The Bledisloe Cup was gone for a 23rd straight year, but the Wallabies still had plenty to play for in Perth. It was James Slipper’s final Test after 15 years and 151 games in gold. The Rugby Championship was still winnable and there was a 10-Test losing streak against New Zealand to snap. Most of all, despite four wins from nine in 2025, Australia were desperate to reassure fans they were back as a global force.
And for much of Saturday night’s Test, the Wallabies looked sure to end a 1,792-day drought since they last beat the All Blacks. They were strategically enterprising, accurate off the kicking tee and unleashed long phases of blistering attack. But ultimately, a heathen’s brew of dud luck, ill-discipline and errors cruelled the quest as the Wallabies fell to a 28-14 defeat, extending their losing streak against New Zealand to 11 Tests since 2020. Later on Saturday in London, South Africa secured back-to-back Rugby Championship titles for the first time after beating Argentina 29-27 at Twickenham.
In all five Rugby Championship Tests, the Wallabies have started poorly and stormed home. On Saturday night they started superbly, fast hands and daring play rattling the All Blacks early and allowing Tane Edmed to kick them to a lead. But when Will Skelton won a turnover and celebrated with a shove, the English referee, Matthew Carley, quixotically reversed the penalty. It was to be that sort of night.
Australia’s lead lasted mere seconds as Nick Frost fumbled the kick-off and the black mass swarmed to put Leroy Carter over from the ensuing maul. An Edmed penalty made it 7-6 but the Wallabies weren’t content to kick to victory. Instead their hands flashed and flicked and the gold rush put Allan Alaalatoa over. But again the referee found fault, yellow-carding Tom Hooper for a dangerous tackle and scrubbing the try.
The news got worse when the talismanic Skelton was sidelined by a failed HIA. But the Wallabies kept coming, new starting wing Filipo Daugunu testing the black line in attack and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii monstering the All Black runners in defence. Despite trialling a seventh halves combination in Edmed and Jake Gordon, Australia’s attack was cohesive and creative. Only simple errors in wet conditions stymied them.
And bad luck reared its ugly head again when Jordie Barrett head-butted the ball forward for Quinn Tupaea to tow ahead and score. A minute later, a quick tap and big fend gave Tupaea a second, with only a third missed kick by Damian McKenzie saved a blown-out scoreline. It was classic cunning from New Zealand and the Wallabies, despite dominating the half, went to the sheds 17-9 down.
This was an important Test for the code, too. With two AFL teams firmly established in Western Australia and the Perth Bears coming into the NRL, rugby union needed to give the 60,000-strong crowd at Optus Stadium a show. The west had been a happy hunting ground for the Wallabies, having won seven of 10 Tests in Perth (including their biggest defeat of the old enemy, a 47-26 win in 2019). Could they find a fightback?
As the rain intensified in the second half, the coach Joe Schmidt sent fresh troops in to ride the storm. Slipper staggered into retirement and Taniela Tupou arrived with the No 8 Rob Valetini on his hip. They sharpened the gold arrowhead and for 20 minutes Australia threw everything at New Zealand, shrugging off another yellow card to Len Ikitau to dominate possession. But for all their attack, every fusillade fizzed out.
But this Wallabies side is crazy-brave. Their comebacks this year have shocked England, Fiji, the British & Irish Lions, South Africa and Argentina. So when sustained raids put Ikitau over the chalk for 20-14 with 14 minutes to go, their fans dared to dream. But McKenzie kicked their rivals out of striking range and a 80th-minute try from a low drive sealed a fifth straight winless series for the hosts.
Max Jorgensen said his side needed to improve their discipline on Australia’s five-Test overseas tour, starting on 25 October in Japan. “A lot of silly errors that we need to get out of our game. That’s what Test footy is, it’s the best of the best, so you can’t be making those mistakes. If you want to be the best team in the world you’ve got to be at your best at every aspect of the game.”
