The All Blacks ended their six-year winless streak in Wellington to claim their first victory at Sky Stadium since 2018. Caleb Clarke ran in two of the home side’s five tries as New Zealand held off an impressive first-half display by the Wallabies, who are improving under Joe Schmidt ahead of the next year’s tour of Australia by the British and Irish Lions.
Australia captain Harry Wilson had talked in the build-up about the importance of the Wallabies making a strong start and his team responded by flying out of the traps. New Zealand, who had stormed into a 21-0 early lead in Sydney the week before in their 31-28 away win, struggled to get out of their half in their opening exchanges at Sky Stadium. The Wallabies took a deserved lead when openside flanker Fraser McReight burrowed his way over for a converted try after sustained pressure.
New Zealand responded with a lethal counterattack. Blindside flanker Wallace Sititi punched a hole in the Wallabies’ midfield, Anton Lienert-Brown carried on the move and fired out a long pass to Sevu Reece who pinned his ears back to cross in the corner. Beauden Barrett, back in the All Blacks Number 10 shirt in place of Damian McKenzie, missed the conversion and Wallbies fly-half Noah Lolesio landed a penalty from right in front of the posts as Australia extended their lead to 10-5 midway through the first half.
The All Blacks took the lead for the first time with a piece of brilliant individual skill from Will Jordan. The full-back hit the line at pace, fended off McReight’s lunging tackle and put his foot on the gas to power over. Barrett nailed the conversion, but the Wallabies responded by battering the All Blacks line. McReight was held up after frantic defending by the All Blacks, who conceded a penalty which Lolesio stroked between the posts to put Australia 13-12 ahead with half-time approaching.
The All Blacks picked the perfect time to grab their third try by playing off-the-cuff. The ball went wide to Reece who cut back inside, but Caleb Clarke spotted a gap, coming from deep onto a flat pass and powering over between the posts for a converted try to put New Zealand 19-13 ahead at half-time.
It was all New Zealand after the break as the Wallabies failed to bother the scoreboard.
Replacement prop Tamaiti Williams bulldozed his way over under the posts with lock Tupou Vaa’i adding his weight to secure the bonus point.
Barrett banged over the conversion to stretch New Zealand’s lead to 26-13. The All Blacks kept finding holes as Codie Taylor, Sititi and Savea punched through the defence before Vaa’i had a try disallowed after a knock on in the build-up.
New Zealand also cracked their miserable record of failing to score in the final quarter this season when McKenzie came off the bench and injected pace into an attack to put Clarke over for his second try – and the All Blacks fifth – on 64 minutes with Barrett landing the conversion.
Openside flanker Sam Cane earned a standing ovation when he was clapped off having become only the 13th All Black to reach the milestone of 100 Test apperances
For the second week running, Clarke was sent to the sin bin when he was shown a late yellow card for playing the ball offside, but his indiscretion did little to detract from a comfortable All Blacks win.
