Australia and Bernard Foley penalised in the final minute for taking too long to take a penalty from hand near the Wallabies try-line after storming to the lead from 16 points down, handing All Blacks attacking scrum from which they won the game through Jordie Barrett try
By Michael Cantillon
Last Updated: 15/09/22 1:34pm
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Jordie Barrett touched down in the corner in the final play as New Zealand won an epic Bledisloe Cup encounter against Australia
A Jordie Barrett try in the final play broke Wallabies hearts as New Zealand won a stunning Bledisloe Cup clash 39-37, but only after high drama between Australia and French referee Mathieu Raynal.
A late Nic White penalty from distance capped a remarkable Australia comeback from 16 points behind and looked set to win the game when Australia then forced a late defensive penalty close to their own goal-line in the final minute.
That was until Raynal instead chose to punish Bernard Foley for delaying kicking the penalty, and hand New Zealand a five-metre attacking scrum, from which they won the Test.
An action-packed contest saw the All Blacks race into a 10-0 lead following a converted Samisoni Taukei’aho try at the base of a rolling maul and a Richie Mo’unga penalty, before the Wallabies hit back through a Rob Valetini try and Foley penalty – the latter back playing for Australia for the first time in three years.
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Rob Valetini’s try helped Australia move level with New Zealand at 10-apiece, while the All Blacks were reduced to 14 men after Dalton Papalii’s yellow card
After New Zealand had earlier lost Dalton Papalii to a sin-binning for collapsing a maul, Australia then survived the final four minutes of the first half with just 13 men after wing Tom Wright and second row Darcy Swain were sin-binned for cynically slowing the ball down and a dangerous clear-out respectively.
The second half saw the All Blacks strike early through Taukei’aho again for the lead, making numbers count, and though Foley reduced the deficit with another penalty, a third Wallabies yellow card to scrum-half Jake Gordon saw New Zealand punish the hosts with further Mo’unga and Will Jordan tries at pace for a 16-point lead.
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Beauden Barrett’s beautiful chipped kick was finished off by Will Jordan as New Zealand continued to dominate in the second half
The Wallabies refused to be beaten, however, as two Andrew Kellaway tries, plus a sensational Pete Samu effort either side of a Mo’unga penalty left the game at 34-34 with five minutes to go.
White then struck a brilliant penalty from distance for an extraordinary lead, before the All Blacks turned down a penalty shot attempt in favour of a kick to touch to try and win the game, but coughed up a penalty at the breakdown.
It was only then the true controversy unfolded, however, as with Wallabies captain James Slipper off the pitch and some confusion as to whether the clock had started up again or not, Foley was penalised by Raynal in brutal fashion, and Barrett went on to strike the winner.