All Blacks: Make that eight, mate

Richie McCaw's All Blacks thrashed the Wallabies 49-28 in Melbourne. Photo / Getty Images

Add Melbourne to the list of grounds the All Blacks have turned into successive burial sites for the Wallabies, since last losing to them in Sydney three years ago.

The 49-28 victory last night tacked Etihad Stadium onto the list which began at Eden Park and has stretched through Australia, Hong Kong and Japan.

The All Blacks built on two impressive victories against the Springboks which launched them into this year's Tri-Nations series.

They got a huge boost soon after halftime when Wallaby wing Drew Mitchell was sent off for his second yellow card offence.

By then the All Blacks were leading 32-14, cruising and without any signs they would surrender that advantage.

Their ability to reproduce their high standards is starting to send growing warnings about the threat their style is to every other nation.

The Boks could not stay with their rivals' composure, high pace and attacking venom and the Wallabies discovered they had no answer either to that potent combination.

A mirage about reversing their losing sequence came early when Mitchell scored after charging Daniel Carter's kick down.

But from there, the All Blacks kicked up a gear.

Carter responded immediately with a try himself after charging down Berrick Barnes before Mils Muliaina, Richie McCaw and Cory Jane crossed the line.

Players seemed to have little trouble with the surface after the week-long kerfuffle about its ability to sustain three games of rugby and AFL in three days.

From an 8-3 lead the Wallabies found themselves starting at a 32-14 halftime deficit and an interval of questions and handwringing.

They were inaccurate and rattled and at one stage referee Craig Joubert asked Wallaby captain Rocky Elson to "calm down" as he questioned decisons.

Both sides lost a player to the bin, Owen Franks and Mitchell for illegal charges, and the All Blacks had to replace halfback Jimmy Cowan when he damaged his ribs.

The Wallaby problems became terminal when Mitchell copped his second yellow card for timewasting and was sent from the field.
The All Blacks won a tighthead and Muliaina strolled over for his second and a serious hiding seemed in sight. Litle was going their way.

Flanker David Pocock was denied a try when television evidence suggested otherwise but Adam Ashley-Cooper eventually outgassed a tiring defence after multi-phases.

It was a courageous answer but the All Blacks simply won their kickoff and their most capped wing Joe Rokocoko scored in the corner.

Elsom claimed a try as the All Blacks lost some of their intensity but victory for the visitors was inevitable, the headaches all for the hosts.

All Blacks: 49 (Muliaina 2, Jane, Rokocoko, Carter, McCaw, Flynn, tries; Carter 4 con, 2 pen)
Wallabies: 28 (Mitchell, Ashley-Cooper, Elsom, tries; Giteau, 3 pen, 2 con