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Richie Mounga of the All Blacks runs the ball during the Bledisloe Cup game against the Wallabies in Wellington on October 11, 2020.
Hagen Hopkins / Getty Images
All the black people playmaker Richie mo’unga on Monday he admitted that he Wallabies were the best team in the first match of the Bledisloe Cup tied over the weekend, while Australia Reece hodge He regretted the missed penalty that cost his team victory.
The heavyweights from the southern hemisphere fought a 16-16 draw in Wellington on Sunday, ending the international rugby pandemic forced shutdown with a test match hailed as an instant classic.
Flyhalf Mo’unga praised the Wallabies, who entered the game as underdogs but came up to a goalpost to record a big upset to mark new coach Dave Rennie’s first game in charge.
“I think they were a little better because they imposed themselves a little more,” Mo’unga told reporters.
“We didn’t have much of the ball and when we did we gave it away.”
With the score at 16-16 after the final siren sounded and the All Blacks in attack, Mo’unga said he positioned himself for a drop goal to win the match, but the ball never got in his way.
“I dropped into my pocket, but the momentum got us and it seemed likely that we would score, so a low kick was not in the question,” he said.
“If Jordie (Barrett) had gotten the pass … we really wouldn’t be talking about drop kicks, but it was definitely on my mind.”
Meanwhile, Hodge said he hadn’t been able to sleep easily Sunday night, haunted by the penalty from 55 meters that would have sealed the victory for the Wallabies when the clock ticked past 80 minutes.
The booming kick from the replacement wing was easily long enough, but it slammed into the stile.
Mo’unga described the kick attempt as “quite impressive” with Wellington’s swirling wind and rain, though Hodge admitted he was “hitting himself” for the mistake.
“The last dream was a bit broken, I’ve probably done it hundreds of times already,” said the Melbourne Rebels running back.
“Obviously it was quite windy. In warm-up, the kicks were going everywhere, left, right … I aimed just inside the left post, just outside would have been a little better.”
“But I hit it as good as I could and I was kind of praying when it was in the air.”
While experts have praised the Wallabies for restoring Australian pride after a difficult period for the code both on and off the court, Hodge said players were disappointed with the draw.
He said Rennie’s men were full of faith and would work hard to improve the result at the next test at Auckland’s Eden Park on Sunday.
“There were some changes in momentum due to some mistakes from us in that attacking zone, so I think it will be a focus for us going into next Sunday,” he said.
“There are a lot of good things to build on.”
The Wallabies last won at Eden Park in 1986 and All Blacks coach Ian Foster was enjoying the prospect of facing Australia there.
“I don’t know if I can say this, but it has always felt like our home ground,” he said.
“There have always been a lot of important tests, so it has a lot of history.”
Foster said the tie left the All Blacks “feeling flat,” but it also revived the Bledisloe rivalry, creating an atmosphere in which both teams were eager to fight each other just as hard next week.
“It’s up and running, at full steam,” he said.
