Wallabies upset All Blacks as both teams get red cards in physical Tri Nations encounter. Video / Sky Sport
As Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper and coach Dave Rennie reflected on the first win under New Zealander Rennie's reign, the pair admitted the All Blacks' late try by replacement Tupou Vaa'i in the last couple of minutes made for an extremely anxious finale at Suncorp Stadium.
Lock Vaa'i crashed overnear the posts for a converted try with 90 seconds remaining to narrow the score to 24-22 and give the All Blacks real hope of pulling off the near impossible before an excellent spot tackle by Marika Koroibete on Damian McKenzie soon after the restart poured cold water on the comeback on a warm night in Brisbane.
Vaa'i's try came near the end of a controversial and often spiteful test which featured two red cards and two sinbinnings as the Wallabies tried desperately to overturn last weekend's 43-5 demolition by the All Blacks in Sydney.
"There have been a lot of challenges thrown at our team throughout the year so I'm really proud of our guys who showed a lot of grit – to work it out and build some momentum and build a score to close it out," Hooper said afterwards.
"We would have liked to have held them out for that last try to give us some more breathing room, I'm sure the coaching staff would have felt that way too…"
"Quite right," a relieved Rennie quickly interjected.
Referee Nick Berry, right, awards a try to Australia during the Bledisloe rugby test between Australia and New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia. Photo / AP
The former Chiefs coach can claim a couple of the challenges Hooper referred to. After beginning his test career with a meritorious draw in Wellington, he saw his side fall 27-7 at Eden Park and hit the depths last weekend as Australia conceded the Bledisloe Cup for another year.
But, helped by Reece Hodge's experience at No 10 and an All Blacks team clearly struggling to find combinations after multiple changes, including the shifting of Beauden Barrett from fullback to first-five and the selection of four players on test debut, the Wallabies clawed their way to the finish line.
"Obviously we were really disappointed last week - we're a lot better side than that - and we wanted a response so we saw plenty of character out there," Rennie added. "I guess both sides had to deal with some curveballs with cards and so on but I'm really rapt with the steel that we showed and the impact we got off the bench to seal the win."
Neither Rennie nor Hooper could find fault with the red cards issued by Australian referee Nic Berry which came within minutes of each other for dangerous tackles in the first half.
First, All Black Ofa Tuungafasi was dismissed for a high tackle on Tom Wright and Wallaby Lachlan Swinton soon followed him for a high shot on Sam Whitelock. There were also yellow cards for Scott Barrett and Koroibete. Barrett's, for playing the ball on the ground in the final quarter, helped tip the balance the home side's way.
"In the end we've got to deal with the law and the law says contact with the head starts at a red card so it's a safety issue and hard to argue with both decisions made," Rennie said.
"What we don't want in our game is reckless tackles. All we want is consistency as well and it's hard to argue once they got a red card that ours wasn't a red card. We just have to take that on the chin.
Hopper added: "We don't train to tackle around the head. We've got to talk about players' safety. That's why the rule is in there. We want our players to be playing as long as possible in this game."
Rival coaches Australia's Dave Rennie, left, talks with New Zealand's Ian Foster ahead of the Bledisloe rugby test between Australia and New Zealand. Photo / AP
Rennie confirmed prop James Slipper, who was personally congratulated on achieving 100 caps by All Blacks coach Ian Foster, had dislocated his elbow in the test and that James O'Connor should be back from a knee injury in time for Australia's next test against Argentina in a fortnight. The All Blacks play the Pumas in Sydney next Saturday.
"We worked hard and we can take a bit of belief out of that," Rennie said. "What we know from the first test we played the All Blacks to [last night], if we are accurate and limit their opportunities at turnover, if we kick well and apply pressure, then we can place a little bit of scoreboard pressure on them.
Asked whether he would have taken this series of results ahead of his reign, Rennie replied: "You don't win the Bledisloe Cup by winning one and drawing one [and losing two]. What it tells us is that if we work hard enough for each other we can get results against anyone. It doesn't count for much if we don't back it up for Argentina in a couple of weeks.