New Zealand: 33
TRIES: 5 (Reece 16’, Jordan 22’, Clarke 40‘+1, 65, Williams 55)
CONVERSIONS: 4 (Barrett 23’, 40+2’, 56’, 66’)
PENALTIES: 0
DROP GOALS: 0
YELLOW CARDS: 1 (Clarke 77’)
RED CARDS: 0
15. Will Jordan, 14. Sevu Reece, 13. Rieko Ioane, 12. Anton Lienert-Brown, 11. Caleb Clarke, 10. Beauden Barrett, 9. TJ Perenara, 8. Ardie Savea, 7. Sam Cane, 6. Wallace Sititi, 5. Tupou Vaa’i, 4. Scott Barrett (capt), 3. Tyrel Lomax, 2. Codie Taylor, 1. Ethan de Groot
Replacements: 16. Asafo Aumua, 17. Tamaiti Williams, 18. Pasilio Tosi, 19. Patrick Tuipulotu, 20. Luke Jacobson, 21. Cortez Ratima, 22. Damian McKenzie, 23. David Havili
Australia: 13
TRIES: 1 (McReight 8’)
CONVERSIONS: 1 (Lolesio 9’)
PENALTIES: 2 (Lolesio 9’, 37’)
DROP GOALS: 0
YELLOW CARDS: 0
RED CARDS: 0
15. Tom Wright, 14. Andrew Kellaway, 13. Len Ikitau, 12. Hunter Paisami, 11. Dylan Pietsch, 10. Noah Lolesio, 9. Jake Gordon, 8. Harry Wilson (capt), 7. Fraser McReight, 6. Rob Valetini, 5. Jeremy Williams, 4. Nick Frost, 3. Taniela Tupou, 2. Matt Faessler, 1. Angus Bell
Replacements: 16. Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17. Isaac Kailea, 18. Allan Alaalatoa, 19. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 20. Langi Gleeson, 21. Tate McDermott, 22. Ben Donaldson, 23. Josh Flook
All Blacks relief as Sititi shines again, Schmidt looks to the Lions tour
New Zealand captain Scott Barrett was the first to admit there was relief in the camp at finally getting the Sky Stadium monkey off their backs. The All Blacks have had a miserable time of late in the capital, crashing to a shock defeat to Argentina at Sky Stadium, the same venue they had lost to Ireland in 2022 on their previous visit.
“Really pleased to have reversed the curse,” said Barrett. “We didn’t start too well, but I’m really pleased with how we finished. There was some grit in defence and we held out the Aussies,” said Barrett as the All Blacks shut Australia out in the second half. We talked about owning our effort and it showed there on our line, it was pleasing to not let them in.”
“Pleased to finish on a high in our final home game,” he added as Sam Cane, on his 100th Test appearance, and TJ Perenara both played what is likely to be their final international in New Zealand after signing with Japanese clubs.
Australia captain Harry Wilson rued missed opportunities as the Wallabies fell short in their bid to claim only their second win at Sky Stadium. Despite dominating the early exchanges and rattling the All Blacks, Australia couldn’t sustain the effort.
“We’re obviously gutted,” said Wilson. “It’s not the result we came here and wanted. Our first 40 (minutes) was really good – we showed up and started fast, but struggled with possession in the second half. We had a few chances which we couldn’t capitalise on and they hurt us at the end.”
Arguably, the find of the year for the All Blacks is 22-year-old Wallace Sititi who has been outstanding in his debut season after bolting into the New Zealand squad on the back of breaking into the Waikato Chiefs squad.
His eye for a gap with a great mix of skill and power belies the youngster’s inexperience. New Zealand coach Scott Robertson is backing Sititi to be a standout figure on their northern tour when the All Blacks face Japan, England, Ireland, France and Italy, starting next month.
“A lot’s been said about him but the good thing about him is he’s humble — the hype won’t go to his head,” Robertson said of Sititi, who has started the last three Tests after injury to Ethan Blackadder.
“Wallace is just a quality loose forward and he trusts his skills, and he’s got a real calmness.
“And the profile he’s got, the size, he’s got a power game and a skill set and he’s tough.”
Robertson said Jordie Barrett is expected to be included in his 36-man tour squad after the centre, who joins Irish province Leinster later this year, missed the Wellington Test with knee damage.
Australia are also heading to Europe for November Tests against England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, giving Joe Schmidt the chance to see potential Lions players first hand.
“We’ll get a good look at their personnel,” said Schmidt, who coached Ireland for seven years up to 2019.
“I know them well and I know how good they are.
“It’s a bit like when we come up against the All Blacks, you know it’s going to be a really tough tour.
“But if we can keep building through that tour, then I think we put ourselves in position of potentially being competitive next July (for the 2025 Lions tour).”
Schmidt is rebuilding the Wallabies after Eddie Jones oversaw the Australia’s World Cup debacle in 2023, when they crashed out after the pool stages.
Following his nine Tests in charge, Schmidt is yet to decide his best 15 players after nine games in charge, with four wins and five defeats. “Going north, for us, is still about building depth.”