Wallabies take heart

All Blacks reclaim Bledisloe Cup with 21-17 victory

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) -- Australia lost the Bledisloe Cup Saturday at Eden Park but it won back pride after a demoralizing thrashing by the All Blacks in Sydney last month -- and the knowledge it can compete with New Zealand at the World Cup.

Doug Howlett scored two tries as New Zealand capped an unbeaten Tri-Nations campaign with a tough 21-17 win over Australia and regained the Bledisloe Cup for the first time since 1998.

"They showed tonight what a remarkable resilient group they are," All Blacks coaching coordinator Robbie Deans said of the Wallabies. "They will go back to their preparation for the World Cup knowing they are at home, in their conditions and they'll be very excited about the opportunity."

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones agreed.

"In terms of where the team is going, I think it was a positive performance," he said. "We are in a good position now to push on with our World Cup preparations."

But any side hoping to lift the World Cup Nov. 22 will know they must stop the flying All Black wingers.

Young sensation Joe Rokocoko was scoreless Saturday after a prolific Tri-Nations, but his senior partner Doug Howlett stepped up, crossing twice and splitting the defense on a third bustling sprint as the hosts took a 15-9 halftime lead. The New Zealanders then held out a storming Wallabies outfit late in a seesawing second period.

The Eden Park match was played 100 years and one day after Australia and New Zealand first met in a rugby union test match, at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Aug. 15, 1903. New Zealand won that match 22-3 to establish a history of superiority over their Tasman neighbors.

Recent clashes between the bitter rivals have been dominated by the world champion Australians, and flanker Reuben Thorne became the first All Blacks captain since Sean Fitzpatrick in 1997 to hold aloft the Bledisloe Cup.

"This competition has always been a huge battle and after so long we were always desperate to get the Bledisloe Cup back," Thorne said. "We'll celebrate tonight and look forward to the World Cup."

Carlos Spencer gave New Zealand an 18-9 lead with a penalty just after the halftime break and the Australians crossed the tryline twice in a two-minute period but were denied on both occasions by the video referee.

Flatley slotted a penalty from in front to reduce the margin to six points in the 58th minute but Spencer replied with a goal from the sideline to make the score 21-12.

The Australians again were a meter from the tryline in the 73rd minute when the All Blacks opted to concede a penalty.

Three minutes later, flanker George Smith barged over in the left corner after a sniping run from skipper George Gregan to get Australia back within four points. Flatley's sideline conversion was wide.

Gregan said the loss was disappointing but not shattering.

"The effort was very good ... I couldn't have asked for me," the Wallabies captain said. "But we just did not handle the big moment, at times, as well as we could have.

"We pressed hard and they absorbed the pressure and defended very well."

The Wallabies had opened the scoring via a Flatley penalty goal and the All Blacks took the lead when Howlett crossed in the sixth minute on a brilliant counterattack raid.

Fullback Mils Muliaina returned Stephen Larkham's clearance kick that failed to find touch, linking with flanker Ritchie McCaw who established an attacking ruck.

New Zealand moved the ball wide and hooker Keven Mealamu split the Wallaby defense in midfield before turning the ball in to Howlett.

Spencer converted for a 7-3 but the Australians regained the edge on penalties from Flatley in the 17th and 21st minutes, both when the Wallabies had gone within a meter of the tryline and both for the All Blacks offside in the ruck.

Howlett outpaced Flatley to Spencer's kick behind the Wallaby line after All Blacks No. 8 Jerry Collins' controversial ruck ball win at the back of the Australian ruck.

Spencer's conversion attempt hit the right upright but he landed a penalty in the 36th minute to extend the margin to six points. He missed another penalty shot before the break when the All Blacks were paid the advantage after lock Chris Jack got across the tryline from a close ruck but didn't get downward pressure on the ball.

New Zealand, which clinched the Tri-Nations title with a 19-11 win over South Africa at Dunedin last week, needed to win to recover the Bledisloe Cup which Australia has held for five years. The All Blacks beat the Wallabies 50-21 at their previous meeting in Sydney last month.

Scorers:

New Zealand 21 (Doug Howlett 2; Carlos Spencer conversion, 3 penalties) def. Australia 17 (George Smith try; Elton Flatley 4 penalties)

 

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