The All Blacks were crushed by the Wallabies 34-19 in Sydney in a tightly fought contest. The ABs, without captain Richie McCaw, had problems in the loose forward department, but there was plenty of drama with a slew of tries, a coat hanger tackle from Brad Thorne that sent him to the sin bin, and solid tackling from both sides.
As The Sunday Star-Times headline put it, "A Dingo Ate our Soft All Blacks" in a reference to Robbie "Dingo" Deans, Australian coach. The New Zealand Rugby Union board must be ruing its decision in late 2007 to continue with coach Graham Henry after a poor AB showing at the World Cup and turning away Robbie Deans, successful Canterbury Crusader coach, who shortly thereafter took up a coaching contract with the Wallabies. Down in Canterbury Crusader country, there'll be bitter feelings about the NZRU's poor decisions, a board renown for never admitting its mistakes.
With their prospects of securing the Tri-Nations series or successfully defending the Bledisloe Cup against Australia fading away, the All Blacks and their supporters in the run-up to the re-match in Auckland next week might need a boost from this 1950s All Blacks Football Song , backed by the Woolston Brass Band.
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