New Zealand continued their impressive start to the Rugby Championship as they completed a Bledisloe Cup whitewash of Australia with a 38-21 win in Perth yesterday.
The All Blacks led 18-0 at half time, despite being reduced to 14 men for 20 minutes as Jordie Barrett was sent off, going on to seal a bonus-point victory.
New Zealand beat the Wallabies 57-22 in the Rugby Championship opener a week after their first Bledisloe Cup win.
Under a law being trialled in the Rugby Championship, a player who has received a red card can be replaced 20 minutes later and Damian McKenzie’s arrival brought New Zealand back up to 15 men.
The hosts could not capitalise on the numerical advantage in the interim and three second half tries were not enough to compete with the All Blacks’ dominance.
The visitors’ victory is all the more impressive given regular Captain Sam Whitelock and first-choice backs Richie Mo’unga and Aaron Smith all remained in New Zealand for the birth of their children. (BBC)
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