The world reacts to the first game of the Bledisloe Cup: Moral victory of the Wallabies over the All Blacks

It may have been a 16-16 draw, but the Wallabies scored a moral victory over the All Blacks in the eyes of the international rugby media.

The return of test rugby in Wellington generally received favorable criticism as the world licked the opening match of the Bledisloe Cup.

It certainly wasn’t the one-sided spectacle that many had predicted and Australia was praised for its performance in a game labeled “gripping” as the action lasted nearly 10 minutes into overtime but still couldn’t be resolved into a swing. action at the end.

“It was a moral victory for new Wallabies head coach Dave Rennie against his All Blacks counterpart Ian Foster in the battle of the two New Zealand natives who experienced their first test matches in charge.” SuperSport in South Africa said of the test.

READ MORE:
* All Blacks vs Australia: ‘Feels like a loss’ as hosts take Bledisloe Cup draw hard
* All Blacks vs Australia: ‘Dingo Dave’ Rennie regrets no drop goal, proud of his Wallabies
* ‘Prison Rules’: New Zealand referee criticizes police after Bledisloe Cup draw

“While Foster has an experienced team, Rennie is rebuilding himself and his new-looking Wallabies, particularly rookies Harry Wilson and Filipo Daugunu, proved they were capable of shaking up the All Blacks.

“The draw leaves Bledisloe’s four-game series open as Australia pushes to end 18-year drought.”

The Guardian he echoed that, stating: “The result was actually a massive moral victory for underprivileged Australians. Nobody really gave the Wallabies any chance to upset the All Blacks, but they showed tremendous character and commitment to challenge the Kiwis on their own turf in a dramatic competition that lasted 89 minutes.

“The result will give long-suffering Wallabies fans hope that their team is finally on the right track, albeit at the start of a new journey.

“It was certainly a great way for Rennie, the former two-time Super Rugby winning coach of the Chiefs, to begin his tenure with the Wallabies. But it must be remembered that Rennie’s predecessor Michael Cheika led the Wallabies to a victory against the All Blacks on their first try, but failed to win the Bledisloe Cup in five long years of trying. “

The Guardian I was not very impressed with New Zealand’s effort in a year in which trans-Tasman rugby made its way to Australia in the top table.

“In many ways, it was a very different performance from the All Blacks, especially giving up the lead the way they did. Perhaps the All Blacks simply underestimated the Wallabies, which would be a huge political victory for administrators seeking respect for the Australian game from their New Zealand counterparts.

“… The Wallabies can be justifiably proud of their effort in Wellington. Not only did they believe in themselves, but they also gave their fans reasons to believe in them, which was vitally important in the current state of the game.

“Is it the beginning of a new era or just another false dawn? It’s hard to say after a game, but if you’re a fan of the Wallabies, you’re probably smiling for the first time in a long time, at least for a week. “

The BBC felt the All Blacks were forced to do “rescue work” to avoid an unexpected loss with Jordie Barrett’s penalty shot in the 79th minute tying the game.

Most of the media noted Rieko Ioane’s failed attempt when he failed to land with a spectacular jump as he crossed the line unopposed.

The test obtained a favorable reaction in Wales online, labeled “classic, exciting and epic”.

The Wallabies felt the new Wallabies “stood their ground in a showdown that had the rugby world in awe and whetted the appetite for test rugby coming this fall.”