July 26, 2008

AUSTRALIA delivered Kiwi coach Robbie Deans his sweetest victory since taking the helm of the the Wallabies, convincingly downing New Zealand 34-19 in a pulsating Bledisloe Cup Test at ANZ Stadium.

The Wallabies scored four tries to three, while five-eighth Matt Giteau had a perfect night with the boot in front of 78,944 fans.

The match was the former Crusaders boss's first Test as coach against his homeland, and against All Blacks mentor Graham Henry, whose job Deans unsuccessfully applied for last year.

Clearly visible from the press box during the national anthems, Deans stood motionless - but perhaps not emotionless - during God Defend New Zealand before smiling as he belted out Advance Australia Fair.

He then watched as the courageous Wallabies put on their second-highest points tally ever against New Zealand and took a first step towards winning the Bledisloe for the first time since 2002 with their biggest win over the All Blacks since 1999.

“It was a fast game and they were stretched and the All Blacks had a lot of possession there,” Deans said.

“We were forced to defend for long periods and, at times, it was tenuous but they hung in and they created a lot of turnover ball just through the intensity of their tackles, and they were able to build enough pressure.”

Australia's tries came from backs Ryan Cross and Peter Hynes in the first half, and forwards Rocky Elsom and James Horwill in the second.

Giteau kicked all four conversions, a penalty goal and a timely drop goal.

For the All Blacks, Mils Muliaina, Andrew Hore, Andy Ellis scored tries while Dan Carter, who was a constant menace to the Wallabies defence, booted two conversions.

Australia led 17-12 after both sides had scored two tries in a frenetic first half, but the All Blacks took the lead for the first - and only - time in the match five minutes after the break when halfback Ellis capitalised on a scintillating bust from Carter.

The flyhalf's conversion made it 19-17.

“That was a good mental test but they got up and got on the front foot and finished strongly,” Deans said.

“Obviously there's enough belief there for them to keep going.”

But the Wallabies weren't about to roll over and, after some great counter attack from fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper, Elsom strode over in the 55th minute and Giteau's conversion made it 24-19.

All Blacks reserve halfback Jimmy Cowan was injured in the lead-up to the try and match officials were soon conferring over the return of No.9 Andy Ellis.

Ellis was ruled to be a blood bin replacement and Cowan later returned.

Australia went further ahead in the 67th minute when some typical Phil Waugh ferocity at the breakdown forced a turnover and Giteau slotted a drop goal for 27-19.

They made sure of the win in the 74th minute when Horwill crashed his way over, beating three All Blacks tackles in the process.

Earlier, centre Cross' try in his run-on Test debut had helped Australia to their halftime lead.

The former NRL star scored the first of Australia's five-pointers in the 10th minute when he found himself on the end of an overlap after Lote Tuqiri had made a brilliant burst and the Wallabies were up 10-0 after the same number of minutes.

The All Blacks fought back superbly and were only denied by two courageous trysaving tackles from Ashley-Cooper, who downed Sitiveni Sivivatu and a charging Rodney So'oialo in successive minutes.

But the fearsome counter-attacking ability of the visitors was demonstrated fully when they steamed 80 metres downfield in the 24th minute resulting in a try to fullback Muliaina and a 10-5 scoreline.

The Wallabies chanced their arm in the 31st minute when the ball was kept alive and Ashley-Cooper grubbered on the fly for winger Hynes to score before Hore set off on a barnstorming run for the line.

Without inspirational captain Richie McCaw, the All Blacks have now lost two Tests in a row for the first time since 2004.

And again the two defeats came at the hands of Australia and South Africa.