New Zealand face Australia in Wellington on Saturday morning in the final match of both sides’ 2024 Rugby Championship campaign, with kick-off at 8.05am BST.
The All Blacks fought off a late Australian comeback in Sydney last week after being reduced to 13 men, with early tries from Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane and Caleb Clarke enough to help seal a 31-28 win. It means that New Zealand have retained the Bledisloe Cup once more, with the Wallabies travelling across the Tasman looking to immediately avenge that defeat.
The All Blacks face off against Australia in the Rugby Championship (AFP via Getty Images)
Both sides are simply playing for pride this weekend as they sit third and fourth respectively in the Rugby Championship table, with both unable to win the tournament. But a fierce rugby rivalry is unlikely to be dimmed by those circumstances as each eyes a strong finish to a mixed campaign.
Follow all the action from the Rugby Championship clash in our live blog below:
New Zealand v Australia LIVE
New Zealand host Australia in Wellington in the Rugby Championship
TRY! New Zealand 0-7 AUSTRALIA (Fraser McReight, 8 minutes)
KICK OFF!
The game is both sides’ final match of the 2024 Rugby Championship, with neither in contention to win the tournament
The All Blacks held off a thrilling comeback from the Wallabies to win 31-28 last week in Sydney
New Zealand 0-7 Australia, 11 minutes
08:20 , Harry Latham-Coyle
All the while, Taniela Tupou has somehow managed to lumber on, the tighthead again performing his duties admirably at the first New Zealand scrum. Will Jordan’s kick travels out of play before wing Caleb Clarke can reel it in.
And the All Blacks are on the wrong side of the officials in these early skirmishes. Sam Cane is slightly harshly penalised having appeared to have got his jackal spot on, grating the Wallabies another chance to enter New Zealand territory.
(Getty Images)
New Zealand 0-7 Australia, 9 minutes
08:17 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Nearly something sensational! Boy, are Australia up for it or what? Insipid in the first quarter a week ago, they are running everything here, going from inside their own 22 and cutting New Zealand open. Only an errant, forward pass from Noah Lolesio prevents a promising attack from continuing from coast to coast.
TRY! New Zealand 0-7 AUSTRALIA (Fraser McReight, 8 minutes)
08:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And there it is! Fraser McReight finds a sliver of space to lunge to the line!
The pressure had built and built but it took the clever openside to find the score. McReight had looked a little upright in the carry but he used his deceptive strength to shake his limbs free, enabling him to find a gap between All Black limbs to touch down. Noah Lolesio converts impressively from the left – what a start from the Wallabies!
New Zealand 0-0 Australia, 7 minutes
08:14 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A strong one-on-one tackle from Caleb Clarke and back to the penalty again they come. This time, Australia tap and go quickly as they seek to convert their early dominance into a try.
New Zealand 0-0 Australia, 6 minutes
08:13 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Matt Faessler hits the mark and into the drive Australia launch. It runs aground, but a darting Faessler keeps the move alive. Another penalty advantage is coming.
New Zealand 0-0 Australia, 5 minutes
08:12 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Ardie Savea stalls some momentum with a Herculean heave of a carrier back towards the 22-metre line, and Nika Amashukeli brings the players back for the penalty. Corner or posts? The Wallabies opt for the aggressive choice, turning down points and kicking for a five-metre lineout.
New Zealand 0-0 Australia, 4 minutes
08:11 , Harry Latham-Coyle
This is a good start from Australia. Large lock Jeremy Williams spins out of a tackle before Rob Valetini and Dylan Pietsch show well in the carry. Penalty advantage is coming as Taniela Tupou lumps to within six metres of the New Zealand line.
New Zealand 0-0 Australia, 3 minutes
08:10 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The first attempt to set the scrum goes down immediately, Tupou kicking his leg to try and get the movement back. Referee Nika Amashukeli swaps over to his side, suspecting that it may be where the problem comes as they engage again.
