25 Aug 2013

All Blacks retain Bledisloe Cup

5:51 am on 25 August 2013

The All Blacks beat the Wallabies 27-16 to retain the Bledisloe Cup in Wellington on Saturday.

Thirty eight thousand people filled Westpac Stadium to watch New Zealand dominate Australia two tries to one and retain the trophy for an eleventh consecutive season.

Reuters reports that All Black winger Ben Smith followed up last week's hat-trick of tries in Sydney with two more.

Debutant first five eighth Tom Taylor was far from over-awed with 14 points from the boot and a composed performance in general play, while Israel Dagg added a penalty when Taylor was receiving medical treatment late in the game.

Christian Leali'ifano kicked three penalties for the Wallabies and converted Israel Folau's late intercept try but it was not enough for the visitors, who have not beaten the All Blacks in New Zealand since 2001.

The All Blacks have held the Bledisloe Cup, the symbol of trans-Tasman supremacy, since 2003.

The third match in the series in Dunedin in October, which is not part of the Rugby Championship, is now a dead rubber.