Monday, August 25, 2014

The Rugby Championship / Eden Park / Bledisloe Cup

 Scott Fardy of the Wallabies is tackled during The Rugby Championship match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies at Eden Park on August 23, 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand.
(August 22, 2014 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac)
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 Julian Savea of the All Blacks makes a break during The Rugby Championship match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies at Eden Park on August 23, 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand.
(August 22, 2014 - Source: Martin Hunter/Getty Images AsiaPac)
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New Zealand produced rugby from another planet as they bounced back from the draw in Sydney with a blistering 51-20 win over Australia.
Played out at a ferocious pace and the odd handling error aside, this was New Zealand's best rugby of the year so far.
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 Matt Toomua of the Wallabies runs the ball during The Rugby Championship match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies at Eden Park on August 23, 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand.
(August 22, 2014 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac)
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 Michael Hooper of Australia breaks through tackles to score a try during The Rugby Championship match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies at Eden Park on August 23, 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand.
(August 22, 2014 - Source: Martin Hunter/Getty Images AsiaPac)
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There was even time to break a record in the final minute, Steven Luatua ensuring that New Zealand put 50 points on Australia on home soil for the first time with his try under the sticks after the hooter.
Any nagging suggestion before kick-off that Steve Hansen's men were on the slide was instantly trashed.
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 Wycliff Palu of the Wallabies is tackled during The Rugby Championship match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies at Eden Park on August 23, 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand.
(August 22, 2014 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac)
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 Conrad Smith of the All Blacks is tackled by Kurtley Beale of Australia during The Rugby Championship match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies at Eden Park on August 23, 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand.
(August 22, 2014 - Source: Martin Hunter/Getty Images AsiaPac)
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They simply played at an unbreathable tempo for Australia, or indeed any other side on the planet. Cataloguing all of the brilliant individual moments will take some time.
It's a game played on a different level, a persistent hunt for space with hands always open and passes so well timed that opponents are denied the chance to play and are constantly threatened. Like a turbocharged game of Sevens with 15 men. New Zealand are the kings of it, mesmerising when they find their groove.
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 Julian Savea of the All Blacks breaks away to score a try during The Rugby Championship match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies at Eden Park on August 23, 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand.
(August 22, 2014 - Source: Phil Walter/Getty Images AsiaPac)
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 Kieran Read of the All Blacks takes a lineout ball during The Rugby Championship match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies at Eden Park on August 23, 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand.
(August 22, 2014 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac)
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Man of the Match: Hard to look past Brodie Retallick, the monster lock who played his best game yet for his country.
Moment of the Match: McCaw's sin-binning was a rarity, but when Julian Savea raced away for the second try the tone of the match was settled.
Villain of the Match: Lifting the leg in the maul was pretty dumb by Rob Simmons.
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 Matt Toomua of the Wallabies is tackled during The Rugby Championship match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies at Eden Park on August 23, 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand.
(August 22, 2014 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac)
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 Brodie Retallick of the All Blacks charges forward during The Rugby Championship match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies at Eden Park on August 23, 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand.
(August 22, 2014 - Source: Hannah Peters/Getty Images AsiaPac)
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 All Blacks captain Richie McCaw holds the Bledisloe Cup aloft after winning The Rugby Championship match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies at Eden Park on August 23, 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand.
(August 22, 2014 - Source: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac)
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Brodie Retallick of the All Blacks is helped up on the try line during The Rugby Championship match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies at Eden Park on August 23, 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand.
(August 22, 2014 - Source: Martin Hunter/Getty Images AsiaPac)
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