Wallabies hand All Blacks 25 – 20 defeat to win first Tri Nations title since 2001 – Rugby news
The Wallabies have defeated the World Number One, All Blacks, in the final match of the 2011 Tri Nations championship to lift the title for the first time since 2001. Wallabies defeated the All Blacks 25 – 20 in their Saturday, August 27, encounter against
their neighboring rivals at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.
Suncorp has been a good hunting ground for the Australian Rugby Union (ARU), as they have bagged both the 2011 titles of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia Rugby (SANZAR) at this ground. Earlier this year, Queensland Reds won the 2011 Super Rugby championship
at this venue, by defeating the New Zealand Super Rugby franchise, Crusaders.
The Reds 2011 Super Rugby winning captain, James Horwill, who a few days ago was appointed as the Wallabies captain in place of Rocky Elsom, lead his team in the middle. The Wallabies featured a number of the Queensland Reds player and started the match
strongly.
Wallabies were without their utility back, James O’ Connor, who was suspended by the ARU. In his absence, their fly half Quade Cooper took over the kicking duties. Cooper’s 3rd minute penalty put the hosts in the lead as the All Blacks found it
difficult to build an initial lead, which later probably cost them the game.
Both teams were playing a close body game with lots of physical contact. All Blacks suffered a major blow when their scrum half Kieran Read was substituted for Victor Vito during the 12th minute of the game due to an injury.
Wallabies continued to dominate their position in the match with their ball and territory possession. They sent their scrumhalf for the match, Will Genia, to score their first try in the 13th minute of the game. Cooper followed with his subsequent
conversion to put the hosts in a10-point lead.
All Blacks managed to win back possession and build up their counter attack. They managed to win a penalty in the Wallabies’ 22, on which their internationally acclaimed fly half, Dan Carter successfully kicked to put the visitors’ first point of the match
on the scoreboard, during the 23rd minute of the game.
In the rest of the first half, All Blacks failed to add any further points to their tally. However, Wallabies scored another 10 points to leave the first half with a lead of the 17 points. For Wallabies, Cooper scored on his second penalty of the game in
the 32 minute, which was immediately followed by their number eight Radike Samo’s try. Cooper’s 34th minute conversion took the scorecard reading 20 – 3, which remained the same at the end of the first half.
All Blacks started the second half strongly, as they managed to cut down the lead to just seven points within the first 15 minutes of the second-half. Carter successfully kicked on his penalty during the 46th minute, which was followed by All
Blacks centre Conrad Smith’s 52nd minute try. Carter followed with his successful conversion to take the scorecard reading 20 – 13.
All Blacks were enjoying a good passage of play as they dominated ball and territory possession. They continued with their charge as they sent their other centre Ma’a Nonu to score their second try of the game in the 58th minute. Carter followed
with his conversion to level the scores at 20 – all.
Wallabies’ fullback Kurtley Beale scored their third try during the 60th minute of the game to leave the visitors again trailing by five points. In the remaining part of the second half, both teams tried their best to seize the advantage and score,
but failed to do so as both team left fields, with scorecard reading 25 – 20, at the end of the full time.
The win has boosted the Wallabies 2011 Rugby World Cup preparations.
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