Wallabies blown off the park in ‘unacceptable’ performance
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The All Blacks have annihilated the Wallabies 43-21 in Sydney in their 13th straight trans-Tasman victory.
New Zealand crushed Australia 36-7 in the first half to ensure a 2-0 Bledisloe Cup clean sweep on Saturday.
Beauden Barrett of the All Blacks scores a try. Getty Images
The All Blacks’ biggest ever win over the Wallabies was a 51-20 triumph in 2014.
Les Kiss’ side won the second half 14-7, but the first-year coach was left to rue a sloppy start to the game in front of 73,339 fans at Accor Stadium.
“It’s unacceptable, (conceding) 22 points like that, and you put yourself on the back foot. The boys know that. It’s just not on. You can’t do that. We’ve had two bad halves now in the last two weeks, and it hurts you,” Kiss told Stan Sport.
“It was damage. At half-time, we had to question some things. We had to choose how we were going to go into that second half. None of us accept 22-0 suddenly like that. We can’t. Those line breaks we offered, those missed tackles and again, a team like the All Blacks are so clinical and knock you off.
“A lot of single Test guys learned a lot tonight but as a team, I think there has to be a bit more thinking about what it really means to turn up in that first half and make sure we don’t make those errors.”
Fullback Beauden Barrett and winger Josh Moorby both scored braces for Dave Rennie’s rampant side.
The All Blacks beat the Wallabies 50-19 at Eden Park last weekend.
“I’m gutted. We’re going to have to be a lot better. It’s not the way we wanted to finish the year here,” Wallabies captain Harry Wilson told Stan Sport.
“We had a terrible second half in the first game, and we had a terrible first half in the second half. You can’t have that. Too little, too late.”
The Wallabies relinquished the Bledisloe Cup to the All Blacks in 2003 and have not been able to reclaim it since.
“Aussie rugby fans are left wondering when, when will the Bledisloe Cup pain end?” Sean Maloney pondered on Stan Sport.
Allan Alaalatoa of the Wallabies looks on. Getty Images
The Wallabies now get a break to lick their wounds before venturing north for the resumption of the Nations Championship.
Their next Test is a blockbuster date with England in London on November 9 (AEDT).
Kiss hopes to be boosted by a raft of key players for that clash.
“Carter’s (Gordon) coming on (from his broken leg recovery), Donno (Ben Donaldson, groin), he’d be right next week if we had to play,” Kiss said.
“Hunter (Paisami) and Lenny (Ikitau), they’ll be fine for sure. Obviously, Hoops (Tom Hooper) and Taniela (Tupou) and all those as well.
’Yes we’ll definitely have, I think, those sorts of players back for selection.”
All Blacks 43 (B Barrett 2, Moorby 2, Lakai, Ioane, Sititi tries; McKenzie 4 con) Wallabies 21 (Williams, Wright, Daugunu tries; Lonergan 2 con, Meredith con)
