Rugby Championship: Clinical All Blacks Outclass Willing Wallabies
by Brendan Bradford -
The more things change, the more they stay the same for the Wallabies.
A new coach, some fresh faces and an attacking mindset saw an invigorated side take the field with great optimism in the opening Rugby Championship game in Sydney on Saturday night but the result, another loss to the All Blacks, was all too familiar.
A 20-point haul to Man-of-the-Match Aaron Cruden and a hat-trick to winger Ben Smith helped the All Blacks to a six-tries-to-two 47-29 win to kick off their Rugby Championship defence, while a willing Wallabies side must now regroup ahead of next weekend’s return match in Wellington.
It took just two minutes for Cruden to make a mockery of calls the All Blacks wouldn’t be the same without Dan Carter. After probing the Wallabies defensive line early, the Chiefs flyhalf pulled off a magnificent round-th