Three-peat for all blacks

by Rajitha Ratwatte

The third leg of the Bledisloe Cup and a game which will be counted for the rugby championship to be played between four countries from the southern hemisphere Argentina, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand kicked off in Perth, WA. A day game under hot conditions foreign to the New Zealanders. Furthermore three of the best players in the All-Black lineup Ritchie Mo’uanga, Aaron Smith, and the skipper Sam Whitelock staying at home for personal family reasons. Ardie Savea captaining the team was a proud moment for Pacifica players.

All three Barret brothers starting for the ABs alongside Brad Webber in the number nine shirt with T.J. Peranara on the bench. Damon Murphy the referee. The Kiwis chose to take the first two penalties they were awarded and went into a 6–0 lead inside the first five minutes. Beauden Barret was back in the no10 jersey, and we began to see more kicking than was customary when Mo’uanga was the incumbent. A great left-footed grubber from Baudie was picked up by Will Jordan who passed to Brad Webber who was able to send Jordie Barret off on a sixty-meter plus run to score the first ABs try under the posts. 13–0 inside 20 minutes of play.

In the 28th minute, an absolutely ridiculous red card was dished out to Jordie Barret for what was deemed to be a dangerous kick to the side of Marika Korobeit’s head when Jordie was collecting a high ball. An Oscar-winning performance from the “injured party” combined with the TMO deciding very early that it was a deliberate kick gave the on-field ref no chance to make a judgment. Jordie was off for 20 minutes as the new rule decrees. After 20 minutes another player can be brought on, but the red-carded player is done for the game. The Wallabies failed to take any advantage from the superior numbers they had on the field, and it was the ABs who scored just before halftime off a rolling maul with David Havili who had a great game joining the maul from no12 and scoring. Beauden Barret missed the kick as he did every other kick, he took in the game completing a below-par performance as a placekicker. 18–0 was the halftime score.

It was only after the sides were back at 15 each in the 48th minute, with Damian Mackenzie coming in at full-back that McDermott the Aussie scrum-half made one of his characteristic darting runs and set Fainga’a over mid-left for a seven pointer. 18–7. In the 54th minute, Akira Ioane playing at number six made the first of three fantastic runs along the touchline and Will Jordan strolled over the line mid-right to take the score to 23–7 when Barret missed again. 60 minutes into the game David Havili made an intercept off a Wallaby long pass well inside AB territory, ran the full length of the field hotly pushed by the Aussie no12 Karevi who managed an ankle tap but it was too late as the momentum generated by Havili allowed him to stagger over the line mid-left. Barret missed again and the score stood at 28-7. An impressive-looking Wallaby bench came on after the 60th minute and Nick White subbed on at number nine was promptly able to score under the posts off a good run by Pete Samu, also off the bench. 28-14 and the Aussie commentators thought they were in with a chance. The spectators were treated to some great sevens-style rugby with play going from one side of the field to the other. Akira Ioane featured again with his brother Rieko also able to use his great speed to good effect. Anton Lennert- Brown that ever so reliable midfielder benefitted and scored in the 68th minute. The kicking woes continued with Damien Mackenzie who was given the ball also missing the attempt at goal taking the score to 38–14. The irrepressible T.J. Peranara broke through but realising that he lacked the speed to cover the length of the field in front of him, kicked cross-field and George Bridge picked up and scored mid-left. Mackenzie missed again and the score read 38–14. The Wallabies were not done and some good work from Nick White in the dying moments of the game saw Tom Banks who always does a tidy job at number 15 score under the posts.

The final score read 38-21 to the New Zealanders completing the first of four matches they will be playing over the next few weeks in Australia during the rugby championship.

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