In the end the game was as drab and miserable as the weather. The endless rain meant that the ever famous fast attacking rugby that has defined southern hemisphere rugby for as long as I can remember was absent. It came down to the kickers, Cruden and Beale both battling against the conditions and slippery conditions underfoot to notch up four kicks apiece - although Beale did miss one at the end of the first half. In fact Michael Hooper might rue his decisions at the end of the first period, not taking numerous easy shots at goal in favour of attacking play, and in the end having to resort to accepting a kick from wide out.
Both teams made a lot of mistakes on the ball, but Australia seemed to be the biggest culprits looking to play quick exciting rugby despite the atrocious handling conditions, leading to numerous juvenile errors: cheap penalties, in front at the kick-off, running the ball into touch. In fact the only exciting moment of the first half came from a New Zealand turn-over, but the wet ball was dropped by Dane Coles less than ten meters from the try line. The only other notable moment of the first half was the yellow card given to Wyatt Crockett for entering the ruck illegally. Personally it felt like a very harsh yellow card, the referee citing the age old "cynical" line, yet all I saw was a forward seeing a scrum-half with his hands on the ball and aiming to hit the opponent. At the break it was obvious neither team was showing dominance or control of the ball, but New Zealand held a 3-9 lead at the break.
By the time the All Blacks were back up to their full compliment, Australia had only managed to close the gap by three points. Yet again the weather stagnated the game into sloppy ball handling and attacking in tight channels, not to mention the referee. Peyper Jaco seemed to have been taking lessons from Joubert, blowing for constant stoppages and refusing to let the game flow. Although not all the mistakes were his alone, it seems to be a trend in world rugby for referee's to allow scrum-halfs to get away with murder at scrum time. Twice - at least - did the replacement Australian scrum half - Nick Phipps - delay the scrum put-in to wrangle a penalty out of the New Zealand front-row. It needs to be stamped out, along with feeding.
New Zealand were awarded yet another yellow card in a dull second half, the referee penalising fresh of the bench Barrett for kicking a ball out of a ruck. Now considering in every other game I've watched this season referee's gladly allow players to use their feet (for contact with the ball) at the breakdown, it was a major surprise for Barrett to be not only penalised but sent to the sin-bin for something everyone else does.
In fact the second half did have claim to the closest try of the game, when Australia finally spread the ball wide, and were it not for a final - ridiculously firm - tackle by Julian Savea, then Pat McCabe would have sealed the win for the Wallabies. New Zealand on the other hand couldn't get a grip in the second half, their lineout collapsing after substitutions specifically Kevin Mealamu despite all his experience being unable to find his jumpers time and time again.
In the end the game was decided by the kicking tees, and despite all the talent in the backlines neither were able to thrive and both unable to excite the crowd, the game ending in a draw at 12-12. And so the All Conquering All Blacks were halted by their eternal rivals, they remain unbeaten in 18, but it doesn't sound quite so good does it?
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