The first Bledisloe Cup test between the Wallabies and All Blacks has ended in a 16-all draw at Wellington’s Sky Stadium.
It means the quest to break the Wallabies' 19-year drought against the All Blacks in New Zealand remains.
This is just the eighth time the Wallabies and All Blacks have drawn.
It was 167th game between the two great rugby nations.
There was so much drama in an exciting 89 minutes of rugby.
Wallabies utility Reece Hodge had the chance to win the match for the Wallabies in the 83rd minute but the ball struck the post.
Incredibly, however, the Wallabies regathered the ball and went for a try but it proved to be the wrong decision as they lost the ball instead of attempting a field goal from right in front of the posts.
The All Blacks then had a chance to rub salt into the wound as they battered the Wallabies' line.
But they too refused to drop over a field goal from straight in front of the posts.
In the end it was left to James O'Connor to kick the ball out into the Wellington stands in the 88th minute, thereby ending one of the most dramatic Bledisloe Tests this century.
The Wallabies fought their way back from 13-3 down after 50 minutes to take a 16-13 lead when O'Connor banged over a penalty from 35 metres out.
But Jordie Barrett's own three-pointer with 90 seconds left leveled up the scores.
Neither side was content to walk away from Wellington with just a draw, but that's how it ended.
The match was the first Test in charge for both Wallabies coach Dave Rennie and his New Zealand counterpart Ian Foster.
Fiji-born players Marika Koroibete and Filipo Daugunu got a try each for the Wallabies.
Daugunu surely had a memorable debut.
Jordie Barrett and Aaron Smith scored tries for the All Blacks.
It’s a beautiful thing to watch.#BledisloeCup #NZLvAUS pic.twitter.com/D9q07amKn4
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) October 11, 2020
There were two penalties each from Wallabies flyhalf James O’Connor and All Blacks fullback Jordie Barrett.
The next Bledisloe Cup Test between the All Blacks and Wallabies is at Eden Park at 3pm next Sunday.
The All Blacks have had the Bledisloe Cup since 2003.
8' TRY - Jordie Barrett Barret finds an overlap and beats Koroibete to the corner after Frizell steals a lineout. Conversion missed by Barrett. |
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| 27' Jordie Barrett lands a penalty |
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| 31' James O'Connor lands a penalty | ||
| 40' Reiko Ioane drops the ball on the try line denying the All Blacks their second try |
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4' TRY - Aaron Smith After a slick lineout move, Bridge finds space and offloads to Smith who fends off Nic White and scores in the corner |
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12' TRY - Marika Koroibete James O'Connor creates an overlap from a lineout to send Koroibete crashing through in the corner |
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22' TRY - Filipo Daugunu James O'Connor creates an overlap from a lineout to send Koroibete crashing through in the corner |
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34' James O'Connor lands a penalty to take the lead |
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| 39' Jordie Barrett lands a penalty to tie the game |
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