By Greg Robertson
Hello and welcome to Suncorp Stadium where the All Blacks will be looking to continue their rugby dominance with a record-equalling 17th consecutive test win for a top tier nation, against Australia tonight.
With the Bledisloe Cup already back in the All Black’s trophy cabinet, there is nothing but pride at stake in tonight’s game, and a chance for the Wallabies to ruin New Zealand’s perfect year.
We’ll bring you video live, streaming updates throughout the match, including video highlights of all the big plays and tries.
Make sure you refresh your page occasionally. We’ll add VIDEO COMING SOON when we’re cutting the highlights and VIDEO UP when it’s ready to be viewed.
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LIVE COMMENTARY... Australia 18 – 18 All Blacks
FULLTIME - 18 all draw. ALL VIDEO UP.
86 mins: Carter to the left, Cruden to the right... to Carter - he doesn't like it. The droppie has missed! The winning streak is over and it's an 18-all draw at Suncorp!!!
84 mins: Scrum called. Pressure on the ABs. Inside their 22. They need to travel 80 metres. Weepu caught, taps it after a penalty as Sheehan is offside... another penalty, tap and Weepu goes... Ben Smith with a break and now the ABs are at the other 22... set up, Vito takes it up...
80 mins: Aussie with the ball and 35 metres to travel. ABs can't give away and penalties... Wallabies keep it in tight searching for the penalty. Thirty metres out now... McCaw with a tackle and rolls away... Wallabies patient, setting up for a dropkick too... All Blacks muscling up... real drama here... hooter gone but the Wallabies continue the drive... 17th phase... that's the 22... right out in front... Mccabe with good ground right up the middle... loose ball, Sheehan nabs it... penalty to the ABs!
78 mins: Great work by the Wallabies. Brett Sheehan had Weepu under all sorts of stress at the back of the scrum, held up, turned over.
76 mins: Everyone's dropping the pill, first Beale right out in front of his sticks, then the advantage over, then Read drops it for the ABs... result is ABs ball to the lineout about 30 metres out. Messy, Aussie come away with it.
74 mins: Wallabies trying to milk a penalty right out in front and Joubert bites. Another one at the breakdown and we're all nodding or shaking our heads over it depending on which side you sit. Harris right out in front.... 30 metres... through the middle. 18-all.
72 mins:All Blacks backed onto their own 22 as the Wallabies eat up the hard yards. Big defence from Ben Smith on Mike Harris jolts the ball loose. McCaw was over the top.
70 mins: Wallabies are self destructing! Aaron Cruden at first-five with a big bomb, dropped at the back by Adam Ashley-Cooper and Nick Phipps is a mile offside and picks it up. This will be the lead to the All Blacks. Yep, ABs lead 18-15.
69 mins: Penalty to the ABs, Luke Romano on for Retallick. That was another penalty at the bread down... 21 penalties so far. 51,888 people at this game... penalties might beat that by the end of 80 mins.
68 mins: The ABs with an assault on the Aussie line... nearly every member of the forward pack has had a crack, McCaw with another go... pick, go, pick, go, Wallabies desperate... Weepu looks wide, Carter is smashed midfield... penalty ABs, right out in front for flopping over the top. This will mean it's all tied up at 15-all. Carters nails it.
63 mins: Carter sets up a good attacking chance, Weepu with a top kick into the corner and Cory Jane's after it, juggling it beautifully but he's well in touch. Hooper is back from the sin bin and the Wallabies have 15 again.
61 mins: Wallabies really attacking now and the ABs are stretched to the limit... Douglas, Sharpe, both make good ground... lost, ABs snap it up and spread it wide to Ben Smith, he loses it too, players spread right across the park... this is mayhem. Wallabies have been winning the breakdowm... Aaron Cruden coming on and Nonu is off.
ALL VIDEO UP
59 mins: Liam Messam is isolated after some great work by the Wallabies pack, penalty to the home side for holding on... Beale lining it up... the kick-a-thin continues but Beale has dragged this one and that's a big let off for the ABs. Piri Weepu on for Smith at halfback.
56 mins: Carter slots the penalty and the Wallabies' lead is cut to three points, 15-12. Mealamu makes way for Andrew Hore for the ABs
55 mins: Aaron Smitth with a great pick up on the run then kicks it ahead and is taken out without the ball - yellow card for flanker Michael Hooper!
52 mins:Franks going to stay on and it's Faumuina that leaves the field with Woodcock returning from the sin bin. Beale with a HUGE kick from a penalty, 60-65 on the angle! Aussie lead 15-6. Conrad Smith leaving the field - injury - Ben Smith on. ABs get the restart and they work it right towards the post... advantage and it's a penalty right out in front. Carter slots it and ABs trail 15-9.
