Malakai Fekitoa’s converted try in the dying seconds denied Australia as the All Blacks snatched a breathtaking 29-28 victory in the Bledisloe Cup yesterday.
Australia had looked certain to take a famous win when they led 28-22 with time all but up, but the world champions dashed their hopes when Fekitoa crossed with just 3 seconds left.
Replacement flyhalf Colin Slade then coolly slotted the conversion from 15m from the sideline to end a brave challenge from an under-seige Australia outfit.
Photo: AFP
Australia played with more passion than at almost any time throughout the season.
The hosts survived an early onslaught from the All Blacks and then gradually began to get the better of their opponents as the match wore on.
They took a 15-12 lead into half-time and extended that to 22-12 and then 25-15 before the All Blacks, who were down to 14 men, struck back to make it 25-22 with 10 minutes remaining.
Another Australia penalty made it 28-22 before New Zealand engineered their great escape, to the dismay of most of the 43,000 fans at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.
New Zealand had all the running in the opening 10 minutes, but it was Australia who struck first when scrumhalf Nick Phipps darted over to open the scoring.
The All Blacks hit straight back, reclaiming the ball from the kickoff and feeding winner Cory Jane, who dived over in the corner.
Wallabies flyhalf Bernard Foley kicked a penalty to make it 10-7, but the lead lasted only 3 minutes, as New Zealand hooker Dane Coles crossed after throwing a spectacular dummy 15m out and beating three defenders to the line.
The Wallabies hit the front once more when Foley dived over in the corner from the base of a ruck.
The Wallabies were first to strike in the second half as their big ball runners began to make some easy ground. Wallaby winger Adam Ashley-Cooper, playing his 100th Test, crossed in the corner, and when Foley kicked the conversion, Australia led 22-12 4 minutes into the second half.
A Beauden Barrett penalty 13 minutes into the half brought the score back to 22-15, but Foley replied soon after to restore the 10-point advantage.
All Blacks scrumhalf Aaron Smith darted over from a quick tap to close the gap once more, before Fekitoa’s heroics sealed victory.
After the game, it was revealed that Australia coach Ewen McKenzie had resigned a few hours before kickoff.
McKenzie, who took over from Robbie Deans just over a year ago, had come under pressure over the past two weeks for his role in a row over offensive text messages Kurtley Beale allegedly sent to a team official in June.
He was forced to deny he had been involved in an intimate relation with Di Patston, the official in question, and faced the accusation that he had lost the support of senior players over her role with the team.
The defeat to the All Blacks was a third straight loss for the Wallabies after defeats in South Africa and Argentina over the past month and left McKenzie with a 50 percent winning record in his 22 matches in charge.
“I did not ask Ewen to resign, but understand his decision. He informed me this morning of his intention to resign, regardless of tonight’s result,” Australian Rugby Union boss Bill Pulver said in a statement. “Ewen is a world-class coach and a world-class individual.”
Pulver said he hoped to appoint a new coach by the end of the week.
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