[glow=red,2,300]All Blacks hold on to down Wallabies[/glow]
New Zealand retained the Bledisloe Cup with a tense 13-9 victory over Australia in their Tri-Nations clash at Lang Park in Brisbane on Saturday night.
All Blacks winger Joe Rokocoko scored the only try of the match while fly half Dan Carter kicked a field goal, penalty goal and a conversion.
Stirling Mortlock provided the Wallabies with their only points via three penalty goals.
The All Blacks led 10-6 at half-time and held on for a gripping victory with Carter's 58th minute drop goal their only score of a fiercely-contested second half.
In front of a record 52,498 crowd, the Wallabies dominated long stretches of the second half and were camped for minutes inside All Blacks territory, but could not breach a tenacious defensive wall for the match-breaking try.
It was New Zealand's seventh win in nine encounters with the Wallabies in the last three years and they will go to Auckland on August 19 with the Bledisloe Cup safely in their keeping.
The victory stretched New Zealand's lead in the Tri-Nations series to 13 points, seven points clear of the Wallabies, who gained a bonus point with South Africa winless in their two matches.
It was outstanding defensive effort from the All Blacks with captain and openside flanker Richie McCaw an inspiring man-of-the-match.
"The captain was outstanding. In defence he saved a try in the far right-hand corner and I just thought the defensive effort was superb," All Blacks coach Henry said.
"I think it showed real character and courage, and I'm very proud of what the guys did out there."
The Wallabies failed to score a try in a Test for the first time since their 18-9 loss to Ireland in Dublin in 2002.
"It was a game that we could have won," Wallabies coach John Connolly said. "We were in New Zealand's quarter but turned it over three or four times.
"Across the board, I was pretty proud of the effort. It was a step forward. They are a great side. At the moment it's their time, the All Blacks, and we showed tonight we're not too far away."
The All Blacks, who did not perform their controversial "throat-slitting" version of the haka before the kick-off, dominated the opening half.
Rokocoko, who complained before the match of a lack of scoring opportunities, gave New Zealand an early advantage with the opening try in the 10th minute after a Mortlock penalty in the ninth minute.
Blindside flanker Jerry Collins gave Rokocoko the space and he shrugged off Rocky Elsom's tackle and stepped inside full-back Chris Latham to score a powerful try, converted by Dan Carter for a 7-3 lead. It was to prove the only try of a titanic struggle.
Carter kicked a penalty to stretch the All Blacks' lead to 10-3.
Mortlock edged the Wallabies to within four points at 10-6 when he converted a ruck penalty four minutes from half-time.
Few chancesAustralia had few try-scoring chances and winger Lote Tuqiri wasted a potential try when he was penalised for pushing hooker Keven Mealamu to the ground in the chase after a loose ball deep inside New Zealand's half nine minutes before the interval.
Twice in the opening minutes of the second half New Zealand's powerful scrum wheeled and destroyed Australia's tight five on the home side's put-in.
But the Australians came more into the match and had a great chance 14 minutes into the second half when Mortlock sliced through Aaron Mauger's tackle and sent winger Mark Gerrard clear, only to be collared 10 metres short by McCaw, who regained possession in the maul.
Carter gave the All Blacks a seven-point buffer with a drop goal midway through the half after the Wallabies had dominated possession.
Mortlock pulled back three points with his third penalty minutes later as replacements began to get playing time on the hour.
Australia pressured the All Blacks with a series of pick-and-drives before spreading the ball to the right but Gerrard dropped the ball to give the All Blacks some respite.
Mortlock again broke the line but from the next ruck replacement Phil Waugh's pass went over the sideline.
[glow=red,2,300]Oh dum de dum
Oh dum de dum
13 - 9
Oh dum de dum
KAMATE KAMATE[/glow] ;D
;D
;D
