New Zealand survive late scare to beat Australia in thriller

2024 Rugby Championship

Australia (14) 28

Tries: Mcreight, Faessler, Paisami, Wright Cons: Lolesio 4

New Zealand (28) 31

Tries: Jordan, Ioane, Clarke, Savea Cons: McKenzie 4 Pens: McKenzie

New Zealand survived a late rally to beat Australia 31-28 in the Rugby Championship in Sydney and retain the Bledisloe Cup.

The All Blacks opened up a 14-point lead at the break but were restricted to just one penalty in the second half and lost two players to the sin-bin.

Late tries from Hunter Paisami and Tom Wright moved Australia to within a score of a remarkable victory, but New Zealand held on.

It is New Zealand's eighth successive win over their trans-Tasman rivals and means they retain the Bledisloe Cup for the 22nd year in a row.

"It's a bit of a relief, to be honest," said New Zealand captain Scott Barrett.

"In the last 15 [minutes], we found ourselves in a bit of a hole, but we hung on with a bit of scrambled defence.

"It's the nature of the Aussies, they certainly don't lie down."

The win moves Scott Robertson's side above Argentina into second place before the Pumas' match against South Africa later on Saturday, though they cannot overhaul the Springboks in top spot.

World champions South Africa can secure a first Rugby Championship title since 2019 with a victory in Santiago.

Australia have taken just five points from their five games and are on course to finish bottom for the second Championship in a row.

Joe Schmidt's side have lost nine of their past 10 games in the competition, including a record 67-27 defeat by Argentina earlier this month.

New Zealand were looking to bounce back from successive defeats by South Africa that ended their hopes of winning the Rugby Championship title.

They raced into a 21-0 lead thanks to tries from Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane and Caleb Clarke, before Fraser McReight dived over from Nic White's offload to reduce the deficit

Ardie Savea's score and Damian McKenzie's conversion moved the All Blacks 28-7 ahead, but Matt Faessler's try right on the hooter kept Australia in the match.

McKenzie's penalty extended the lead shortly after the restart, before the All Blacks had a length-of-the-field try called back for a knock-on.

Australia then began to work their way back into the game and Paisami went over in the 65th minute

Anton Lienert-Brown was sent to the sin-bin for an infringement in the lead-up to Paisami's try and Clarke followed six minutes later to leave New Zealand with 13 men.

Australia had a try of their own ruled out for a knock-on before Wright's late score a minute from time set up a grandstand finish.

"We're obviously gutted to not get the result," said Australia captain Harry Wilson.

"Giving a 21-0 head start to the All Blacks was always going to make it tough for us, but I am super proud of the effort and the way we fought back.

"We just didn't want to give up and played for each other."

Wallabies prop James Slipper was a second-half substitute to win his 140th cap, breaking the record held by former captain George Gregan.

The two sides face each other next weekend in the second Bledisloe Cup game in Wellington on New Zealand's north island.

Australia: T. Wright, Kellaway, Ikitau, Paisami, Koroibete, Lolesio, White, Bell, Faessler, Tupou, Frost, Williams, Valetini, McReight, Wilson.

Replacements: Paenga-Amosa, Slipper, Alaalatoa, Salakaia-Loto, Gleeson, McDermott, Lynagh, Pietsch.

New Zealand: Jordan, Reece, Ioane, J. Barrett, Clarke, McKenzie, Ratima, de Groot, Taylor, Lomax, S. Barrett, Vaa'i, Sititi, Cane, Savea.

Replacements: Aumua, Williams, Tosi, Darry, Jacobson, Perenara, Liernert-Brown, Plummer.