New Zealand finishes strong to beat Australia 33-13 in 2nd Bledisloe Cup game

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand overcame a slow start and produced a more clinical finish than in recent matches to beat Australia 33-13 on Saturday and sweep the two-test Bledisloe Cup series.

When winger Caleb Clarke scored his second and the All Blacks' fifth try in the 64th minute it was the first time in six tests New Zealand has scored points in the last quarter.

Australia had scored first and kept the game close until just before halftime when New Zealand took a 19-13 lead. The second half belonged to the All Blacks, who scored two tries and 14 unanswered points to win in Wellington for the first time in six years.

“We didn't start too well but I'm really pleased with how we finished,” All Blacks captain Scott Barrett said. “There was some real grit in defense there in the way we held out the Aussies.”

The Wallabies — without a win over the All Blacks in New Zealand in 23 years — started so well they seemed a team transformed in only seven days. A slow start cost them the first test between the teams in Sydney last weekend and the chance to regain the Bledisloe Cup after 21 years.

Australia trailed 28-7 in the first half of that match but rallied strongly before going down 31-28.

On Saturday, the Wallabies posted the first try through backrower Fraser McReight in the eighth minute.

They led 10-5, then 13-12 with a conversion and penalties to Noah Lolesio before New Zealand came back to claim a 19-13 halftime lead. The All Blacks were confined to their own half for long periods in the first half but broke out to score tries through each member of their back three.

Right winger Sevu Reece scored in the 16th minute, fullback Will Jordan in the 22nd and left winger Caleb Clarke in the 41st after the All Blacks, trailing 13-12, passed up a kickable penalty.

The Wallabies trailed at halftime despite having shaded New Zealand on territory and possession and having forced the All Blacks to make more than 90 tackles.

The Wallabies out-muscled the All Blacks in the first spell, most obviously in the lead-up to McReight's try. They were determined to run every piece of possession at New Zealand, even launching attacks from inside their own 22.

The All Blacks lacked discipline at times and conceded the first six penalties of the match. At the same time, the Wallabies' ball security was poor at the end of the first half and start of the second and they gave too much ball back to the All Blacks, who were typically dangerous off turnovers.

A turnover won by Ardie Savea set up Reece's try. Jordan was a constant danger with turnover possession which Australia struggled to contain.

A break by Jordan put New Zealand in an attacking position in the 54th minute and prop Tamaiti Williams scored to make the All Blacks' lead 26-13.

Without possession, Australia began to concede penalties to hand the All Blacks better field position.

“That's not the result we wanted,” Wallabies captain Harry Wilson said. "I thought our first 40 was really good. We showed up, we started fast but we struggled with possession in the second half.”

Veteran scrumhalf T.J. Perenara left the field in the 62nd after playing his last test for New Zealand and flanker Sam Kane was replaced in the 68th after becoming the 13th New Zealander to play 100 tests.

After scoring his second try and breaking the All Blacks' final-quarter drought, Clarke ended the game in the sin-bin for picking up the ball from an offside position.

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