Australia 23 New Zealand 18: Reece Hodge downs All Blacks in Brisbane thriller
Australia mounted a dogged second-half comeback to beat New Zealand in an absorbing Test at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.
After two All Blacks wins during The Rugby Championship, this game was a technically dead rubber with the destination of the Bledisloe Cup already assured.
However, a fine performance from an inspired Wallabies back row and two long-range Reece Hodge penalties ensured the hosts cancelled out their 13-12 half-time deficit and secured a confidence-boosting victory ahead of their autumn tour.
Hodge had given Michael Cheika's men a stirring start in the opening exchanges, intercepting a Lima Sopoaga offload and racing 70 metres to score the game's first try.
However, the All Blacks quickly clicked into action. With their muscular defence forcing errors from Australia in slippery conditions, they responded swiftly thanks to Waisake Naholo, who latched onto Aaron Smith's whipped pass.
Two penalties from Sopoaga followed, but Israel Folau - phenomenal throughout - skated over on the stroke of half-time to ensure Australia remained in touch.
Back-rowers Jack Dempsey and Sean McMahon, helped by replacement lock Fukhan Tui, helped their side take hold of the second period.
When a series of robust carries forced a penalty out of New Zealand, Bernard Foley turned down a shot at goal to go to the corner.
The ball was worked left from the maul and Marika Koroibete burst past Damian McKenzie. Australia a 17-13 advantage that was richly deserved.
Two cannoned kicks from Hodge's tee came either side of a Rieko Ioane try that kept things tight until the end, but when Sam Cane spilled in midfield Australia had their win.
Full-time | Australia 23-18 New Zealand
There's a knock-on in midfield from Sam Cane! It's all over! Australia have won, Suncorp is rocking.
Australia 23-18 New Zealand, 79 minutes
The Wallabies are penalised for losing their balance at the breakdown! McKenzie goes to touch. Thirty seconds remaining.
Penalty, Reece Hodge! Australia 23-18 New Zealand, 78 minutes
He's landed it! And now Tui claims the kick-off too! Can Australia close this out?
Australia 20-18 New Zealand, 76 minutes
Sonny Bill Williams tries a chip through and Australia dive on it. Hodge clears and New Zealand are penalised on the kick-chase for a pull-back! Wow. Hodge is going to try and bang it over from 50...
Australia 20-18 New Zealand, 76 minutes
New Zealand are awarded a scrum penalty. They go to touch and Williams carries into midfield.
Match action
We're into the last five minutes. Israel Folau has been outstanding tonight.
Australia 20-18 New Zealand, 74 minutes
Sean McMahon has been brilliant for Australia. He dives on a loose ball but a New Zealand counter-ruck halts the Wallabies and Bernard Foley spills under pressure.
Try, Rieko Ioane! Australia 20-18 New Zealand, 71 minutes
Sonny Bill Williams turns in the tackle and releases an offload to Read, who releases Ioane on the left touchline.
Damian McKenzie takes over the kicking duties...but just skews it to the left.
Outstanding
Tu'ungafasi melted the iceman
— Russ Petty (@rpetty80) October 21, 2017
'Iceman' being Foley's nickname. Sorry if you didn't need that explaining. Meanwhile, New Zealand are into the Australia 22...
Australia 20-13 New Zealand, 69 minutes
What a Test match.Sean McMahon runs through five All Blacks into the New Zeland half but then Ofa Tu'ungafasi BURIES Bernard Foley to force a turnover.
Australia 20-13 New Zealand, 65 minutes
Just as this tweet comes in...
All Blacks' attack is non-existent in this test. Big 15 minutes ahead #AUSvNZL
— Scotty Stevenson (@sumostevenson) October 21, 2017
...TJ Perenara tries to conjure something with a quick tap penalty. He chips ahead and Australia scramble the ball out, so it's a New Zealand lineout inside the Wallabies 22. They've lost it. Beale clears...and it doesn't find touch. The All Blacks run it back.
