Serious things are approaching and, once again, we will have to rely on the All Blacks. Just over a month before the Rugby World Cup in France, New Zealand won the Rugby Championship on Saturday July 29, a competition in which the best nations of the southern hemisphere compete, dominating Australia (38-7).
After a period of doubt where their domination of world rugby was fraying, here are the New Zealanders fully reassured before facing the Blues, at the Stade de France, at the opening of the 2023 World Cup (to be held from September 8 to October 28 ). This is the All Blacks’ fourth consecutive victory in the Rugby Championship, their twentieth overall. The big victory in Australia also allows them to steal the world number two spot from Antoine Dupont’s teammates. Ireland is at the top of this ranking of nations.
Before traveling to Lyon, their base camp for the World Cup, during which they will try to win a fourth world crown (that would be a record), Ian Foster’s men have struck a blow: d first by crushing Argentina (41-12) then by winning the shock against the South African world champions (35-20).
Six tries against Australia
In front of the Wallabies, they demonstrated that they would have to be reckoned with. Their coach, Ian Foster, has obviously found a formula that works. Without really forcing their talent, the All Blacks thus passed six tries to Australia, scored by third row Shannon Frizell (4th), hooker Codie Taylor (34th), and three-quarters Will Jordan (40th), Caleb Clarke (60th), Mark Telea (66th) and Rieko Ioane (67th).
The Wallabies certainly showed some flashes, holding on for about thirty minutes before giving up, but the New Zealanders had a more solid, better-oiled collective on Saturday. Too strong, too powerful, better organized, the All Blacks took advantage of the yellow cards of Marika Koroibete (26th) and Taniela Tupou (58th) as much as the Australian defensive errors.
About forty days before his first match at the World Cup, on September 9 against Georgia, coach Eddie Jones, who returned to the bedside of the Australian XV in early January, has his work cut out for him.
