New Zealand successfully retained the Rugby Championship title, and with it the Bledisloe Cup for at least another year, following a comprehensive 38-7 victory over Australia in Melbourne on Saturday.
It was a further sign the three-time world champions are moving in the right direction under head coach Ian Foster just over a month out from Rugby World Cup 2023.
Whether they go to the tournament in France as the world’s best team remains to be seen – for now that honour belongs to Ireland – but their sixth straight win over the Wallabies has moved them up to second place, at Les Bleus’ expense, in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings powered by Capgemini.
fter that, the Wallabies supporters in the crowd of 83,944 had little to cheer about as New Zealand added three more tries after the break through Caleb Clarke, Mark Telea, and Rieko Ioane in a devastating eight-minute burst.
New Zealand only gained 0.45 points for the win but that was still enough to lift them above France as they now have 90.77 rating points compared to Les Bleus’ 90.47. Ireland’s lead at the top has been cut to just 1.05 points.
Despite the defeat, Australia hang on to eighth place in the rankings.
South Africa are also unmoved, in fourth, after they held on for a 22-21 win against Argentina in Johannesburg.
The Springboks scored tries through Eben Etzebeth, Damien de Allende and Manie Libbok, who also kicked the remainder of their seven points, while Mateo Carreras and Gonzalo Bertranou crossed late on for Los Pumas.
Santiago Carreras kicked 13 points but was left to rue two second-half penalty misses that, had they gone over, could have given them only their second win over the Springboks on South African soil.
Instead, they had to settle for a losing bonus-point and third place in The Rugby Championship, matching their previous best finish in the competition.
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