New Zealand held off a late surge from Australia to win 31-28 in the Rugby Championship in Sydney, securing the Bledisloe Cup once again.
The All Blacks built a 14-point lead by halftime but managed only a penalty in the second half while losing two players to the sin-bin.
Australia fought back with late tries from Hunter Paisami and Tom Wright, closing in on a dramatic comeback. However, New Zealand held firm, securing their eighth straight win over their trans-Tasman rivals and retaining the Bledisloe Cup for the 22nd consecutive year.
"It’s a relief, to be honest," said captain Scott Barrett. "In the last 15 minutes, we were in a tough spot, but we scrambled and held on."
The victory moves New Zealand above Argentina in the standings, though they can’t overtake South Africa for the top spot.
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