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Auckland - An intensive defensive effort by the All Blacks created a 30-14 win over Australia in their Tri-Nations clash Saturday, giving their self-belief a boost in the countdown to the World Cup.
GALLERY: All Blacks retain Bledisloe Cup
VIDEO: Match highlights
It was a long way from a perfect performance from the All Blacks who allowed the Wallabies an advantage with possession.
But while Australian attacks were swiftly shut down for most of the match the All Blacks, with Richie McCaw, Piri Weepu and Dan Carter to the fore, were able to find holes around the Australian ruck and out wide.
The three tries to two victory in the clash of the world's top two sides ensured the All Blacks retained the Bledisloe Cup, the symbol of trans-Tasman superiority, which they have held since 2003.
It also left them on track for an 11th Tri-Nations title in the 16-year history of the competition and gave an insight into the attacking game they are working on for the World Cup which starts here next month.
Weepu, getting a start at number nine after coming off the bench in recent Tests, stamped his mark with a series of breaks close to the maul and the All Blacks backs feasted off a supply of front-foot ball.
When they were not moving the ball wide, the All Blacks resorted to shallow chip kicks to negate Quade Cooper's role as a sweeper on defence by drawing him forward into the face of the oncoming packs.
Carter, who had a flawless kicking performance and contributed 15 points, even resorted to a drop goal, a weapon rarely used by the All Blacks.
Any hopes the Wallabies had of back-to-back wins over the All Blacks, after they sneaked home 26-24 in Hong Kong last October, vanished early when they yielded an early 10 points and went fruitless after a sustained period on attack.
The All Blacks laid their marker from the kick off when they robbed the Wallabies of the ball at the first ruck to set up camp in Australian territory from where Carter kicked a regulation penalty.
They followed with their opening try when Weepu found open space down the blind side of a ruck, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Jerome Kaino took the ball up to the line and Ma'a Nonu finished off the move.
Australia regrouped but could not penetrate the All Blacks defence.
Rocky Elsom was forced out in the corner, Carter pulled off a try-saving tackle on Pat McCabe and Digby Ioane was unable to latch on to a Cooper crosskick over the try line.
Having weathered the 10-minute storm, Weepu again led the All Blacks back on attack with Keven Mealamu capping a series of forward drives with a try in the corner.
Carter, who converted both first half tries, extended the All Blacks lead to 20-0 in the opening minutes of the second half with a drop goal.
Australia scored their first try from a David Pocock turnover which sent Ioane away to score in the left corner. Cooper, who took over the kicking after James O'Conner had missed three penalties, landed the conversion.
But there was no time for the Australians to celebrate as All Blacks centre Conrad Smith won the ball from the kick off and put Sivivatu in for the try.
Although the Wallaby pack matched the All Blacks at scrum time for three-quarters of the match, they lost ground when Ben Franks came into the front row conceding a penalty which Carter converted.
Rocky Elsom finished the scoring late in the match, latching on to a wide pass from Cooper to give the Wallabies the consolation of winning the second half 14-13 after trailing 0-17 at halftime.
Scorers
New Zealand - Tries: Ma'a Nonu, Keven Mealamu, Sitiveni Sivivatu. Conversions: Dan Carter (3). Penalties: Carter (2). Drop goal: Carter
Australia - Tries: Digby Ioane, Rocky Elsom. Conversions: Quade Cooper (2)
Teams
All Blacks: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Piri Weepu; 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Wyatt Crockett
Substitutes: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Sam Whitelock, 19 Adam Thomson, 20 Andy Ellis, 21 Colin Slade, 22 Sonny Bill Williams
Wallabies: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O'Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 James Horwill, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu
Substitutes: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Pek Cowan, 18 Dan Vickerman, 19 Scott Higginbotham, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Anthony Faingaa, 22 Lachie Turner
GALLERY: All Blacks retain Bledisloe Cup
VIDEO: Match highlights
It was a long way from a perfect performance from the All Blacks who allowed the Wallabies an advantage with possession.
But while Australian attacks were swiftly shut down for most of the match the All Blacks, with Richie McCaw, Piri Weepu and Dan Carter to the fore, were able to find holes around the Australian ruck and out wide.
The three tries to two victory in the clash of the world's top two sides ensured the All Blacks retained the Bledisloe Cup, the symbol of trans-Tasman superiority, which they have held since 2003.
It also left them on track for an 11th Tri-Nations title in the 16-year history of the competition and gave an insight into the attacking game they are working on for the World Cup which starts here next month.
Weepu, getting a start at number nine after coming off the bench in recent Tests, stamped his mark with a series of breaks close to the maul and the All Blacks backs feasted off a supply of front-foot ball.
When they were not moving the ball wide, the All Blacks resorted to shallow chip kicks to negate Quade Cooper's role as a sweeper on defence by drawing him forward into the face of the oncoming packs.
Carter, who had a flawless kicking performance and contributed 15 points, even resorted to a drop goal, a weapon rarely used by the All Blacks.
Any hopes the Wallabies had of back-to-back wins over the All Blacks, after they sneaked home 26-24 in Hong Kong last October, vanished early when they yielded an early 10 points and went fruitless after a sustained period on attack.
The All Blacks laid their marker from the kick off when they robbed the Wallabies of the ball at the first ruck to set up camp in Australian territory from where Carter kicked a regulation penalty.
They followed with their opening try when Weepu found open space down the blind side of a ruck, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Jerome Kaino took the ball up to the line and Ma'a Nonu finished off the move.
Australia regrouped but could not penetrate the All Blacks defence.
Rocky Elsom was forced out in the corner, Carter pulled off a try-saving tackle on Pat McCabe and Digby Ioane was unable to latch on to a Cooper crosskick over the try line.
Having weathered the 10-minute storm, Weepu again led the All Blacks back on attack with Keven Mealamu capping a series of forward drives with a try in the corner.
Carter, who converted both first half tries, extended the All Blacks lead to 20-0 in the opening minutes of the second half with a drop goal.
Australia scored their first try from a David Pocock turnover which sent Ioane away to score in the left corner. Cooper, who took over the kicking after James O'Conner had missed three penalties, landed the conversion.
But there was no time for the Australians to celebrate as All Blacks centre Conrad Smith won the ball from the kick off and put Sivivatu in for the try.
Although the Wallaby pack matched the All Blacks at scrum time for three-quarters of the match, they lost ground when Ben Franks came into the front row conceding a penalty which Carter converted.
Rocky Elsom finished the scoring late in the match, latching on to a wide pass from Cooper to give the Wallabies the consolation of winning the second half 14-13 after trailing 0-17 at halftime.
Scorers
New Zealand - Tries: Ma'a Nonu, Keven Mealamu, Sitiveni Sivivatu. Conversions: Dan Carter (3). Penalties: Carter (2). Drop goal: Carter
Australia - Tries: Digby Ioane, Rocky Elsom. Conversions: Quade Cooper (2)
Teams
All Blacks: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Piri Weepu; 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Wyatt Crockett
Substitutes: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Sam Whitelock, 19 Adam Thomson, 20 Andy Ellis, 21 Colin Slade, 22 Sonny Bill Williams
Wallabies: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O'Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 James Horwill, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu
Substitutes: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Pek Cowan, 18 Dan Vickerman, 19 Scott Higginbotham, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Anthony Faingaa, 22 Lachie Turner
