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          The Rugby Championship 2018
          New ZealandNew ZealandNZL
          40
          25/08FT
          12
          AustraliaAustraliaAUS
          • Beauden Barrett(13', 38', 62', 69')
          • Joe Moody(43')
          • Liam Squire(48')
          • Beauden Barrett(14', 39', 44', 49', 63')
          • Will Genia(29')
          • Reece Hodge(55')
          • Bernard Foley(30')
          • SummarySummary
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          Beauden Barrett scores four tries in huge All Blacks' win

            Multiple Authors
            Aug 25, 2018, 07:47 AM ET
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            Beauden Barrett was chief executioner as the All Blacks sliced the Wallabies apart 40-12 at Eden Park to extend their Bledisloe Cup reign into a 16th year.

            Barrett scored four tries and 30 points in a dazzling performance, heaping more trans-Tasman agony on a gritty but outclassed Australia at a venue where they haven't won since 1986.

            In a performance which will heap more pressure on under-fire coach Michael Cheika, the Wallabies couldn't handle five-eighth maestro Barrett, whose points haul is a Bledisloe Cup record. His four tries is the most by an All Black and equals the famous haul of Greg Cornelson at the same ground 40 years ago.

            The 27-year-old unleashed his speed and full array of skills, also converting five of his team's six tries in one of the great Test displays.

            Beauden Barrett scoots in under the posts to score a try in Bledisloe II, 2018 Phil Walter/Getty Images

            Barrett's brilliance aside, the Test was a hard-fought affair which mirrored last week's 38-13 New Zealand win in Sydney. Will Genia's try pulled the Wallabies level 7-7 on the half-hour mark and it was only Barrett's second try on the stroke of the break which left the visitors seven points adrift at halftime.

            However, it was again one-way traffic after the break as the Wallabies turnovers were ruthlessly punished.

            Among the few bright points for the Wallabies was an improved set-piece display after a shambolic Sydney effort. Their lineout was better and the introduction of props Scott Sio and Allan Alaalatoa stiffened the scrum.

            Dane Haylett-Petty made some bright runs from fullback in the absence of Israel Folau while No.8 David Pocock was a standout in the first half.

            Cheika said it stung being overwhelmed for a second straight week after a faultless preparation.

            "I'm feeling pretty bad right now. Our fans and supporters expect so much from us and we want to bring it as well," he said.

            The difference was again identified as New Zealand's ruthlessness off turnover ball.

            "When you do cough the ball up like that, or however the turnover occurs, you know they're going to come with it," Cheika said.

            "Then you've got to get up and work extra hard until you get the ball back. Five or six key moments we didn't do that. The rest of the game we worked our backsides off."

            Barrett's first try came from New Zealand's only real attack in the opening half-hour, bursting through a yawning gap.

            All Blacks captain Kieran Read runs the ball against the Wallabies in Bledisloe II, 2018 Phil Walter/Getty Images

            Australia enjoyed their best period on the back of some brilliant long-range work from Kurtley Beale and Marike Koroibete. They turned down a penalty shot from right in front of the posts, setting a number of scrums which the under-pressure hosts were deemed to have collapsed before Genia scampered over.

            The All Blacks pushed seven points clear again just before the break when they pounced on a Beale turnover, swept 80m and Smith put Barrett over again, giving the five-eighth all their points for the half.

            Wallabies' hearts sank in the 10 minutes after halftime when prop Joe Moody and flanker Liam Squire powered across for straightforward tries.

            Wallabies five-eighth Bernard Foley followed up a try-saving tackle on Jordie Barrett with a scything run to set up centre Reece Hodge that reduced the margin to 16 points.

            Barrett responded with a sizzling solo try, had another disallowed and bagged his fourth soon afterwards as the game opened up in a manner the New Zealanders thrive on.

            "They play what is in front of them and we try to drum that into them," All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said. "It doesn't matter whether it's from deep or not.

            "If it's on to run you have to run and we have players that can punish you when they do."

            Hansen was overall "pleased" with his side's effort in over-running the Wallabies in the second half after they had been held for much of the first.

            "They (the Wallabies) were better," Hansen added. "They played particularly well and it took us a lot longer to get on top.

            "It was an improvement from last week. We were a lot more accurate in some of the things we were doing. There's still a lot of room for improvement, but we have to be incredibly pleased."

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            Standings

            Rugby Championship
            RTeamGPPDP
            1SOU6+5719
            2NZL6+819
            3AUS6-1311
            4ARG6-5210
            Full Table

            The Rugby Championship 2018 News

            • Springboks in box seat after thumping Pumas

              South Africa are poised to retain the Rugby Championship title after a thumping 67-30 victory over Argentina in Durban.

            • Wallabies blow Bledisloe hopes with Auckland defeat

              The Wallabies' wait to reclaim the Bledisloe Cup will continue for another year after they failed to end their winless drought at Eden Park, falling to the All Blacks in heartbreaking fashion 33-24.

            • Springboks inflict All Blacks' record defeat

              New Zealand suffered their heaviest ever defeat as they were beaten 43-10 by South Africa in Wellington.

            • Ill-disciplined Wallabies fall to Pumas in Championship

              The Wallabies' Rugby Championship hopes have been brought crashing back down to earth as Argentina survived a late fightback from an ill-disciplined Australia side to claim a 28-26 victory.

            • 'Didn't want to draw': Wallabies in 86th-minute thriller

              The Wallabies have turned down three opportunities to kick a match-tying penalty and instead scored an 86th-minute winner in their latest Houdini Test act.

            • All Blacks down error-prone Boks to stay top of Rugby Championship

              New Zealand scored two early tries and kept an error-prone South Africa at bay to win a rugged arm-wrestle 24-17 Saturday and stay top of the Rugby Championship.