Penalty, Reece Hodge! Australia 20-13 New Zealand, 64 minutes
What a kick. Seven-point advantage for the Wallabies.
Australia 17-13 New Zealand, 63 minutes
There's a chance... #AUSvNZL
— Ben Coles (@bencoles_) October 21, 2017
New Zealand ship another penalty. It's Naholo this time. Reece Hodge will go for the posts. It's be a monster.
Australia 17-13 New Zealand, 60 minutes
Michael Hooper looks like he's been shot in the head. #AUSvNZL
— Mindy Pawsey (@MKPS001) October 21, 2017
This is getting tetchier. New Zealand give away a penalty in possession. On the phase before that, Dane Coles looked keen to fight just about every Australian within 10 metres of him. Stephen Moore is on for Australia. That will not calm things down.
Try, Marika Koroibete! Australia 17-13 New Zealand, 56 minutes
The maul is stopped by New Zealand illegally. With penalty advantage, Australia slip the ball left. Koroibete gets a one-on-one with McKenzie, who has no chance.
Foley misses from the left touchline...
Australia 12-13 New Zealand, 55 minutes
They'll kick this one. Australia's lineout is messy but the Wallabies bludgeon into the 22 and win a penalty. They're not kicking! Foley goes to the corner.
Australia 12-13 New Zealand, 52 minutes
Scrum penalty to Australia now. It's from similar range to the Foley miss. Reece Hodge goes for touch this time. It's a lineout on the New Zealand 22.
Australia 12-13 New Zealand, 50 minutes
Foley misses. "Stinker" says Greg Martin on Fox Sports comms.
Australia 12-13 New Zealand, 49 minutes
Interesting. Some energetic breakdown work from Jack Dempsey wins a penalty for Australia . It's kickable...and Bernard Foley is calling for the tee.
Fair point
Why Australia doesn’t use all that money from mining all their natural resources into cloning Israel Folau I’ll never know.. #AUSvNZL
— Dean Taylor (@DNoze) October 21, 2017
Australia 12-13 New Zealand, 44 minutes
Boos around Brisbane. The first scrum spins around and Australia come away with it. Wayne Barnes orders a re-set, though, and New Zealand win a free-kick at the second attempt.
Australia 12-13 New Zealand, 44 minutes
Tui is into the action straightaway, winning a lineout. Israel Folau then beats FOUR defenders and releases an offload to Marika Koroibete. Australia flod through into the 22 but Beale spills in the shadow of the New Zealand posts. This is pulsating.
Australia 12-13 New Zealand, 42 minutes
That's Rob Simmons receiving treatment to what looks like a neck injury. Lukhan Tui will be coming on.
Here he is. He's 21 years old. This is his third Test. He's a dynamite carrier.
Australia 12-13 New Zealand, 42 minutes
Liam Squire takes the throw of Dane Coles and Sonny Bill Williams surges into midfield, dropping off a flicked offload. However, the All Blacks lose ground with a poor pass and Michael Hooper swoops to win a turnover.
Second half
We're underway again. New Zealand have nabbed their own restart and won an offside penalty. That's a sickener for the Australia coaches. Sopoaga is heading to the corner once more.
Match action
Here's Israel Folau going over for the try on the stroke of half-time that has set up this second half beautifully.
Statistics
Australia have had 47 seconds inside the New Zealand 22. They've scored two tries.
Match action
Here's Waisake Naholo going over for New Zealand's opening try.
Half-time | Australia 12-13 New Zealand
Bernard Foley's conversion skews to the left but that try has left this game fascinatingly poised.
Try, Israel Folau! Australia 12-13 New Zealand, 39 minutes
Eventually Australia work the overlap and Folau skates across the line. Kutley Beale is fired up. Here he is laying down the law in an impromptu Wallabies huddle.
Australia 7-13 New Zealand, 37 minutes
Australia aren't reading this blog, and just as well. They make huge ground through Michael Hooper and Tevita Kuridrani on the left and they are into the 22...
