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'It's something you don't really plan for': All Blacks reflect on hectic final minutes
By Ned Lester
The All Blacks were understandably ecstatic after their last gasp win in Melbourne, securing another Bledisloe Cup as well as solidifying their spot atop the Rugby Championship.
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The team provided an insight into the changing rooms post-game, with squad second-rower Tupou Vaa’i speaking to a handful of players in the aftermath of the 39-37 win.
“It was what Bledisloe is all about, quite tough, they didn’t go away, they were hanging on till the end so just really happy we came out with the win,” man-of-the-match Samisoni Taukei’aho told his Chiefs and All Blacks teammate when questioned how he felt the game unfolded.
Vaa’i jokingly asked Taueki’aho if he was going for a hattrick, with the hooker nabbing two tries throughout the match.
“Na, I think I was just quite lucky with the maul obviously and that second one was just a fluke I guess so I wouldn’t take any credit for that,” responded Taukei’aho.
“Do you know how to pass?” Vaa’i joked, in reference to Taukei’aho’s blistering run for his second score, which saw him cut infield and pull a handful of defenders over the line when he had All Blacks standing unmarked outside him.
“Yea I actually do know how to pass, it just doesn’t come out too often,” Taukei’aho said.
Vaa’i was also able to grab the thoughts of reserve hooker Dane Coles, who was on the field for the final quarter of the match.
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“I wouldn’t say relieved, but pretty stoked,” Coles said of the emotions after the game. “Was a pretty tough but gutsy win. [There were] a lot of changes in that last five minutes but that’s rugby, you’ve got to play to the 80th minute and [I’m] happy we get to keep the Bledisloe for another year so it’s a good team effort.”
Coles was on hand to send the ball into the crucial final lineout – which was eventually successfully sacked by the Wallabies – and was somewhat surprised that captain Sam Whitelock opted for a front-of-the-line delivery.
“He told me the call and I was like, ‘Got to do my job’ – all those line-outs during the week, I just had to trust it,” Coles said. “I thought when we went to ground and they got the turnover, I didn’t think we’d get the ball back but funnily enough, got the scrum and then Jordie scored in the corner.
“You know what it’s like, just got to go on and do your job, hope the old circus can still throw a seed.”
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The man of the hour, try-scorer Jordie Barrett, also revealed what went through his head when he was asked to shift into the midfield from fullback – and what it was like to be on the end of the match-winning score.
“It was certainly a big change, it’s something you don’t really plan for,” he said of the positional shift. “I do a few mental reps in the back of my mind but I was just doing those mental reps for wing positions this week.
“It was enjoyable, pretty lucky to get a win at the end there but yeah, enjoyed it.”
Barrett downplayed his role in the match-winner, giving much of the credit to first five-eighth Richie Mo’unga and wing Will Jordan.
“[I was just the] end of the chain,” he said. “I had my hand up for a little while there as soon as the referee signalled for advantage; I thought that this would be a great opportunity to do a cross-kick so I had my hand up for Richie. He went through the hands which was a smart play so Will drew two players and dished it off. It was outstanding and got the Bled – so how good?”
The All Blacks and Wallabies will again take the field next weekend when the two sides meet at Eden Park.