48 mins: Game has completely lost it's shape... Beale gets it and kicks ahead and chases but McCaw controls it well. Penalty to the ABs for offside... 14th penalty of the game and a chance to clear.
44 mins: Wallabies penalised early for not rolling away and Carter snatches at it... misses again. The Beale kicks off, Cory Jane breaks through but can't link up with Ma'a Nonu. Ball lost. Liam Messam coming off and Owen Franks on.
HALFTIME - Harris slotted the penalty and the Wallabies lead 12-6 at the break.
39 mins: Aussie tireless as they move forward with the ball, edge forward... penalty, oh no, here comes the yellow for the ABs and it's Tony Woodcock for not getting to his feet and releasing - as he was the tackler. Fair call - kick to come.
35 mins: Carter has a chance to level things up with a penalty and he's pulled it badly. Very un-Carter like. Read returns the dropkick and he has full steam at, Smith now having a dab himself, ball being flung about a bit... settle on it boys, no, they try too much too soon and they've lost it again. That was a positive error though, trying to bring the game plan into action of offloading though one feels they should peel a layer off that for the good of accuracy.
32 mins: McCaw now penalised for hands in the ruck and not rolling away I think... this will give the Wallabies the lead with Mike Harris stepping forward, slots it for 9-6 to Australia.
ALL VIDEO UP
31 mins: Aussie has levelled things up, missed what it was for - was cutting the video for you of the cheap, dirty crap that the Wallabies have thrown at McCaw. Woodcock penalised this time and Jourbert seems to be blowing the whistle one way tonight.
26 mins: Gear breaks right up the middle, runs away from support but they are attacking at will... until a forward pass breaks things down. FIGHT! Looks like Scott Higginbotham has head butted Richie McCaw in the head and she's on for young and old. VIDEO UP SOON. He got a knee in the head too.
25 mins: Great play from the ABs... spread it left and Dagg kicks through with Gear on the chase... Harris comes across looks like he's missed it??? Called for touching it down, 22... geez, have another look at this one folks. VIDEO UP SOON. No, he touched it down for sure.
23 mins: McCabe with a half break right up the middle for Aussie after a set move from the scrum... Read pinches the ball and the ABs win the scrum feed. Great work.
21 mins: Play has become a little disjointed... Kane Douglas coming on for Sitaleki Timani... another Aussie injury.
20 mins: Wallabies done for screwing the scrum and here's a real chance to drive it deep and release this backline. Carter carves off a few yards and it's ABs ball five metres in enemy territory... play breaks down early though and the ball's turned 0over and Aussie spread it wide left, back right and Sharpe now has the ball taking it right up the centre. Forwards rumbling it... on 22, centre field... still pick and go... retaining possession... great run from Tatafu Polota Nau, beats two, three... out wide to Beale, Whitlelock and Read tackles on the inside to jolt the ball loose. Good defence but the ABs were under real pressure. Ball security poor from both sides.
15 mins: McCaw with a massive steal as he wrestles it away, Liam Messam gets the ball and there's a mix up midfield and play breaks down. Great work from the ABs captain. Aussie on the double around but the ball is lost in contact by Nick Cummins. Good numbering off and it was Conrad Smith that knocked that ball loose.
13 mins: Aussies nearly pinch a lineout back... they're attacking everything. Knock on... defensive ABs scrum, good Wallabies hit but Carter scoops the ball away to touch under pressure - near halfway.
9 mins: McCaw pinches a lineout ball that was untidy, and the ABs now attacking wave after wave. Wallabies struggling, Joubert with the arm out, Smith out to MCCaw, to Smith, ball lost in the tackle as Aaron Smith tries to stretch out. Not really close and it will go back to the penalty for Nick Phipps finding himself on the wrong side of the ruck. Carter will kick this with his eyes closed for 6-3 to the ABs. ABs cleaning out well... they look dangerous on the counter and feeding off the mistakes. Carter... nails it.
5 mins: Pat McCabe nearly finds a hole and it's Sam Whitelock who takes him down at full stretch... ball turned over, Beale done for not rolling away right on the halfway line. Dan Carter steps forward with the pill under his wing. 52 metres on the angle... right down the middle for 3-3.
4 mins: Short kick off and Conrad Smith with a great mid-air take. Forward pass from Israel Dagg on to Hosea Gear blows things up. First taste of some scrum action. ABs penalised for going early at the scrum and the Wallabies tap and go to keep up the pace.
3 mins: Early penalty for the Wallabies as Keven Mealamu is penalised come ruck time. Hands in.... Mike Harris nails it and the Aussies lead 3-0.
1 mins: Craig Joubert blows the whistle and it's Kurtley Beale that gets us going... oh, so close to an Aussie try. Beale goes deep and Aaron Smith has it charged down. Ball goes dead.
