'This is not a trans‑Tasman rivalry, it is an annual funeral.’
That's how Australian rugby writer Jamie Pandaram has described the All Blacks' 42‑8 thrashing of the Wallabies in Sydney last night.
Under the headline 'Wallabies' Bledisloe hopes up in smoke' on news.com.au, Pandaram wrote: "Thirteen years of failure and there's no end in sight judging by this latest destruction on the scoreboard and in spirit.
The Sunday Mail newspaper went with a black page for the back of the sport section with the headline: 'Just Bledi Awful'. With a line of text saying 'This was where we were going to put the best Wallabies photo. We couldn't find one'.
'Blackout! Wallabies embarrassed by All Blacks' was another headline on News.com.au.
The shell‑shocked Wallabies were dominated in every facet, with the scrum and lineout malfunctioning, the breakdown ravaged and bodies broken in a disastrous start to the tournament," wrote Darren Walton of Fox Sports.
Ryan Crotty, Beauden Barrett, Jerome Kaino, Waisake Naholo, Dane Coles and Julian Savea scored the tries for the All Blacks while Nick Phipps scored the only try for Australia.
Meanwhile, South Africa fought back to beat Argentina 30‑23 in their Rugby Championship opener.
Source: NZ Herald
