Doug Howlett scored two tries Saturday as New Zealand capped an unbeaten Tri-Nations campaign with a 21-17 win over Australia and regained the Bledisloe Cup for the first time since 1998.
The flying All Blacks winger crossed twice and split the defense on a third bustling sprint as the hosts took a 15-9 halftime lead. The New Zealanders then held out a storming Wallabies outfit late in a see-sawing second period.
PHOTO: AP
The Eden Park match was played 100 years and one day after Australia and New Zealand first met in a rugby union test match, at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Aug. 15, 1903. New Zealand won that match 22-3 to establish a history of superiority over their Tasman neighbors.
PHOTO: AP
Recent clashes between the bitter rivals have been dominated by the world champion Australians, and flanker Reuben Thorne became the first All Blacks captain since Sean Fitzpatrick in 1997 to hold aloft the Bledisloe Cup.
"This competition has always been a huge battle and after so long we were always desperate to get the Bledisloe Cup back," Thorne said. "We'll celebrate tonight and look forward to the World Cup."
Carlos Spencer gave New Zealand an 18-9 lead with a penalty just after the halftime break and the Australians crossed the tryline twice in a two-minute period but were denied on both occasions by the video referee.
Nathan Sharpe crossed in the 55th but was ruled held up and Steve Larkham slid into the post after an ankle tap from Justin Marshall but replays couldn't reveal if he'd pressured the ball on the post to warrant the five points.
Flatley slotted a penalty from in front to reduce the margin to six points in the 58th minute but Spencer replied with a goal from the sideline to make the score 21-12.
The Australians again were a meter from the tryline in the 73rd minute when the All Blacks opted to concede a penalty.
Three minutes later, flanker George Smith barged over in the left corner after a sniping run from skipper George Gregan to get Australia back within four points. Flatley's sideline conversion was wide.
The Wallabies had opened the scoring via a Flatley penalty goal and the All Blacks took the lead when Howlett crossed in the sixth minute on a brilliant counter-attack raid.
Fullback Mils Muliaina returned Stephen Larkham's clearance kick that failed to find touch, linking with flanker Ritchie McCaw who established an attacking ruck.
New Zealand moved the ball wide and hooker Keven Mealamu split the Wallaby defense in midfield before turning the ball in to Howlett.
Spencer converted for a 7-3 but the Australians regained the edge on penalties from Flatley in the 17th and 21st minutes, both when the Wallabies had gone within a meter of the tryline and both for the All Blacks offside in the ruck.
Howlett outpaced Flatley to Spencer's kick behind the Wallaby line after All Blacks No. 8 Jerry Collins' controversial ruck ball win at the back of the Australian ruck.
Spencer's conversion attempt hit the right upright but he landed a penalty in the 36th minute to extend the margin to six points. He missed another penalty shot before the break when the All Blacks were paid the advantage after lock Chris Jack got across the tryline from a close ruck but didn't get downward pressure on the ball.
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