Well, the All Blacks have dead set successfully retained the Bledisloe Cup for another year as they thrashed the Wallabies (Who had an impressive display in Bledisloe I by running 3 late tries but ran out of time to find new ways & methods of toppling the All Blacks during the 2nd Bledisloe Cup test but there were tries being scored by David Havili (Who finished the Aussies off with a try at the death just like Rico Gear did against the British & Irish Lions way back in 2005), Rieko Ioane (Who scored the opening try off an intercept), Will Jordan (Who had a successful comeback from a hamstring injury), Sevu Reece (Who did a carbon copy of the Rieko Ioane try by also scoring a try off an intercept), Brodie Retallick, Ardie Savea (Who got yellow carded during the 2nd half of the match for going off his feet at the breakdown) & of course Codie Taylor who dotted it down not once but twice while the try scorers for Australia were both Andrew Kellaway (Who scored both tries just like Codie Taylor did) & the young Wallaby halfback of Tate McDermott) in Bledisloe II as well as the opening round of the 2021 edition of the Rugby Championship at Eden Park in Auckland in which the AB's have remained unbeaten at this ground since 1994 but the Wallabies chances & hopes of ending a 35 year drought against the All Blacks at the garden of Eden has been extended & will have to wait some other time so here is the match commentary provided from Newshub:
Kia ora and welcome to live updates of the second Bledisloe Cup test between the All Blacks and Australia at Auckland's Eden Park in as many weeks.
The hosts - coming off last weekend's 33-25 win - will wrap up the prized trans-Tasman silverware for the 19th straight year with a victory, while the Wallabies will be desperate to continue their momentum from late in the first test and break their hoodoo at The Garden.
We'll have all the action for you from just before kick-off at 7 PM.
All Blacks: 1-George Bower, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-Nepo Laulala, 4-Brodie Retallick, 5-Sam Whitelock (c), 6-Akira Ioane, 7-Dalton Papali'i, 8-Ardie Savea, 9-Aaron Smith, 10-Richie Mo'unga, 11-Sevu Reece, 12-David Havili, 13-Rieko Ioane, 14-Will Jordan, 15-Damian McKenzie
Reserves: 16-Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17-Karl Tu'inukuafe, 18-Angus Ta'avao, 19-Scott Barrett, 20-Luke Jacobson, 21-TJ Perenara, 22-Beauden Barrett, 23-Jordie Barrett
Australia: 1-James Slipper, 2-Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 3-Allan Alaalatoa, 4-Darcy Swain, 5-Matt Philip, 6-Lachie Swinton, 7-Michael Hooper (c), 8-Rob Valetini, 9-Tate McDermott, 10-Noah Lolesio, 11-Marika Koroibete, 12-Matt To'omua, 13-Hunter Paisami, 14-Andrew Kellaway, 15-Tom Banks
Reserves: 16-Jordan Uelese, 17-Scott Sio, 18-Taniela Tupou, 19-Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 20-Harry Wilson, 21-Nic White, 22-Len Ikitau, 23-Reece Hodge
6:57 PM: Both teams make their way out on to the Eden Park turf on a chilly but clear night in Auckland.
7:00 PM: As expected, the crowd is looking relatively sparse for the second consecutive weekend of tests at The Garden, but we still get a hearty rendition of 'God Defend..'.
7:03 PM: Aaron Smith retains the honour of leading the haka, despite the return of TJ Perenara. Empassioned performance of ole fave 'Ka Mate', and now it's time to get into some footy.
We're underway...
1ST MINUTE, SCRUM: Richie Mo'unga gets us started, All Blacks running towards the western stand. Aussie spill the kick off, but the All Blacks can't capitalize - McKenzie drilled in the tackle and losing the ball. Scrum Aussie near their own 22 m.
3RD MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), PENALTY: Three scrum resets and we finish with a penalty against Laulala. Banks takes us to a line out at the NZ 10m.
4TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), TRY ALL BLACKS & CONVERSION: Neat chip over the top from To'omua is lost by McKenzie. Aussie hot on attack, but the To'omua's next move isn't so flash, throwing a skip pass that is easily picked off by Rieko Ioane, who goes 80m to score the game's first try. (NZ 7 - 0)
7TH MINUTE (3 MINUTES LATER): Aussie move from the lineout, NZ 10m line. Charging run from Valetini.
8TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), TRY WALLABIES & CONVERSION MISS: Perfect response from the Wallabies, who string together multiple phases in a sustained assault, before a perfect wide chip kick for rookie wing Andrew Kellaway to beat McKenzie inside and score his second try of the series. Try unconverted. (NZ 7 - 5)
10TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), PENALTY: All Blacks under pressure again, line out inside their own 22m. Smith clears beyond halfway. Return kick bounces into touch and NZ go quickly, then win a penalty. Lineout 30m from the Aussie line.
13TH MINUTE (3 MINUTES LATER), PENALTY: NZ roll the maul, Mo'unga hits Reece inside into a huge hole, Hooper tracks back to make a crucial tackle. Penalty advantage cashed in, NZ turn down the shot at goal for a 5m lineout.
14TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY: Another penalty for NZ, and they again turn down a straight forward three points to go back to the 5 m line out.
15TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), SCRUM: Great work by the Wallabies pack, who hold up the NZ ball carrier to win a 5 m scrum.
17TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), FREE KICK (SHORT ARM PENALTY) & PENALTY: NZ free kick from the line out near the Aussie 22 m. They'll pack a scrum. Penalty NZ, and this time Mo'unga points to the posts. 25 m on a slight angle...sends it wide to the right.
21ST MINUTE (4 MINUTES LATER): All Blacks give the ball some air from the restart. Ioane down the right flank, Mo'unga almost breaks clear. Reece fumbles and Aussie clear.
23RD MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), PENALTY: Havili looked to have stripped the ball carrier but it's deemed a tackle completed and penalty Australia for a no clear release (Tackler not releasing).
24TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER, TRY ALL BLACKS & CONVERSION: Akira Ioane makes another rampaging run down the right edge, dummies, finds McKenzie inside, who throws a beautiful flick pass to a storming Retallick, who gallops 22 m to score under the crossbar. (NZ 14 - 5)
26TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), PENALTY & SCRUM: Lovely work at the breakdown by Codie Taylor, who wins a defensive penalty for the All Blacks for holding on (Not releasing ball). Mo'unga finds touch at the Australian 10 m. Sloppy line out results in an Aussie scrum.
28TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), PENALTY: Crafty kick in behind from Tom Banks, McKenzie forced to scramble it into touch. Probably could've let that roll into the in-goal, odd decision. Referee trapped in the ruck, much to the delight of the crowd. Whitelock pinged for jumping across in the line out, Aussie will set the 5 m line out.
30TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), PENALTY: Sturdy maul defence from NZ, but they've conceded another penalty. Lolesio will take a gift three points here. (NZ 14 - 8)
32ND MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER): NZ win the ball from the restart and are hot on attack. Mo'unga ghosts through a gap, 5 m out now.
33RD MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), TRY ALL BLACKS & CONVERSION: Ardie Savea picks from a close range ruck after a powerful Dalton Papali'i run and Taylor shunts in behind to power him over the chalk. No stopping that caboose. Mo'unga converts. (NZ 21 - 8)
36TH MINUTE (3 MINUTES LATER), PENALTY: Smith clears from the restart. Hooper makes a superb run, sets Aussie up 15m from the NZ line. The Aussie forwards pick and go quickly, NZ forced to infringe right on their own line. Very lucky to escape with a yellow card there for off feet (Player leaving feet). Aussie turn down the shot for a 5m scrum.
38TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), SCRUM: Big moment in the match here, as halftime approaches. NZ under pressure on their own try line, scrum next to the right-hand post, options either way.
39TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY & SCRUM: NZ screw the scrum, another penalty, another scrum.
40TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), TRY WALLABIES & CONVERSION: Smart play from halfback Tate McDermott, who sees Smith drift the other way in defence and cuts inside to dive under the black dot as the halftime hooter sounds. Try converted, and it's very much game on.
HALF TIME
Second half underway...
41ST MINUTE: Lolesio gets us restarted. This should be an intriguing second half, if the first was anything to go by. Koroibete does really well to win it and put Aussie immediately on the attack.
42ND MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY & YELLOW CARD: 10 phases now, McDermott bursts from the ruck, pulled down a metre short. Aussie penalty and Savea pays the price with a yellow card for diving straight off his feet (Sealing off). That one had been coming for a while, too many infringements on their own line.
SCRUM: To the 5 m line out they go...not straight. That's a coach killer right there. NZ off the hook, for now.
44TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), PENALTY: Havili with a powerful carry to get NZ out of their 5 m danger zone. Akira Ioane follows suit, penalty NZ. Line out near halfway.
46TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER): McKenzie does well to reel in a tricky bouncing ball, frees it to Mo'unga who bangs it deep. Aussie run it out, and Will Jordan streaks through to tackle his man into touch. NZ line out at the 50 m.
47TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), TRY ALL BLACKS & CONVERSION: Smith snipes down the narrowest of blindsides, fakes to the outside then finds Codie Taylor streaking inside, and the hooker goes 30 m to score. Mo'unga converts. (NZ 28 - 15)
49TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), PENALTY: Havili taken out in the air from the restart. Mo'unga with a great touch finder from the penalty, but Taylor is off the mark with his throw. Koroibete finds space, Aussie to the NZ 10 m line. Whitelock in on the ruck to save the day, defensive penalty NZ for not releasing ball (Holding on).
52ND MINUTE (3 MINUTES LATER), PENALTY GOAL: Well, McKenzie wants to have a crack here, almost 60m out. Stiff breeze at his back. Clears it by inches! That was a solid 57 m, insane. (NZ 31 - 15)
54TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), TRY ALL BLACKS & CONVERSION: Would you believe it, yet another intercept try. This time it's Sevu Reece, who saw it all the way and races 60 m to score what could be a dagger of a try (NZ 38 - 15).
56TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER): Jordan wins a defensive penalty at the ruck for not releasing. Ardie Savea back on the field from the bin.
57TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), SCRUM & SUBSTITUTION: Smith breaks again, as the rain comes down. NZ 10 m out, but Ioane spills it on the pick and go. Jordie Barrett enters the fold, McKenzie to the bench.
58TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), FREE KICK (SHORT ARM PENALTY) & SCRUM: Free kick against the feed, and NZ will pack a 5 m scrum. Another great scoring opportunity here.
60TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), TRY ALL BLACKS & CONVERSION MISS: Smith lays a dime right on Taylor's chest as he loops behind the ruck, puts his head down and slides over in the tackle. Mo'unga can't convert from out wide. (NZ 43 - 15)
64TH MINUTE (4 MINUTES LATER): Nicely worked Aussie counter attack after a Jordie Barrett break ends in a fumbled pass. Odd option for a fairly aimless kick from Aussie, NZ line out at their own 22 m.
65TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), TRY ALL BLACKS & CONVERSION: Papali'i with a searing half break, offload to Savea who powers clear of two tacklers and puts Jordan over in the corner. This getting ugly for the Australians. Beauden Barrett - on for Mo'unga - nails the sideline conversion (NZ 50 - 15).
67TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), SUBSTITUTION: TJ Perenara back on the field for the All Blacks, ya love to see it. Aussie with an attacking 5 m line out.
68TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), TRY WALLABIES & CONVERSION: Second man play and Tom Banks does brilliantly to throw a wide ball to an unmarked Kellaway, who runs in his second try of the night. Lolesio converts. (NZ 50 - 22)
71ST MINUTE (3 MINUTES LATER): Aussie on the offensive, at the NZ 22 m now, as the rain pelts down in Auckland.
77TH MINUTE (6 MINUTES LATER): The combo of rain and tired bodies results in a few sloppy moments, as we draw to the end of what will be a comfortable All Blacks win. NZ work their way out of their own 22 m thanks to a raking punt from B. Barrett. Line out at halfway.
82ND MINUTE (5 MINUTES LATER), TRY ALL BLACKS & CONVERSION: Havili scampers clear from broken play to put another nail in the Australians' already well sealed coffin. That's a record score for the All Blacks against Aussie in NZ. (NZ 57 - 22)
FULL TIME: Incredible second-half performance from the All Blacks, who have turned a six-point halftime lead into the biggest win ever over Australia on NZ soil.
NEW ZEALAND 57 (Taylor 2, Havili, Jordan, Reece, Savea, R. Ioane, Retallick tries, Mo'unga 5 cons, McKenzie pen)
AUSTRALIA 22 (Kellaway 2, McDermott, Lolesio pen, 2 cons)
And finally the defending world champions South Africa got off to a flying start on their return to the Rugby Championship a week after their triumph in the Lions test series as they defeated Argentina by 20 points with the score 32 points to 12 (That's the same scoreline that the Springboks took victory against England to win their 3rd Rugby World Cup title during the 2019 Rugby World Cup final in Yokohama, Japan) in Port Elizabeth.
So that is my 448th blog of the year 2021 (MMXXI) & my 48th of this year.
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