How ruthless All Blacks snuffed out the Wallabies’ best weapon

The Wallabies might have to rethink their strategy next year when they meet the All Blacks in three Bledisloe Cup Tests and a glamour Rugby World Cup meeting.

Australia’s desire to play running rugby in superb conditions backfired twice as New Zealand pumped them 93-40 across two Tests in Auckland and Sydney.

Styles make fights, as boxing types say, and Wallabies coach Les Kiss summed up the results succinctly.

“We both play very similar styles, they’re just better at it at the moment,” Kiss told Nine’s Wide World of Sports.

Saturday’s 43-21 romp in glorious afternoon sun was a great spectacle for any of the 73,399 people not clad in gold at Accor Stadium.

The humbling loss dropped the Wallabies back to seventh on the world rankings as they lick their wounds and reset for November’s Nations Championship tour against England, Scotland and Wales.

Australia’s lack of depth was brutally exposed by the All Blacks, who got their mojo back after a deflating 3-1 series loss to South Africa and their suffocating, sucker-punching style.

At times, it was all too easy for Dave Rennie’s men, with winger Josh Moorby’s show-and-go punking of Max Jorgensen and Ryan Lonergan summing up the lopsided rivalry.

New Zealand has now beaten Australia 13 times in a row, with Rennie delivering the last Wallabies victory in Brisbane in 2020.

He used that considerable inside knowledge to pick the Wallabies apart as he finally got the chance to sup from the massive cup.

Nullifying Fraser McReight was top of the scouting report.

“He’s probably the best (openside flanker) in the world,” Rennie said.

“They’ve got a great loose-forward trio, probably as good as any country in the world. So, yeah, we’re well aware of Fraser’s threat. He’s not the only one. That’s why the emphasis was on the quality of our carry, our ability to fight to stay up a little bit longer and win races (to the breakdown).

“We had to target him (McReight), and I thought the boys were excellent. He’s often in there digging, but he came up with nothing in key moments.”

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McReight failed to win a turnover in Sydney.

“I didn’t really get too many clean opportunities to be fair. I tried to make a mess of it a lot of times,” McReight lamented.

Rennie didn’t name a specialist pilferer in his starting Bledisloe back-row, with Peter Lakai, Wallace Sititi and Tupou Vaa’i simply part of a collective emphasis on breakdown accuracy and brutality.

It led to lightning quick ball for Cam Roigard to work with as the All Blacks’ always willing carriers overwhelmed the men in gold.

“I’ve probably never felt under so much pressure than in the last two games, when they get on top, with their speed,” Wallabies captain Harry Wilson said.

“They play with a lot of width, they put us... under some extreme pressure. We had a plan from the last game to fix it, and it didn’t work because they just kept getting over the advantage line. You’ve really got to get time on the tackle to slow them down. But we didn’t get that, and they’re a classy, classy team.”

And so the Kiss bubble has been well and truly burst.

But McReight, who was previously coached by Kiss at the Queensland Reds for three years, argued the group could still do some damage up north.

Australia are third on the Nations Championship Southern Hemisphere standings after going 1-2 under Joe Schmidt in July.

Kiss then knocked over an under-strength South Africa as part of a five-game unbeaten run before the trans-Tasman reality check.

“If we were saying we’re going to go into the Bledisloe unbeaten, we’re taking that,” McReight said.

“We beat some really good teams, had some tough opposition and some tough, close games. But the ABs are world-class for a reason. They’re top two in the world and I don’t think there’s many teams that attack like that: very fast and direct and decisive.

“It was a great test for us, and we learned a lot last week, albeit the scoreline wasn’t great. Same for today, we’ll learn a lot. You just can’t give a team 22 points – given they’re the top two in the world – can’t give them 22 points head start...

“No other teams in the northern hemisphere that we’re versing – I guess Scotland maybe a little bit, but not at the ABs’ level – attack like that.

“So for us, we’re versing the best and adapting to the best, so what’s next rung? England’s first up, they love a high high-kick game, they’ve got some big forwards, quick outside backs.

“It is tough over there, but we really relish northern hemisphere teams and especially playing in England. In ’24 we had a great win and last year we’re in that match until the 65th minute, and it kind of went away from us. So the belief is there, and we’ve just got to keep working and taking lessons.”

Codie Taylor - bleeding under his eye like any good All Blacks captain - also offered Wallabies fans some green shoots of encouragement.

“They’ve got a great lineout, I think they’re the best in the world at disrupting opposition ball. We found that out at the start of the last game, and then lost a couple tonight,” Taylor said.

“I thought we were a lot better in that area, though. But you know, again, they’ve also got a great maul, one of the best in the world also. So they’ve really taken a step up there.

“We probably thought we could have a crack at times, but I thought they stood up. You know, they’ve got some good young talent coming through in the front row and stuff, so they’re in a good spot.”

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