Rugby Championship: New Zealand 29-9 Australia
Last Updated: 27/08/16 3:03pm
New Zealand secured the Bledisloe Cup by beating Australia 29-9 in Wellington thanks to two tries from Israel Dagg.
Both of Dagg's tries came in the first half, handing the All Blacks a 15-9 lead at the break after Bernard Foley and Reece Hodge replied with penalties for the visitors.
The Wallabies were still in the game at half-time but Julian Savea crossed for a try near the hour mark which Beauden Barrett converted for a 22-9 lead, before Sam Cane crossed to seal victory and the Bledisloe Cup for the No 1 ranked team in the world.
Fly-half Barrett once again contributed to the All Black's attacking edge as well as offering nine points from the boot.
The loss is the Wallabies' sixth on the bounce, piling the pressure on last year's World Cup finalists, while the All Blacks have now won 42 consecutive games at home.
It took only seven minutes for the All Blacks to open the scoring at the Westpac Stadium on the back of good work by scrum-half Aaron Smith. His jinking run had Australia's defence scrambling before the ball was worked out to the right, where Dagg had an easy finish from debutant Anton Lienert-Brown's popped pass.
Australia quickly responded through a Foley penalty, only for Barrett to restore New Zealand's seven-point lead after the Wallabies were penalised from the restart for going into the ruck from the side.
Foley was given another opportunity to close the deficit - this time from close to the left touchline after Malakai Fekitoa failed to roll away - and he was again on target to make it 10-6 with 20 minutes on the clock.
But New Zealand came storming back once again, Barrett coasting through the Australia defence after Samu Kerevi tripped in midfield before sending a long pass out to Dagg, who cut back inside for his second try.
Barrett was off target with his conversion attempt and then missed a penalty from the right touchline, allowing Hodge to reduce the deficit to six points with a kick from inside his own half that sailed between the uprights.
Australia survived a 10-minute period either side of half-time without Adam Coleman - who was sin-binned for a late shoulder charge on Ben Smith - but even with 15 men they were powerless to stop New Zealand crossing for their third try on 47 minutes.
Barrett's long flat pass allowed Ben Smith to get on the outside of Dane Haylett-Petty and drew Israel Folau to send Savea over in the corner.
Barrett converted from the touchline to make it 22-9 but sent a penalty wide after Hodge had done likewise for Australia.But any hopes the Wallabies had of a comeback were extinguished when Cane powered his way over from close range and Barrett added the extras in the 64th minute.
The match became scrappy with the result settled, with Nick Phipps summing up Australia's night by knocking on over the line in the final minute.
