Bledisloe Cup 2021: New Zealand All Blacks v Australia Wallabies – Rugby Championship live!

76 mins: New Zealand win a scrum penalty on their own feed 5m from their line. That hissing sound you can hear is the sting being taken out of the game.

75 mins: The 5m lineout isn’t good and the All Blacks steal. They try to run-out fully 100m in the rain, but instead play is called back for a knock-on advantage.

73 mins: The Wallabies are not giving up and continue to recycle phases infield with a very greasy ball. A short pop-up ball to Wilson almost punctures a hole, then a second effort sets up a gap for Lolesio, but it’s so slippery underfoot Australia are struggling for momentum. The gold jerseys continue to probe though, laying bodies on the line for 11 phases until the referee calls for a penalty.

72 mins: Kellaway, who has settled into Test rugby like a duck to water, is now winning turnover ball and Australia have a lineout inside New Zealand’s 22.

Australia secure the 5m lineout and then set to work at a series of slippery pick-and-go drives. They don’t go far, but they drag bodies in, so that when the ball is sent through hands to the right there’s time and space for the backs to find Kellaway to grab another try in the corner! That was good graft and tidy execution in tough conditions from the Wallabies.

Lolesio strikes a magnificent conversion into the wind and rain from the right touchline.

69 mins: Chasing the game, Australia are unravelling. They’re trying too hard to make something happen with ball in hand, and New Zealand are playing the percentages, monstering the ruck for repeat turnovers and then kicking – with the wind – for territorial advantage. The Wallabies have, at least, seen off Smith and Mo’unga. All they have to combat now are Perenara and Barrett.

The All Blacks make no mistake with the sodden lineout and keep things simple with a series of forward-dominated phases. That is until Savea notices the front door is open and just drives through the weak tackle and unguarded ruck and into space. Is there support? Of course, and it’s Will Jordan – which means a try in the right corner.

Barrett takes over from Mo’unga with the boot, and he calmly strokes over the tightest angled kick of the night. New Zealand hit 50!

63 mins: Can Australia rally like they did last week? Not like this. Whitelock pinches a lineout on halfway and Mo’unga kicks to the corner. Koroibete clears but from the resulting lineout Beauden Barrett almost slices through a mass of bedraggled bodies. The ball goes to ground and the Wallabies regroup, recycle a couple of phases and kick to the 22 for some territory.

Finally the ball’s out and Smith finds Havili on the burst. One phase later and Codie Taylor has a double! He’s one-pass out from Smith in the right centre position, the delivery is flat, and the hooker runs on with momentum and slides over in the wet. The All blacks are rampant.

Mo’unga drags his touchline conversion wide.

60 mins: This time there’s a re-pack for the front rows popping up. Who’d be a prop?

59 mins: The rain starts to lash down at Eden Park as the umpteenth scrum feed has to be reset. It’s Australia’s feed, deep in their own territory, and it results in a free-kick New Zealand’s way for an early shove. The All Blacks reset for an attacking feed.

57 mins: Another breakdown penalty New Zealand’s way – Jordan the unlikely dominator on the right wing. After Australia threatened to pinch the lead shortly after half-time against 14-man New Zealand, the All Blacks have blown them out of the water over the following quarter-of-an-hour.

Second intercept try of the night, third in two Bledisloe contests. Game over. It was a long floaty pass from infield to the right wing from To’omus, but it was too high for Valetini, not far enough for Kellaway, and Reece was best placed to accept the gift and sprint 70m under the posts. Mo’unga adds to his haul from point-blank range.

The interchanges start to get busy, but it now feels in vain.

That is rude, just plain rude. McKenzie only had 57m in him, and that’s all he needed with the ball just dropping over the bar. What a hit! And with it, Savea is back on the field. New Zealand have accepted Australia’s best shot and they are still standing.

52 mins: McKenzie is kicking for goal from 57m! There is a decent wind at his back, but even so, this is ambitious.

