Battle Commences

The All Blacks have won their first match in the 2009 Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations series against Australia 22–16 at Auckland’s Eden Park. With skipper Richie McCaw back to lead the way, the All Blacks shrugged off their indifferent early-season form to come from behind and lay down a marker ahead of Tests in South Africa in the coming two weekends. All Black Stephen Donald slot his fourth three-pointer of the night six minutes from time to put the home side 22–16 in front and super defence ensured in the dying minutes that was a close as the Australians would get. The Sydney Morning Herald’s Greg Growden wrote of the Australian defeat: “The Wallabies showed they are not yet mentally up to beating the All Blacks on home soil. They are too easily intimidated. The skills and fitness have improved in the past year but the killer instinct is not there.”