All Blacks teach spiteful Wallabies a lesson

The cup is billed as the symbol of trans-Tasman rivalry, but it has been all one-way traffic since 2002 when it was last held by Australia.

After thrashing the Wallabies 42-8 in Sydney a week ago, this victory enabled the All Blacks to lock the Bledisloe Cup away for another year making the third Test in October a dead rubber.

The four tries to nil victory also gave the Kiwis a strong foothold in the Rugby Championship – the one piece of silverware the Aussies still have.

The Wallabies were more determined and – as coach Michael Cheika asked – showed attitude. However, it was mostly brainless aggression that achieved very little and often resulted in turnovers.

It allowed New Zealand's greater skill and artful innovation to set up tries.

In contrast the Wallabies had to rely on penalties in a desperate attempt to stay in the game.

The Wallabies stayed in touch in the first half, with the All Blacks only 15-9, but were kept scoreless in the second half as the All Blacks added a further 14 points of the Round Two Rugby Championship clash.

In two Tests this month the world champion All Blacks have scored 10 tries and conceded one.

But, unlike the first Test, when the All Blacks were in command from the start, they did not have it all their own way for the first 46 minutes of the rematch.

Israel Dagg scored two tries with Julian Savea and Sam Cane also dotting down while Beauden Barrett landed three conversions and a penalty for the All Blacks.

The Wallabies points came from two Bernard Foley penalties and one by Reece Hodge.

For most of the game, the sublime flavour from a week ago was replaced by a scrappy, sour performance as the Wallabies, as expected, began with considerable intent.

Amid the feisty start they claimed two turnovers in the first four minutes, but for all their endeavour and vastly improved line speed they made little headway.

Instead, their improvement on attack gave way to a struggling set piece, losing their own ball at crucial times, and their defence also let them down.

Aaron Smith and Beauden Barrett took turns at carving through the defensive wall to set up Dagg for the All Blacks' two first half tries.

Their path forward was made easier by a one-man advantage as a result of the Wallabies' decision to keep flyhalf Quade Cooper away from the frontline.

Australia relied on the three first half penalties, with Hodge – who came on for his Test debut when Ashley Adam-Cooper left the field with concussion – landing a booming 55-metre effort.

There was considerable niggle in the first half which only settled down just before half-time when referee Roman Poite tired of issuing warnings and set Wallabies lock Adam Coleman to the sin-bin for a late charge on Ben Smith.

Dagg, who relished the move to the right wing, set up the first try in the second half when he beat Quade Cooper in the air for the All Blacks to swing the ball to the other side of the field where Savea scored in the corner.

Cane bagged the All Blacks fourth try after Ben Smith sliced through the Wallabies backs with 19 minutes remaining.

Although the All Blacks did not score again they spent most of the time camped in Wallabies territory and missed three possible tries through handing errors.

Man of the match: You can probably nominate the entire All Black team. Dane Coles was very busy, as always. Sam Whitelock did not just bring his physicality, but sublime line-out skills as well – winning some crucial turnovers. Brodie Retallick added some great breakdown skills to his physical game. Aaron Smith produced an early sniping break that created the momentum for the first try and his usual all round game. Beauden Barrett again controlled the game in a true masterclass of flyhalf play. However, our man of the match goes to All Black Israel Dagg – who made a seamless switch from fullback to wing. He was great in the air and apart from scoring two tries, also set up another.

Moment of the match: There was the decision midway in the first half not to yellow card Dane Coles, despite his blatant swinging arm to the face of  Wallaby. Then followed the yellow card to Adam Coleman late in the first half for a late shoulder charge – the type of inconsistent rulings that leave a question mark over a referee's capabilities. However, the moment that sealed the victory and took the game away from the Wallabies was the Julian Savea try in the 46th minute – set up by none other than Israel Dagg with his great aerial skills.

Villain: The entire Wallaby team for their brainless aggression – thinking they could bully the All Blacks into submission.

The scorers:

For New Zealand:

Tries:Dagg 2, J Savea, Cane

Cons: Barrett 3

Pen: Barrett

For Australia:

Pens:Foley 3

Yellow card: Adam Coleman (Australia, 37 – foul play, late shoulder charge)

Teams:

New Zealand: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Israel Dagg, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read (captain), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Joe Moody.

Replacements: 16 James Parsons, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Liam Squire, 20 Ardie Savea, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Aaron Cruden, 23 Seta Tamanivalu

Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Samu Kerevi, 12 Bernard Foley, 11 Dane Haylett-Petty, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 David Pocock, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Kane Douglas, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Stephen Moore (captain), 1 Scott Sio.

Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Allan Ala'alatoa, 19 Will Skelton, 20 Dean Mumm, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Tevita Kuridrani, 23 Reece Hodge.

Referee: Romain Poite (France)

Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Federico Anselmi (Argentina)

TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)