Tupou is steady and off Australia go! A canny switch-back play to the blindside sends Andrew Kellaway sprinting into space, and have they managed to score? No, knocked on! Kellaway’s toe ahead was fumbled back by a sliding Beauden Barrett but Jake Gordon couldn’t gather clenaly with the line at his mercy!
New Zealand 0-0 Australia, 2 minutes
08:08 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Tupou tests the flexion in the joint, strugging to bear his (quite considerable) weight. But he’s going to try to soldier on – out comes the strapping to try and help him continue.
It will be a scrum to restart, which will test just how ready that knee is.
New Zealand 0-0 Australia, 1 minute
08:07 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A competent first take in the air from Tom Wright as TJ Perenara tests the Australia backfield with a high box kick. The Wallabies look to play on halfway, Rob Valetini coralled by Sam Cane…oh no! Taniela Tupou is down and in severe discomfort inside a minute!
The Australia prop looks to have done his knee. On rush a couple of medics.
KICK OFF!
08:05 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Here we go. The Bledisloe Cup will be staying in New Zealand’s hands for another year but Australia have genuine belief they can upset the All Blacks at a ground where the hosts have a horrible recent record.
The penultimate match of the 2024 Rugby Championship is underway!
(Getty Images)
New Zealand vs Australia
08:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Two very pleasant anthems, and time for the Haka. It’s led by TJ Perenara for the final time on home soil, the scrum half at a ground he has called home at provincial and Super Rugby level for nearly 15 years. He gives it typical gusto as he and the rest of the All Blacks lay the challenge down.
New Zealand vs Australia
07:58 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Leading the All Blacks out on cap number 100 is Sam Cane, welcomed with a grand reception. He’s the 13th New Zealand player to bring up a ton – his Test career may be nearing an end but what a servant the flanker has been.
(REUTERS)
New Zealand vs Australia
07:57 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Harry Wilson leads the Wallabies out. We’re pretty used to seeing empty seats at the capacious Sky Stadium, with the Wellington public not necessarily the most ardent of All Black fans, but the place is sold out tonight and (aside from a few latecomers) already nearly full to the rafters.
New Zealand vs Australia match officials
07:52 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
ARs: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Damian Schneider (Arg)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (Fra)
Georgian referee Nika Amashukeli, right, is in charge today (PA Wire)
Battle of blindsides could be key
07:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Wallace Sititi has been the find of New Zealand’s season so far, the Chiefs youngster providing real lineout excellence and graft around the park. The springy Sititi put all sorts of pressure on the Wallabies’ throw and was also very impressive against South Africa earlier in the Rugby Championship. How Scott Robertson reshapes his back row once Sam Cane departs at the end of the year will be intriguing – Dalton Papali’i could come back in on the openside, but Sititi looks certain to stay part of the trio alongside Ardie Savea.
He is in direct head-to-head with one of Australia’s best and brightest throughout the rollercoaster of the last couple of years. Rob Valetini seldom takes a backward step, and there is a sense he has been somewhat underrated amid the doom and gloom surrounding Australian rugby. Their battle could be fun today.
Wallace Sititi challenge the Australian lineout consistently in Sydney (Getty Images)
No glass half full for Joe Schmidt
07:25 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Joe Schmidt was not buying into any great feeling of optimism after his Wallabies team fought their way back from 21-0 down to give the All Blacks a fright last week.
The 31-28 defeat ended Australian hopes of wresting back the Bledisloe Cup from the All Blacks and, combined with Fiji’s later win over Japan in Osaka, saw the Wallabies drop to 10th in the world rankings.
New Zealander Schmidt was asked in his press conference whether Australia’s rally to within four points of a shock win had left his glass half full, or half empty.
“There’s not a lot of water in the glass,” he quipped. “You know, you lose a Test match. So for us there’s things that we’ve got to learn from. We can’t finish a close second.
