Rugby Union · Bledisloe Cup · Second Test · Sydney

The All Blacks beat the Wallabies 43-21 at Accor Stadium to complete a two-Test Bledisloe Cup sweep.

New Zealand scored six first-half tries and led 36-7 at half-time. Beauden Barrett and Josh Moorby each scored twice, and Peter Lakai was player of the match. It was the All Blacks’ 13th straight win over Australia. The Wallabies won the second half 14-7 through Tom Wright and Filipo Daugunu. Desk colour labelled.

The desk · Saturday 17 October 2026 · Brisbane · AEST

This was the second and final Bledisloe Cup Test of 2026, played at Accor Stadium in Sydney on Saturday 17 October (3:45pm AEDT, 2:45pm Brisbane). New Zealand had already retained the Cup by winning the first Test 50-19 at Eden Park on 10 October, so this result makes it 2-0 for the series. The Wallabies have not held the Bledisloe since 2002. Sources: rugby.com.au, The Guardian, AP, ABC, ESPN, RugbyPass.

Score

New Zealand 43 (Tries: Moorby 2, B. Barrett 2, Lakai, Ioane, Sititi. Cons: McKenzie 4/7) def. Australia 21 (Tries: Williams, Wright, Daugunu. Cons: Lonergan 2/2, Meredith 1/1). Half-time: 36-7 to New Zealand. Cards: a yellow for Williams (Australia, 31st minute) and a yellow for Fikahi (New Zealand, 76th minute). Source: rugby.com.au.

How it went

Moorby opened the scoring in the 12th minute. Barrett scored after a Lakai break in the 18th, Lakai scored himself in the 21st, and Rieko Ioane went over in the 25th to make it 22-0. Jeremy Williams scored Australia’s first try in the 29th minute. Wallace Sititi then broke from the base of a scrum to score in the 33rd, and Barrett intercepted and ran the length of the field on the stroke of half-time for 36-7. Moorby’s second try early in the second half made it 43-7. Australia replied through Wright in the 54th minute and Daugunu in the 67th, and New Zealand did not score again. rugby.com.au described missed tackles, missed chances and passive defence as costly for the Wallabies. Sources: The Guardian live blog; rugby.com.au.

The Lonergans

Ryan Lonergan started at scrum-half, alongside his Brumbies teammate Declan Meredith, who was making his first Bledisloe start at fly-half in place of the injured Ben Donaldson. Lonergan kicked both of his conversions. His brother Lachlan Lonergan, a Brumbies hooker, was not in the Test squad. He has been named in the Australia A squad that leaves for the United States on 18 October. Sources: rugby.com.au; ABC.

Desk colour

Desk colour (Anthony): Australia got whooped. Earlier in the season he was asked whether he was enjoying Australia’s winning ways, and he said he would trust it if they took the Bledisloe. They have not, so he does not trust it yet and remains sceptical. He still thinks coach Les Kiss and the Lonergans are the best hope the Wallabies have had in years.

For context, Kiss was unbeaten in his first five Tests in charge before the 50-19 loss at Eden Park (Back Page, Perth item; wetalkrugby). After that loss, Kiss said belief “is created and sustained by not just wins and losses” (RugbyPass).

Sources: rugby.com.au report; rugby.com.au live; The Guardian; AP; rugby.com.au team; ABC; rugby.com.au Australia A; RugbyPass; ESPN (Eden Park).