Anthems over... very polished one from Aussie, I'd say a little too 'rounded for my likes. Haka... here it is... rip right into it lads... it's Kapo o Pango... crowd's loving it... throats slit and kick off is imminent. Aussies face the challenge... game on.
The All Blacks... or is it the 'AIG All Blacks' standing proud... just waiting to see Weepu spin around to see if he's picked up a personal sponsor for the back of his trousers - 'KFC'... no, he's actually looking pretty fit. His agents should look to Subway maybe.
ABs with black arm bands on for Hansen's dad, Des. Cool at the stadium, talk of perhaps a thunderstorm later or two. Sharpe out by himself too and gets a roar. Wallabies follow him out and we're getting set for a battle here. Anthems on way.
Sharpe laying the law down now in the dressing room - yep, that's just got them all pretty pumped up. Mealamu has the ball and onto the park now.... out by himself, good roar for a great player.
First start for Charlie Faumuina... 100th test cap for Kevvy Mealamu as we all know.. All Blacks in a huddle in the dressing room... Aussies all over the place in theirs and they do look like a team under pressure. The return of Wycliff Palu will pick them up that's for sure, out since injuring his shoulder in Super Rugby.
Minutes to kick off ladies and gentlemen... hoping for some open running rugby are we? Same. It was August of last year when we were last beaten and it was by Aussie, on this ground, too.
If Aussie are to fire tonight they need Kurtley Beale to be firing on all cylinders... he's been out of form but if he can grab half of it back for this match then they might be able to put some scoreboard pressure on the visiting ABs.
Very special week for Keven Mealamu and Corey Jane wants the evening to be a special one for "a great man". He also says that coach Hansen is holding up "strong" after the sad passing of his father, Des.
Players on the field warming up now with 25 minutes to the boot kicks the ball... and 105 minutes to win number 17 in a row for the All Blacks?
It's Nathan Sharpe's Aussie send off... can the Wallabies lift him and the team for the occasion and the win? One doubts it highly - but an Aussie team with their backs against the wall and many points to prove... 112 tests (including this one), win or lose, Sharpe's a rugby legend. Can the Aussies say, "Hey, we're not that bad." We'll see... picking it might be an arm wrestle early but the ABs to blow away the back end of the first half and on.
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Teams:
Australia: Mike Harris, Nick Cummins, Ben Tapuai, Pat McCabe, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Kurtley Beale, Nick Phipps; Wycliff Palu, Michael Hooper, Scott Higginbotham, Nathan Sharpe (captain), Sitaleki Timani, James Slipper, Tatafu Polota Nau, Benn Robinson.
Reserves: Saia Fainga'a, Sekope Kepu,, Kane Douglas, Dave Dennis, Liam Gill, Brett Sheehan, Drew Mitchell.
New Zealand: Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Hosea Gear, Daniel Carter, Aaron Smith; Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Liam Messam, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Charlie Faumuina, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock.
Reserves: Andrew Hore, Owen Franks, Luke Romano, Victor Vito, Piri Weepu, Aaron Cruden, Ben Smith.
Pregame Banter:
While there's only pride riding on the result, the third Bledisloe Cup test is set to be an emotional one with Keven Mealamu playing his 100th test, while Wallaby Nathan Sharpe plays his 112th and his last against the All Blacks.
All Black Dan Carter says the fact that the weekend’s game is in Brisbane means there’ll be a lot of Kiwi support in the stands.
“It's crazy,” he says. “Where we go there tends to be Kiwis that pop out from everywhere or All Blacks supporters, and no place more so than here in Brisbane”.
But Sharpe says it’s still an Aussie home game.
“There's New Zealanders all across Australia. I lived in Perth, it's the most far away part of Australia from New Zealand, there's more Kiwis there than there are here, so it's a home game for us, no doubt about that,” he says.
It's a milestone match for the Australian lock, and he’s expecting pace and pain, but he knows that in a poor year a win against the old enemy can make a lot of things right.
“It's just how it is,” he says, “that's the way it always is and I’m assuming that's how it's always going to be.”
They're up against it. Injuries have ruled out at least nine potential starting Wallabies and this week Robbie Deans has been able to name just three starting backs who have actually played against the All Blacks.
New Zealand's experience could be crucial.
“It certainly helps them at different times. You watch the way they play the game, they understand the way each other plays and they're pretty savvy at manipulating things to help them go forward so that's a strength of theirs,” says Sharpe.
Carter agrees, but also thinks the Australians could be dangerous.
“Looking at their side it's pretty inexperienced but that can work in your favour sometimes, they've got nothing to lose.”
That's because the All Blacks have won all the trophies. But there's still plenty to motivate the team tomorrow.
“He's such a huge part of this All Blacks side so we are wanting to win this weekend especially for Kevvie,” says Carter.
A win to celebrate Mealamu's 100th test will keep All Blacks fans on both sides of the Tasman smiling.
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