52 mins: The All Blacks overshoot with the lineout on halfway and the Wallabies can counter. They do so through Koroibete who makes 30m with a strong run, but Australia can’t recycle the ball after a slow second phase and Whitelock secures the breakdown penalty. Credit to Mo’unga for a crucial sliding tackle on the charging Koroibete.

50 mins: And now a penalty against Koroibete from the restart. New Zealand had their backs to the wall at the start of this half, and they have dealt with it incredibly.

The lineout is contested but Whitelock holds on. There’s an advantage on the play – but they don’t need it! Wowee, the All Blacks only need a sniff, don’t they? Smith darts down the blindside, dummies outside to Jordan, draws his man, then feeds Taylor infield to run home unopposed. Huge huge huge moment in this match. With 14 men the All Blacks score a try against the run of play. Brilliant from Smith.

Mo’unga adds the extras.

46 mins: The lineout is safe and Mo’unga quickly kicks in behind. Australia try to run out defence but almost get caught in possession. To’omua does well to pierce a gap on an angle to resume momentum but McDermott is then hammered in midfield and Australia have to kick. McKenzie tries to run the ball back but Koroibete is up quickly for the ankle tap. Mo’unga again kicks intelligently and the chase is strong, dragging the Wallabies into touch on halfway.

44 mins: New Zealand’s scrum is solid, despite the absence of Savea. They they gain great metres after contact through Havili and Akira Ioane. A breakdown penalty seals the deal with a clearing kick to halfway.

43 mins: Not immediately they can’t. The 5m lineout isn’t straight…

42 mins: In answer to my previous question – yes they can! Koroibete wins a pretty deep kick-off. Paisami then drives through a gap into the 22. The phases build in midfield but they’re progressively slow until McDermott carries his tackler 10m after contact. 5m out – can the Wallabies capitalise? No! There’s a whistle – and a card! Australian fans have been begging for a sin-bin for repeat transgressions near New Zealand’s line, and now they have one. Can the visitors capitalise?

Ok, everyone is ready for the second-half. Let’s find out if the Wallabies can continue their momentum…

That was a terrific half of rugby. New Zealand lead three tries to two, but Australia are giving as good as they get in open play. That try on the stroke of the interval was crucial to keep the Wallabies in touch, and no less than they deserve for a spirited performance.

The scrum just about holds up, and as it wheels around out of control, McDermott picks the ball up and jinks under the posts!

Lolesio dabs over the extras as the siren sounds for half-time.

40 mins: The scrum, from just to the right of the posts, requires resetting twice. It then spins through 90 degrees and The Wallabies are awarded the penalty. They elect to take yet another 5m scrum. Nepo Laulala is under the referee’s eye.

37 mins: Box kick from Smith, taken well by Banks. Phillip almost crosses halfway with a linebreak – Hooper definitely does with a superb run, then powerful second effort. In no time, the ball is in sniffing distance of the New Zealand line. Australia look certain to score! But the ball doesn’t come out and it’s a penalty instead. “What do you want Michael?” the referee asks. “I want a yellow card!” bemoans Hooper. He doesn’t get his wish, but he does have a 5m scrum.

New Zealand lucky not to concede a penalty try or a yellow card there.

Mo’unga dummies and darts to take New Zealand from halfway to the 22. Infield, the ball is slow but Smith continues to marshal his troops. Runners continue to hit the line – Papalii is immense – and now the breakdown is just 3m from the line. The Wallabies don’t know if the ball is coming out left or right – Ardie Savea doesn’t care, be bulldozes over with the help of Codie Taylor, and the All Blacks have their third try of a superb half.

From that parcel of Eden Park that has become a goalkicker’s graveyard, Mo’unga finally gets his angles right.

Australia remain in touch – as they deserve to be.

31 mins: The lineout is fine, the maul has no momentum so the ball heads in from the left wing with an offside penalty advantage. No gold runners can make any incursions so play is called back and Lolesio has a simple kick for gold.