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ANALYSIS: The Wallabies should have received penalties near the posts after Reece Hodge’s long-range penalty goal to win the first round of the Bledisloe Cup hit the post.
Hodge is an excellent striker on the ball and had no trouble hitting it more than 50 yards from the left, but his brilliant effort deflected the post toward All Blacks winger Caleb Clarke in the 83rd minute of Sunday’s 16-16 tie. . .
The penalty sentence for Hodge’s shot on goal was correct because All Blacks midfielder Jack Goodhue was rightly penalized for not shooting.
Andrew Cornaga / AP
Reece Hodge’s 57-meter attempt to win the Bledisloe in Wellington came agonizingly close as he hit the post.
The ball rocked the studs, aided by a strong breeze from Wellington, and Clarke was unable to regain possession as the ball slipped from her hands in damp conditions at Sky Stadium.
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Clarke still touched the ball and any All Blacks player in front of him from the moment he made contact would be considered offside.
All Blacks running back TJ Perenara knew it and didn’t pick up the ball at his feet as the Wallabies approached.
Offside Whitelock
Kai Schwoerer / Getty Images
Sam Whitelock was lucky not to be penalized for offside after Caleb Clarke failed to regain possession.
However, after the Australian attackers’ first attack missed the fumble, veteran padlock Sam Whitelock lunged at him and appeared to make first contact before a ruck formed.
Whitelock was slightly ahead of Clarke and therefore offside, but Kiwi referee Paul Williams and his assistants did not notice, although it was an extremely difficult decision to make with bodies flying from everywhere in a manic conclusion of an exciting test match.
World Rugby offside and onside law in open play
- A player is offside in open play if that player is facing a teammate who is carrying the ball or who last played the ball. An offside player must not interfere with play. This includes:
- Playing the ball.
- Tackling the ball carrier.
- Prevent rivals from playing as they want.
Still, the decision came against Australia at a crucial moment and the All Blacks dodged a bullet only phases later with another call in the 84th minute.
Illegal entry of Vaa’i
SKY SPORT / SCREENSHOT
All Blacks rookie lock Tupou Vaa’i was lucky not to be penalized for this side entry into a ruck.
All Blacks rookie block Tupou Vaa’i clearly entered a ruck from the side, an instant penalty for Australia, but he got away with it.
Sky sport Commentator and former All Blacks running back Justin Marshall saw Vaa’i’s offense, saying “that’s a shame.”
The All Blacks won a turnover two rounds later, but neither team could secure victory in the 89-minute test.
Ioane’s foot in contact before the mistake
Sky Sport / SCREENSHOT
All Blacks center Rieko Ioane is on the touchline before Jordie Barrett’s first attempt.
Earlier, Australian touch judge Angus Gardner ruled that All Blacks midfielder Rieko Ioane’s foot grazed the lime in preparation for Jordie Barrett’s first try.
However, that slice of good fortune was soon forgotten, as Ioane’s mistake cost the All Blacks a bit of a try at halftime and knocked Australia off the hook.
Kai Schwoerer / Getty Images
Rieko Ioane dropped the ball with her signature shot.
Ioane dropped the ball in the act of scoring with his signature one-handed shot and dived over the line.
There was a clear separation between Ioane’s hand and the ball, and he lost control with his grounding.
Moody’s Jerk On Slipper
Phil Walter / Getty Images
The Wallabies hold James Slipper under pressure from the All Blacks.
In the second half, the All Blacks went ahead 13-3 after Aaron Smith’s attempt from a fixed motion from a lineout in the 44th minute.
Hooker Codie Taylor threw the ball, Whitelock rallied, Taylor jumped onto the field to receive a busted pass from Sam Cane, Taylor went inside to a galloping George Bridge and the All Blacks winger burst through a hole in Australia’s defense.
As Bridge sped clear, Wallabies mainstay James Slipper raised his arms, appealing to the umpires, feeling the carefree opponent Joe Moody was removing his shirt and avoiding any attempt at a tackle at Bridge.
Phil Walter / Getty Images
Aaron Smith scoring for the All Blacks in the second half.
However, Moody’s contact with Slipper after a maul formed was incidental because the veteran prop would never catch up with a player of Bridge’s speed at that position.
The marauding winger was long gone and passed Smith, who shook off opposing running back Nic White to score in the left corner.
