All Blacks hit highs in record win over Wallabies

The world champion All Blacks rebounded spectacularly to down the Wallabies 54-34 and plunge Australian rugby further into despair in the Rugby Championship opener in Sydney on Saturday.

It was New Zealand’s biggest score over Australia, eclipsing their 51-20 win in Auckland three years ago and puts them well on the way to holding on to the trans-Tasman Bledisloe Cup, which they have held since 2003.

New Zealand’s inability to put away the British and Irish Lions in their drawn home series last month had raised doubts whether the All Blacks’ era of dominance was on the wane.

But the All Blacks roared back to outclass the Australians eight tries to four in a dynamic performance.

While the Wallabies added some respectability to the final score after trailing 54-6 with four tries in the final half-hour the contest was well and truly over after the first 50 minutes.

While it was a dominant Test for the All Blacks it plunged Australia rugby further in the gloom after a woeful Super Rugby season where Australian teams lost all their 26 games to New Zealand opposition.

It was played before the lowest Bledisloe Cup Test crowd at Sydney’s Olympic stadium of 54,846.

The All Blacks demoralised the tackle-shy Wallabies with a six-try opening half to have the game wrapped up by half-time after a 40-6 landslide.

While the Australians looked promising in attack they were clueless in defence with the world champions looking capable of scoring in every attacking phase.

The Wallabies left the field to stunned silence with their already tenuous Bledisloe Cup hopes in tatters with the All Blacks at home in the potentially deciding game in Dunedin next week.