Six first-half tries in Sydney: All Blacks 43, Wallabies 21, and a 2-0 series

The All Blacks finished the Bledisloe Cup series 2-0 with a 43-21 win over the Wallabies in front of 73,399 at Accor Stadium in Sydney on Saturday 17 October, after scoring six tries in a first half that ended 36-7. It was New Zealand's 13th straight win over Australia, and it came at a price, with injuries leaving the side down to 13 men by the end.

Six tries before half-time

The game was effectively decided inside 43 minutes. Wing Josh Moorby, starting in place of the injured Leroy Carter, scored first after 12 minutes. Fullback Beauden Barrett added a second, flanker Peter Lakai a third, and Rieko Ioane, on early after centre Quinn Tupaea failed a head injury assessment, a fourth: four tries in 14 minutes.

Wallabies lock Jeremy Williams scored back for Australia, then was sin-binned for offside two minutes later, and No 8 Wallace Sititi scored straight away. Barrett's second, an intercept on the stroke of half-time, made it 36-7, and Moorby's second, three minutes after the restart, took it to 43-7. First five-eighth Damian McKenzie converted four of the seven tries.

The second half, and the injury count

Australia won the second half 14-7, through fullback Tom Wright and replacement wing Filipo Daugunu, and every one of their three tries was converted. The All Blacks were running out of bodies: Will Jordan came off at half-time with a tight calf, Shannon Frizell pulled up lame, and Samisoni Taukei'aho left with calf tightness after the bench was used up, leaving 14. Replacement wing Chay Fihaki, who made his Test debut at half-time, was then yellow-carded for head contact on Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i, and the All Blacks finished with 13.

Second five-eighth Jordie Barrett withdrew before kick-off with a calf problem; Timoci Tavatavanawai started in his place. For Australia, fly-half Harry McLaughlin-Phillips came off the bench around the 72nd minute to become Wallaby number 1001.

Lakai the player of the match

Peter Lakai was named player of the match. Rennie singled out Ioane too, saying he "had to do a lot of defending today" after his early call-up. "I thought we were really clinical in the first 43 minutes," Rennie said, before adding: "I'm disappointed we weren't as clinical" in the second half. Captain Codie Taylor said the first 40 had been "awesome".

The Wallabies were blunt. Coach Les Kiss called the first half "unacceptable", and captain Harry Wilson said: "It's not good enough from this group." The loss ended Kiss's unbeaten start as coach and extended Australia's longest losing run against the All Blacks.

The series in numbers

New Zealand won 50-19 at Eden Park and 43-21 in Sydney, retained the Bledisloe Cup for a 24th straight year, and have now beaten Australia 13 times in a row; the last Wallabies win was in Brisbane in 2020, when Rennie was coaching Australia. The Wallabies conceded 19 turnovers in Sydney.

The teams

All Blacks: Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Quinn Tupaea, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Josh Moorby, Damian McKenzie, Cam Roigard, Wallace Sititi, Peter Lakai, Tupou Vaa'i, Fabian Holland, Scott Barrett, Fletcher Newell, Codie Taylor (captain), George Bower. Bench: Samisoni Taukei'aho, Xavier Numia, Pasilio Tosi, Shannon Frizell, Du'Plessis Kirifi, Cortez Ratima, Chay Fihaki, Rieko Ioane.

Wallabies: Tom Wright, Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i, Isaac Henry, Harry Potter, Declan Meredith, Ryan Lonergan, Harry Wilson (captain), Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Allan Alaalatoa, Josh Nasser, Aidan Ross. Bench: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Massimo De Lutiis, Josh Canham, Carlo Tizzano, Kalani Thomas, Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, Filipo Daugunu.

What comes next

Both teams head to Europe in November to finish the Nations Championship, and the All Blacks' touring squad is due to be named on Tuesday 27 October. The two sides meet again in a pool match at the 2027 World Cup, at the same Sydney stadium.