his tally into triple figures. Mortlock scored a converted try in the third minute and winger Joe Roff, playing a national record 47th consecutive test, dived over for another five-pointer to give the Wllabies a 12-0 after 16 minutes. New Zealand rallied to take a 20-18 lead after a seesawing first half, in which both teams notched two tries apiece and the lead chaned six times as rival kickers traded goals. Mehrtens gave the All Blacks a 23-18 lead with a 63rd minute goal before Mortlock replied with a penalty to reduce the deficit to two points. The 24-year-old winger, who missed a penalty to put Australia ahead just before the end of regulation time, was sidelined for the last six minutes -- forcing Eales to take the shot at goal. It was Smith's first loss as All Blacks coach since taking over after New Zealand bowed out of last year's World Cup on a shock semifinal loss to eventual runner-up, France.
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