Australia 7-13 New Zealand, 37 minutes
Beale coughs it up. Australia might be guilty of playing too much. New Zealand's half-backs - Highlanders teammates Aaron Smith and Lima Sopoaga - are going to boot far more.
Meanwhile, Kane Hames is leaving the field for a concussion test. Wyatt Crockett is on.
Australia 7-13 New Zealand, 35 minutes
This has been a fair reflection of Australia's handling so far...
The Wallabies on the attack tonight #AUSvNZLpic.twitter.com/E3uOxnXF1A
— NedsAU (@NedsAus) October 21, 2017
..but they are in possession on the halfway line now.
Code-hoppers' union
Big @SonnyBWilliams . #beastmode
— Sam Burgess (@SamBurgess8) October 21, 2017
Penalty, Lima Sopoaga! Australia 7-13 New Zealand, 30 minutes
Sopoaga nails the easy kick. Ioane returns too.
Australia 7-10 New Zealand, 28 minutes
Tevita Kuridrani carries from a lineout deep in Australia territory and Sonny Bill Williams strips the ball clean off him! New Zealand pound the line and eventually Jack Dempsey gives away the penalty. Sopoaga will try to add another three.
Meanwhile, David Havili has come on as a blood replacement for Rieko Ioane.
Australia 7-10 New Zealand, 26 minutes
Sonny Bill Williams cleaves Kurtley Beale in twain. A big hit forces the knock-on.
Penalty, Lima Sopoaga! Australia 7-10 New Zealand, 24 minutes
It bounces off the crossbar and over. Great kick.
Australia 7-7 New Zealand, 23 minutes
Frustrating for Australia. New Zealand clear, Folau tries to manufacture something with a kick-return but the breakdown penalty goes to the All Blacks. Sopoaga will go for goal from about 45 metres.
"When he came out of the womb, he was a scrummager"
Interesting shout from commentator and former Wallaby Phil Kearns on Kane Hames.
Ruling on the Read offload
Insane offload from Read to Naholo.
— Ben Coles (@bencoles_) October 21, 2017
Australia 7-7 New Zealand, 19 minutes
Wet. And. Wild.
Kieran Read starts a 50-metre All Blacks attack with a ridiculous no-look pass to Nahalo, but New Zealand's kipper then gives away a penalty for side entry to the ruck.
Kurtley Beale goes quickly but a supporting Will Genia is destroyed by Naholo. Australia win a penalty a few phases later and are up to the verge of the New Zealand 22...
Trans-Tasman ribbing...
Aww. Aussie twitter celebrations have come to a halt rather quickly #AUSvNZLpic.twitter.com/efxE90o8gg
— Renee (@SoSaysRenee) October 21, 2017
Try, Waisake Naholo! Australia 7-7 New Zealand, 14 minutes
Too good. New Zealand batter the door with a few pick-and-goes. Aaron Smith then whips the ball past Sam Cane to Naholo, who can run in untouched. Sopoaga ties it up with a winderful touchline conversion.
Australia 7-0 New Zealand, 12 minutes
Kieran Read gets over the ball to win a penalty and some brainless back-chat from Rob Simmons gets New Zealand 10 more metres. Sopoaga kicks to the corner brilliantly. The All Blacks are within five...
Pondering
This was Michael Cheika before kick-off.
Australia 7-0 New Zealand, 10 minutes
The Wallabies regather the restart and New Zealand are offside. Australia go to touch but the lineout is gaffed. Sopoaga will calm things down by kicking to the sideline.
Try, Reece Hodge! Australia 7-0 New Zealand, 9 minutes
Big brain fade from Lima Sopoaga. New Zealand go right from the scrum and then come back to the left. Aaron Smith's pass puts his fly-half under pressure from Will Genia and Sopoaga's offload is gathered by Hodge, who sprints 70 metres.
Foley converts. What a start for Australia.
Australia 0-0 New Zealand, 5 minutes
Worrying for the Wallabies. Waisake Naholo flies through from a midfield strike move off a lineout. Only a miraculous turnover from Will Genia saves the day.