“There’s some things to be proud about around building our way back into the game. But giving a New Zealand side a start like that, it’s too tough to overcome that, albeit that almost did happen at the finish.”
(Getty Images)
Scott Robertson explains Beauden Barrett selection
07:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Beauden Barrett was a late scratch from the All Blacks side in Sydney after falling unwell, but the veteran playmaker is back and re-taking the fly half shirt this week with Damian McKenzie left out for the first time under Scott Robertson.
“We were always planning to give Beauden a go,” head coach Robertson explained this week. “We’ve got to give guys opportunities and build depth in our team and it’s a nice chance for Beauden to play outside TJ, they’ve got a combination, they’ve played a lot of games together so it lines up nicely.
“(Beauden)’s a great conductor. He’ll get you around the field. Obviously, the boot’s been impeccable over his career, and he needs to own this opportunity and put a bit of heat on us to make sure that we’ve got two world class 10s.”
(Getty Images)
Team news – Australia
07:05 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Wing Marika Koroibete is ruled out with a wrist issue for the Wallabies as Joe Schmidt hands Dylan Pietsch a start in the back three. Jake Gordon takes the place of scrum half Nic White but Schmidt keeps continuity in the forwards, naming an unchanged starting pack for the first time in his tenure.
Australia XV: 1 Angus Bell, 2 Matt Faessler, 3 Taniela Tupou; 4 Nick Frost, 5 Jeremy Williams; 6 Rob Valetini, 7 Fraser McReight, 8 Harry Wilson (capt.); 9 Jake Gordon, 10 Noah Lolesio; 11 Dylan Pietsch, 12 Hunter Paisami, 13 Len Ikitau, 14 Andrew Kellaway; 15 Tom Wright
Replacements: 16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17 Isaac Kailea, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 20 Langi Gleeson; 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Josh Flook.
Team news – New Zealand
07:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Damian McKenzie has been left out of New Zealand’s starting side, with Beauden Barrett back after illness to start at fly half. Sam Cane wins his 100th cap for the All Blacks on the openside, with experienced scrum half TJ Perenara also handed a start in his final Test on home soil before departing for Japan at the end of the year. Anton Lienert-Brown is the beneficiary of Jordie Barrett’s knee injury in midfield.
New Zealand XV: 1 Ethan de Groot, 2 Codie Taylor, 3 Tyrel Lomax; 4 Scott Barrett (capt.), 5 Tupou Vaa’i; 6 Wallace Sititi, 7 Sam Cane, 8 Ardie Savea; 9 TJ Perenara, 10 Beauden Barrett; 11 Caleb Clarke, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 13 Rieko Ioane, 14 Sevu Reece; 15 Will Jordan.
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Luke Jacobson; 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Damian McKenzie, 23 David Havili.
Jordie Barrett to miss second All Blacks clash with Australia after knee ligament injury
06:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Centre Jordie Barrett could be a doubt for New Zealand’s autumn Tests against England and Ireland after suffering a knee injury.
Barrett will miss the All Blacks’ Rugby Championship finale against Australia in Wellington today.
He was hurt during a 31-28 victory over the Wallabies last weekend, and New Zealand Rugby has confirmed a medial collateral ligament injury, adding that Barrett will be reassessed before the northern hemisphere tour.
New Zealand tackle England at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on November 2 before a Dublin appointment with Ireland six days later.
Barrett is due to link up with Leinster after the tour on a short-term deal.
It was announced in April that Barrett had exercised an option to play overseas after agreeing a new contract with New Zealand Rugby that will run beyond the 2027 World Cup.
Jordie Barrett to miss second All Blacks clash with Australia after knee injury
Sam Cane recalls Springbok kindness ahead of 100th Test
06:40 , Harry Latham-Coyle
All Blacks flanker Sam Cane has enjoyed many a ferocious battle with the Springboks over his 12-year international career but he also recalled a memorable act of kindness from the South Africans in the lead-up to his 100th test.
