New Zealand 30 Australia 14:ALL BLACKS winger Sitiveni Sivivatu is unlikely to travel with the squad to South Africa next week after he was diagnosed with a fractured eye socket following New Zealand's 30-14 demolition of Australia on Saturday.
Sivivatu scored the All Blacks’ third try in the Tri-Nations encounter at Eden Park, which helped them retain the Bledisloe Cup and set down a marker for the World Cup.
All Blacks coach Graham Henry yesterday confirmed the injury would probably rule Sivivatu out of the Test in Port Elizabeth on August 20th. “He probably will miss South Africa but probably will be right for Brisbane (against Australia on August 27th),” Henry said in Auckland.
New Zealand won with tries from Maa Nonu, Keven Mealamu and Sivivatu. Outhalf Daniel Carter added 15 points with three conversions, two penalties and a drop goal, while Digby Ioane and Rocky Elsom scored tries for the Wallabies.
Henry said several players named in the Tri-Nations squad who were coming back from injury like fullback Israel Dagg, utility back Isaia Toeava, centre Richard Kahui and prop Tony Woodcock, were likely to travel to South Africa.
While Henry was still uncertain of his final squad to travel to South Africa and then Australia for their final two matches in the Tri-Nations, he was surely feeling comfortable in the manner in which the team are building toward the World Cup.
Previous World Cups have shown the team that defends best and takes their scoring opportunities tend to win the Webb Ellis Trophy and the All Blacks’ clinical demolition of Australia showed evidence of both.
They were tough in defence, with blindside flanker Jerome Kaino making it his personal mission to knock Wallabies ball runners into next week.
Neither Henry, nor his captain Richie McCaw, however, were getting ahead of themselves.
“I think it was important for our team to put a bit of work in. Each of the weeks we have got a bit better so I’m happy with the performance we put together,” McCaw said. “We can’t get carried away with that and we have to find ways of improving.”
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said: “We are pretty disappointed with our effort. Tactically, we probably didnt help ourselves.
“We allowed the All Blacks to establish the d-line (defensive line) and allowed them to establish some line speed in that defence and that stymied our attack.”
NEW ZEALAND: Muliaina; Sivivatu (Slade 55 mins), C Smith, Nonu (Williams 68), Gear; Carter, Weepu (Ellis 59); Crockett (B Franks 49), Mealamu (Hore 59), O Franks, Thorn, A. Williams (Whitelock 64), Kaino (Thomson), McCaw, Read.
AUSTRALIA: Beale; O’Connor, Ashley-Cooper, McCabe, Ioane; Cooper, Genia; Kepu, Moore (Faingaa 68), Alexander, Simmons (Vickerman 53), Horwill, Elsom, Pocock, McCalman (Higginbotham 55).
Referee: C Joubert (South Africa)
Attendance: 54,500
