New Zealand 40-14 Australia: Wallabies are BLASTED by fans after ‘utterly useless’ performance

The All Blacks have torn Australia apart with such ease that fans have questioned the future of the sport when New Zealand got their hands on the Rugby Championship.

With the Bledisloe Cup already in their bag, Ian Foster’s side smashed into the visitors at Eden Park and threatened a record-breaking defeat at 32-0 with 20 minutes remaining, before going on to win 40-14.

The late Folau Fainga’a and Jordan Petaia tried to spare that blush, although Australia was rarely further from victory in their 22 years of Eden Park pain.

And fans took to Twitter to blast the “totally useless” performance on their part on Saturday night.

“Time to give up rugby as a national sport,” wrote one fan. “To scoop up this mess, when the… [All Blacks] have struggled as much as at home lately…it’s really pathetic.’

“I think your coach should go. Eddie Jones will do much better,” suggested one South African fan.

‘Thanks for nothing. That performance was completely useless,” wrote another Wallabies fan.

“And now some of those same players will be getting ready for spring break… more cr*p… but nice Europe vacations… no improvements at all.”

Will Jordan, Sam Whitelock, Codie Taylor and Samisoni Taukei’aho landed for New Zealand, with a penalty in the first half underscoring the Wallabies’ lack of composure in the Auckland cauldron.

After begging for discipline on his part, Australian coach Dave Rennie must have been furious to have one of his attackers in the bin after just 124 seconds.

Jed Holloway, who broke through the All Blacks line in the first minute, was booked 60 seconds later for attacking Dalton Papali’i. His enthusiasm turned to recklessness.

The Wallabies kept the All Blacks out while understaffed – and kept Ardie Savea over the line – and gained confidence once parity was restored.

Marika Koroibete’s kick game had begun and the Wallabies lingered for a long time in New Zealand’s last 22, struggling only to finish.

Frustrated for 21 minutes, Richie Mo’unga put the first points on the board with a short distance penalty.

Aaron Smith’s bullet passes freed Jordan shortly after, the winger who shot past a diving Petaia for the first time of the night.

New Zealand’s second was less elegant, with referee Andrew Brace awarding a penalty try and ordering David Porecki to sit on the sidelines for 10 minutes before the maul collapsed.

Still, the understaffed Wallabies battled, with Koroibete denied an attempt to step on the line under the watchful eye of linesman Mathieu Raynal, who as referee broke Australian hearts with a late time-wasting phone call to Bernard Foley in last year’s 39-37 defeat. week in Melbourne.

For that miscalculation, Foley was booed all night with ball in hand.

Trailing 17-0 at halftime, the Wallabies defense fell apart after returning to the field.

A chance TMO call brought Whitelock the All Blacks’ third attempt, with the power of the Kiwi mauls sending Taylor and Taukei’aho to their fourth and fifth of the night on either side of Fainga’a’s face protection.

Jordan Petaia, who appeared early in the night following a shoulder injury to Lalakai Foketi, scored in the 82nd minute for another consolation.

The result means New Zealand has given itself a chance to defend their Rugby Championship title, with South Africa having to beat Argentina by less than 39 points on Sunday morning (AEST) to claim the Southern Hemisphere crown.

Australia, with two wins out of six in the championship, will be licking their wounds before turning to their tour of the Northern Hemisphere.