Last night I watched on TV the match between the Wallabies and All Blacks but many friends went to the stadium in Melbourne to really be there at the MCG.
Wallabies stun All Blacks in Melbourne
By MICHAEL DONALDSON - Fairfax Media | Sunday, 1 July 2007
AGAINST THE ODDS: A superb defensive effort in the second half has lead the Australian rugby team to a 20-15 victory over the All Blacks in Melbourne.
Australia 20 All Blacks 15. Astralia raised questions over the All Blacks' World Cup hopes and brought the Tri Nations alive by winning a match riddled with New Zealand handling errors in Melbourne.
Scoring two tries in the final quarter and keeping the All Blacks scoreless in the second half to come from 6-15 behind, the Wallabies finished over the top of an All Blacks outfit that seemed fixated on playing the game as fast as possible without necessarily being in total control.
The fact the All Blacks had travelled from South Africa and the added fact that the past two world cup winners have lost lead-up matches will be a small consolation to Kiwi fans, including many in the 80,000-strong crowd who saw their team waste numerous chances to close out the game before being shutdown in the final five minutes.
Captain Richie McCaw's "oh well" afterwards suggested major panic is not required but with Daniel Carter still well off his best and Aaron Mauger having a disappointing game, the All Blacks couldn't turn a wealth of possession into anymore than two tries and the Wallabies have also shown how to nullify this often electrifying team.
Australia 20: (Scott Staniforth, Adam Ashley-Cooper tries; Mortlock two penalties, Matt Giteau two conversions).
New Zealand 15: (Tony Woodcock, Rico Gear tries; Daniel Carter pen, con).
1 comment:
Yeah, I was there at the MCG. The Wallabies displayed a clasically performance against the A/Blacks throughout the game. They deserve to win. They perform exceptionally well against the S/boks at the Telstra stadium in sydney as well. Psst: AB is our (Fiji) rival in rugby as well especially 7's, its good they lose. No hard feelings though.
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