Australia are under pressure again though. Sam Cane smashes Sean McMahon to give the All Blacks a scrum on the Australia 22.
Farewell
Was total pleasure to be coached by “professor” Wayne Smith of @AllBlacks A true inspiration in my career and life. #cheerssmithy#kiaora
— Matt Dawson (@matt9dawson) October 21, 2017
Australia 0-0 New Zealand, 1 minute
Frantic start. Aaron Smith flings a long pass to Damian McKenzie in the New Zealand 22. McKenzie is smashed and loses the ball, giving Australia excellent field position. The visitors try to spread it but there is a knock-on so we'll restart with a scrum.
Kick-off
The referee is England's own Wayne Barnes. He blows the whistle and we are underway. Bernard Foley goes high and pretty long where Rieko Ioane field the ball.
Haka
It's been a lot of fun watching TJ Perenara lead the haka this season.
Anthems
New Zealand first. Here's Same Cane, who is winning his 50th cap. Apprentice no more.
Australia next. Stephen Moore is involved in an Australia squad for the final time in a home Test.
Players out
New Zealand are down the tunnel first.
And here come the hosts, wearing a special indigenous jersey. The atmosphere sounds exceptional.
Here we go
Just 10 minutes until kick-off now. We're awaiting the teams. It's a bit drizzly, but the surface looks good.
A serious-looking Kieran Read
"Conditions are slightly different tonight. We've got to win the battle up front and not give them as much space as we gave them in Dunedin."
Michael Hooper
"This is a great opportunity, so we've prepared accordingly.
"[The game in Dunedin] feels like an eternity ago, It's going to go the 80 again tonight."
Twenty minutes until kick-off
Predictions? What do you reckon? Most bookies have New Zealand with a handicap of at least -11. This could look moronic at full-time, but I reckon the Wallabies will cover that.
The Professor
After a 20-year association with the All Blacks, Wayne Smith bows out today. What a man, What a rugby brain. My colleague Ben Coles has written about him here.
Half an hour until kick-off
Last time, these two teams played out an epic in Dunedin. New Zealand stole it at the death thanks to a stunning team try from Beauden Barrett.
We've analysed the winning score here.
First blood: Australia
The all-important (largely irrelevant) coin-toss falls for the hosts. Great news that the rain is easing, on a serious note.
We've won the toss as the rain slowly stops! 7.05pm kickoff local #AUSvNZLpic.twitter.com/BqRZX1qdCD
— Qantas Wallabies (@qantaswallabies) October 21, 2017
Teams
The is a settled feeling - finally - about Michael Cheika's Wallabies. They have made only one change to the side that beat Argentina last month, Rob Simmons starting at lock instead of Izack Rodda.
Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Marika Koroibete, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Reece Hodge, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Will Genia; 1 Scott Sio, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 3 Sekope Kepu, 4 Rob Simmons, 5 Adam Coleman, 6 Jack Dempsey, 7 Michael Hooper (captain), 8 Sean McMahon
Replacements: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 Tom Robertson, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Lukhan Tui, 20 Ned Hanigan, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Samu Kerevi, 23 Henry Speight
Steve Hansen has not been tempted to use Beauden Barrett, who suffered a head knock in the thrilling 25-24 defeat of South Africa. Lima Sopoaga is in at fly-half.
New Zealand: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Ryan Crotty, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith; 1 Kane Hames, 2 Dane Coles, 3 Nepo Laulala, 4 Sam Whitelock, 5 Scott Barrett, 6 Liam Squire, 7 Sam Cane, 8 Kieran Read (captain)
Replacements: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Ardie Savea, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 David Havili
Morning!
Hello and welcome, wherever you are, to our live text commentary of the final Bledisloe Cup match of 2017.
It's from a soggy Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. It's been raining today, but that won't dampen what should be a cracker.
Rain, hail or shine ☔️ #BledisloeCup#AUSvNZLpic.twitter.com/jARB5o2CZw
— Qantas Wallabies (@qantaswallabies) October 21, 2017