NEWS: All Blacks dispatch Wallabies to finish Rugby Championship campaign on a high

The Wallabies made a fine start with several attacks inside New Zealand’s 22 and were eventually rewarded when McReight barged over for the opening try from close quarters.

The All Blacks seemed shell-shocked by the intensity of the Wallabies’ onslaught but in the 16th minute, Wallace Sititi launched an attack close to the halfway line and did brilliantly to draw in three defenders before offloading to Anton Lienert-Brown, who set off towards the Wallabies’ try-line. He still had plenty of work to do and found Reece with a beautifully weighted skip pass and the wing outpaced the cover defence on his way over the try-line.

Lolesio responded with a penalty soon after, before Jordan left his stamp on the match with a moment of magic. This, was after he gathered a pass from Beauden Barrett just outside Australia’s 22 and the full-back did brilliantly to step past two defenders before racing away to score his try.

Despite that score, the Wallabies remained competitive and McReight came close to scoring his second try in the latter stages of the half but was held up while crossing the whitewash.

The visitors continued to attack inside New Zealand’s 22 and Lolesio eventually added another penalty in the 35th minute after New Zealand were blown up for offside play on defence.

Despite that score, the All Blacks had one more trick up their sleeve as just before half-time they launched a flowing attack deep inside Wallabies’ territory. Lienert-Brown turned provider again as he found Clarke with a deft offload and the flyer sliced through the visitors’ defence before scoring his first try.

Barrett added the extras which meant the match was still evenly poised with the home side leading 19-13 at the interval.

Both sides stayed true to their attacking roots during the rest of the match, although the home side came out firing after the restart and were soon camped inside the Wallabies’ half.

After taking the ball through several phases off the back of a lineout close to Australia’s try-line, Williams crashed over for their fourth try to extend his side’s lead.

The All Blacks then had a try from Tupou Vaa’i disallowed but the setback did not deter them and in the 65th minute, Clarke ran onto a pass from Damian McKenzie and shrugged off two defenders before crashing over for his second five-pointer.

That score knocked the wind out of the Wallabies’ sails and secured the result for the All Blacks and, in doing so, they also ended their six-year hoodoo in Wellington.