The Wallabies mounted a spirited comeback in the second half but ultimately fell short against the All Blacks in a thrilling encounter at Accor Stadium on Saturday.

New Zealand held on to a 31-28 victory, only getting three points in the second which was a clear indication that they were under the pump.

The All Blacks dominated the first 20 minutes, with tries from Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Caleb Clarke, and Ardie Savea giving them a commanding 28-14 lead at halftime. Savea’s try saw him surpass Richie McCaw’s record for the most tries scored by an All Black forward.

Despite Australia being behind in the first half, they fought back valiantly, getting tries from Frasier Mcreight and Natt Faessler. They added two more in the second half through Hunter Paisami and Tom Wright keeping them in the contest. Despite their late surge, the Wallabies were unable to overcome the deficit and suffered their second consecutive defeat in the tournament.

Of course, the result between the Wallabies and All Blacks means nothing to the Springboks as long as they beat Argentina in their game at Santiago del Estero on Saturday night.  

Australia and New Zealand will meet again in Wellington for their final match of the Championship, while the Springboks will host Argentina at Mbombela Stadium, with the world champions mostly likely to be crowned Rugby Championship winners for the first time since 2019.