Laurie Mains saw plenty of positive signs in the All Blacks’ game against the Wallabies, despite the criticism that followed the 31-28 triumph.

The All Blacks led 21-0 after 15 minutes but faltered badly in the second half, only just holding on with 13 men at one point to beat Australia 31-28 in the first Bledisloe Cup test.

New Zealand scored four tries in the first 25 minutes and held off a second-half Australia fightback with 13 men to beat the Wallabies 31-28 in a Rugby Championship thriller.

Oh, Australia. Having initially repelled the All Blacks, Harry Wilson chucks a pass in the vague direction of Rob Valetini that Caleb Clarke pinches all too easily. New Zealand build pressure, Will Jordan again threatening as he roams with menacing intent, and there’s room for Clarke to gallop into down the left.

The Bledisloe Cup series between Australia and New Zealand comes around each year as a high point of the Southern Hemisphere rugby season.

Again, the All Blacks have failed to score a point in the last 20 minutes of a test.

Australia have lost their eighth-straight Test to New Zealand and bungled another chance to snatch their first Bledisloe Cup series victory since 2002, going down 31-28 before a crowd of 68,061 at Accor Stadium in Sydney.

The All Blacks rebound from consecutive Rugby Championship defeats against world champions South Africa. Read more at straitstimes.com.

New Zealand scored four tries in the first 25 minutes and held off a late Australian fightback with 13 men to beat the Wallabies 31-28 in a Rugby Championship thriller at Stadium Australia on Saturday.

New Zealand scored four tries in the first 25 minutes and held off a late Australian fightback with 13 men to beat the Wallabies 31-28 in a Rugby Championship thriller at Stadium Australia. The All Blacks were held to one penalty in the second half and lost two players to yellow cards,