All Blacks secure the silverware

Undeterred by a 10-point lead taken by Australia just after the halftime break, the All Blacks turned on their class to claim the Philips Tri Nations title and retain the Bledisloe Cup with a 28-24 win at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.

Trans-Tasman rivalry made this another classic encounter between the two nations, the Australians showing none of the poor form that saw them concede a 45-point loss to South Africa in their last outing.

Three second half tries, coming once the All Blacks managed to achieve more than a parity in possession, set up the win with the incomparable five-eighths Dan Carter scoring the last of them and converting all four tries with a superb display of his goal-kicking brilliance.

It was a brutal game for the first 60 minutes with some astonishing hits put in by both sides, with flanker Jerome Kaino leading the way, and the All Blacks took time to settle. They always looked more dangerous on attack, and their defence was well tested under some relentless Australian assaults on their line.

But once they settled around the 50th minute they occupied the Australian half more often and the pressure built from that point.

The substitutes poured onto the field for the All Blacks just after Australia scored its second try, but whereas often play gets messier, on this occasion it appeared a seamless change and the effects were obvious in the scoring.

Skipper and flanker Richie McCaw again had a fine game and No.8 Rodney So'oialo was instrumental in key plays during the second half. The two halfbacks Jimmy Cowan and his substitute Piri Weepu were outstanding while locks Ali Williams, who overcome a bad looking injury, and Brad Thorn were ever present in the tight exchanges.

After facing some early pressure from the Australians, who retained the ball through the early stages, the All Blacks maximized their chances after a sustained period of possession.

Australia received an 11th minute warning for playing the ball on the ground and in the 14th minute, another short-arm penalty was quickly taken by All Blacks halfback Jimmy Cowan. He almost broke through to the goal-line, but from the ruck, the ball was moved to the right and quick hands from flanker Jerome Kaino and second five-eighths Ma'a Nonu created room for fullback Mils Muliaina to cross and first five-eighths Dan Carter converted.

The Wallabies created a chance with No.8 Wycliff Palu rampant on the break with players outside him, however, he lost control of the ball at a vital stage but the All Blacks' scrum was poorly-controlled and in the resulting play a penalty was conceded by captain Richie McCaw.

Australian first five-eighths Matt Giteau landed the penalty goal in the 21st minute.

Australia mounted a sustained attack at the line with several phases coming to an end as Kaino drove an attacker back and secured the ball allowing the All Blacks to clear the line.

It was a Giteau cross kick to right wing Peter Hynes. Hynes was tackled in mid-air by wing Sitiveni Sivivatu but he managed to get a pass to fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper who beat the tackles of Muliaina and centre Conrad Smith to dive across for the try which Giteau converted from wide out.

An early second half penalty to Giteau made good room and from the attacking lineout play Giteau featured twice, setting up No.8 Richard Brown and he was tackled just under the posts. The ball was moved right again and it was lock James Horwill who crossed and Giteau landed a fine conversion to give Australia a 10-point lead.

The All Blacks struck back immediately when from a messy kick landing, the ball was tidied by hooker Andrew Hore and then Cowan flung a long pass which was tapped on by No.8 Rodney So'oialo to Smith. He broke the Australian line and then fed flying prop Tony Woodcock who streaked 22m down the sideline to score in the corner.

Carter landed a superb sideline conversion to get the All Blacks to within three points of Australia.

The lead came after replacement five-eighths Stephen Donald fed So'oialo into space and he charged deep into the Australian 22m. The ball was held in the maul for a seeming age before Sivivatu moved into halfback, sidled through a gap and when tackled he flicked the ball to replacement halfback Piri Weepu who scored to get the All Blacks back in the lead.

Weepu was in the thick of the action again as the All Blacks returned to the Australian 22m area and it was So'oialo and Donald who set up rucks before Weepu moved the ball wide to Carter who crossed for the crucial try, fending off centre Ryan Cross with ease.

Cross struck back with three minutes of the game left to score with Giteau adding the conversion.

Australia threw the kitchen sink at the All Blacks in the last few moments but the defences held, and in a summation of the night, it was the All Blacks' counter-rucking that turned over Australian ball for Weepu to get the ball and kick it out to secure the win.

Scorers:

New Zealand 28 (Mils Muliaina, Tony Woodcock, Piri Weepu, Dan Carter tries; Carter 4 con)Australia 24 (Adam Ashley-Cooper, James Horwill, Ryan Cross tries; Matt Giteau 3 con, pen). HT: 10-7.