A second half that got away from Australia
At the break it looked like a Test. By the end it was a rout. New Zealand beat Australia 50-19 at Eden Park in Auckland, opening the 2026 Bledisloe Cup with seven tries and a 33-5 second-half win after leading just 17-14 at the interval.
Australia had started better, with a Tom Wright lineout try for a 7-0 lead. Then New Zealand found a rhythm. Peter Lakai scored the first of their tries after good work from Damian McKenzie and Jordie Barrett, and the home side went in ahead. Within 14 minutes of the restart, tries from Cam Roigard and Codie Taylor had stretched it from 17-14 to 31-14, and the visitors never got back in touch.
Josh Moorby, Leroy Carter and Will Jordan completed the scoring for the All Blacks. Jordan’s finish near full-time was his ninth try of the year. Carter hurt an ankle as he went over. Harry Wilson and Josh Nasser scored Australia’s other tries.
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What it means for Les Kiss
The defeat ended Les Kiss’s unbeaten start as Wallabies head coach, and it extended a long drought. Australia have not won at Eden Park since 1986. They arrived on the back of a win over South Africa in Perth two weeks ago, which made the scale of the loss sharper.
The numbers explain it. Australia made 200 tackles to New Zealand’s 144, but missed 30. They won 92% of their lineouts and conceded fewer turnovers, six to 13, yet the All Blacks took 61% of territory after the break and won the last quarter 19-5. Discipline broke down late for the visitors, while Ryan Lonergan’s only shot at goal, a penalty, missed.
New Zealand did it without Ardie Savea, and with some injury concerns to track. Scott Barrett failed a head injury assessment on his return, and Anton Segner left with a head wound. Len Ikitau went off for Australia after an HIA early in the second half. Richie Mo’unga and Ruben Love are not yet fit.
The sides meet again in Sydney in the Bledisloe Cup rematch, where Australia will need a much tighter second half.
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