New Zealand confirmed their status as the team to beat heading into next year’s World Cup by clinching a fourth Grand Slam of the home unions on Saturday to end a successful year on a new high.
The All Blacks weren’t at their all-conquering best against Wales in Cardiff, but still ran in five tries, through Hosea Gear (2), Mils Muliaina, Isaia Toeava and replacement prop John Afoa, to seal a 37-25 win.
Flyhalf Dan Carter kicked 12 points to overtake England No. 10 Jonny Wilkinson as Test rugby’s leading scorer as New Zealand maintained their 57-year unbeaten run against Wales.
PHOTO: AFP
On a successful day for the southern hemisphere, Australia scored seven tries as they romped to a 59-16 victory over France in Saint-Denis and world champions South Africa beat England 21-11 at Twickenham.
However, the All Blacks remain the world’s leading side, with just 10 months to go until they host the World Cup.
“We’re in a pretty good place and we’re pleased with where we have got to,” said New Zealand head coach Graham Henry, whose side has lost just once this year. “We are delighted to win today and achieve a Grand Slam. It’s a special day.”
PHOTO: AFP
New Zealand put in arguably their weakest display of the European tour, but their finishing was ruthless and opportunistic, with the in-form Gear — who went over in the fifth and 53rd minutes — making it five tries for the month.
Carter landed five of nine kicks, with his first successful attempt — a penalty in the eighth minute — seeing him surpass Wilkinson on the all-time list. The 28-year-old Crusaders star started the day two points behind Wilkinson, but is now on 1,188 points.
It was the All Blacks’ third Grand Slam — a clean sweep of the British Isles nations in one end-of-year tour — in five years, after previous wins this month over England (26-16), Scotland (49-3) and Ireland (38-18), and it came at the end of a year when they swept to the Tri-Nations title with six wins from six.
“When you get to the last game, you get pretty up for it,” New Zealand captain Richie McCaw said. “There was still some gas in the tank at the end.”
Wales flyhalf Stephen Jones kicked six penalties and converted Lee Byrne’s last-minute try for 20 points, but it’s now seven matches without a win for Warren Gatland’s side, who lost narrowly to Australia and South Africa this month.
In the most impressive result in four weeks of autumn internationals, Australia produced an amazing second-half display to thrash Six Nations champions France.
James O’Connor scored 29 points to take his tally in his short career to 119 points. The 18-year-old winger is the second youngest player, after Wilkinson, to reach 100 points.
The French forwards outmuscled the Australian pack in the first half to level at 13-13 before the break, but France could not contain Australia’s attacking flair in the second half as they lost for the fifth straight time against the Wallabies.
O’Connor, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Benn Robinson, Will Genia, Rocky Elsom and Drew Mitchell twice scored tries for Australia.
South Africa put England’s recent progress into perspective with a hard-fought win, showing the home side how far they still have to go to become genuine contenders for honors.
The Springboks battered England to force a series of simple errors that checked momentum built by wins over Australia and Samoa.
Morne Steyn kicked two penalties and hit the post with two more, before Willem Alberts and Lwazi Mvovo touched down in the final quarter.
England are undoubtedly in better shape than a year ago, but the loss of their final international this month showed that they cannot yet match the likes of New Zealand and Australia in winning matches when dominated in possession.
“The realities of Test match rugby are that if you don’t do the fundamentals of the game for 80 minutes, you’re not going to win,” England manager Martin Johnson said. “It’s just frustrating and annoying.”
Having watched England tear Australia apart in the loose two weeks ago, South Africa’s trademark pragmatism accounted for England, who were level at halftime, but fell apart after the break.
The Springboks bounced back from a surprise 21-17 defeat to Scotland last weekend to end a tough year with a morale-boosting win.
“I think the guys showed what we can do and that’s what South African rugby is all about,” captain Victor Matfield said. “Our ball carriers, our scrum, everything was working really well. In 2006, we also had a bad year and we turned things around, so hopefully this is an omen for us.”
Ben Foden got a late breakaway try for England to make the score more respectable.
Romania clinched the 20th and final spot at the World Cup with a 39-12 playoff win over visiting Uruguay.
Csaba Gal, Alexandru Manta, Catalin Fercu and Madalin Lemnaru touched down to help keep up Romania’s record of qualifying for every World Cup since the tournament’s inception in 1987.
Scotland replacement Ruaridh Jackson scored a penalty with the last kick of the match to give the home side a 19-16 win over Samoa in Aberdeen.
Mirco Bergamasco struck eight penalties in a faultless kicking display as Italy recovered a 15-point deficit to beat Fiji 24-16 in Modena and end a six-Test losing streak.
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