The former New Zealand captain will reach the milestone against Australia on Saturday, having enjoyed an unlikely extension to his test career despite moving to Japanese club rugby in the wake of last year’s World Cup.
Cane was sent off as New Zealand lost to South Africa in the final of that tournament in France, one of a series of setbacks he has endured during his career.
Another was a serious neck injury he suffered against the Springboks in Pretoria in 2018 and the response of South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus as well as a couple of players has clearly stayed with him.
“The day after I had surgery and Rassie, Francois Louw and Jesse Kriel, all on separate occasions, made the visit to the hospital,” the 32-year-old said.
“But the truth is, I was in such a dazed state post-surgery that unfortunately I can only remember dribs and drabs of the conversation and their presence.
“It speaks volumes of all three of those men to take time out of their day to come to the hospital and find me. It’s something I will never forget and I’m hugely appreciative of it.”
(AFP via Getty Images)
New Zealand hoping to correct concerning trend
06:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle
New Zealand secured custody of the Bledisloe Cup for another year with their 31-28 win over the Wallabies in Sydney last week but Australia’s fightback to within three points exposed their struggles to close out games this year.
Their bid for a 21st Rugby Championship title might still be alive had they managed to defend a 27-17 lead with 11 minutes to go in the first of their two recent losses to world champions South Africa.
Once famous for their ability to score late to win close contests, the All Blacks have not put a single point on the board in the last 20 minutes of any of their five tests in the tournament this season.
“We’ve talked about the accuracy and the discipline and the experience of the group that are coming on (from the bench),” coach Scott Robertson said after naming his team on Thursday.
“At the end of the day, you just focus on what you need to do … focus on solutions around it, we train it and get on with it.”
Strong, silent type Harry Wilson warming to Wallabies captaincy
06:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Harry Wilson was a surprise choice as Wallabies skipper but the big loose forward feels he is growing into the role as he prepares to lead Australia out for the fourth time in Wellington on Saturday.
The Australia captaincy has been a revolving door over the last two seasons with Eddie Jones naming six skippers in 2023 and Joe Schmidt four in eight tests so far in the 2024 campaign.
Number eight Wilson was first handed the captaincy for the Rugby Championship win over Argentina in La Plata and also led the team in their record 67-27 loss to the Pumas a week later.
A similar drubbing looked on the cards when the All Blacks scored three tries in the first 16 minutes of last week’s Sydney clash but a second-half revival saw the Wallabies almost pull off a stunning win.
The nature of that 31-28 defeat has given Australia some confidence that they can beat the All Blacks in New Zealand for the first time since 2001 in the return match.
Wilson said he was becoming more comfortable in the captaincy game-by-game, even if he leaves the passionate team talks to more experienced players in the leadership group.
“I’m not the biggest talker in the team,” the amiable 24-year-old told reporters on Friday.
“There’s a lot of boys who I lean on there, I guess I talk a bit more before kickoff and just make sure we go out there and nail our role.
“I just want to lead by example on the field and I feel as if that’s what any captain should do. I need to go out there and perform.”
(Getty Images)
Rugby Championship permutations: What do South Africa and Argentina need in final round to win title?
05:59 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Australia and New Zealand are out of the chase for the Rugby Championship crown, which will be decided later on Saturday when the Springboks host Argentina in Mbombela. Here are the permutations you need to know.
Rugby Championship permutations: What South Africa and Argentina need in final round?
New Zealand vs Australia LIVE
Friday 27 September 2024 16:40 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s LIVE coverage of the final day of the 2024 Rugby Championship. We begin in Wellington with the second of back-to-back Bledisloe Cup clashes between New Zealand and Australia – the trans-Tasman trophy will remain in All Black hands after Scott Robertson’s side survived a thrilling comeback from the hosts in Sydney.
But their superb second-half performance showed the fighting qualities that the Wallabies still possess, and they’ll be out to showcase their quality again. Kick off in Wellington is at 8.05am BST.
(Getty Images)
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