PERTH, Australia (AP) — Center Quinn Tupaea scored first-half tries three minutes apart to give New Zealand a 17-9 halftime lead on the way to a 28-14 win over the Wallabies in a Bledisloe Cup/Rugby Championship match Saturday.
It was New Zealand’s 11th win in a row over the Wallabies.
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The match, which was hit by steady rain for most of the second half, marked the 151st and final test for Wallabies prop James Slipper, who announced his retirement from test rugby earlier this week.
The Wallabies had three first-half penalty goals from flyhalf Tane Edmed, and Len Ikitau scored their only try in the 65th minute to pull the home side to within six points at 20-14. But a late All Blacks penalty goal and a last-minute try from prop George Bower pulled them clear.
New Zealand, which also had a first-half try from Leroy Carter, secured the Bledisloe Cup for the 23rd year with a 33-24 win over the Wallabies last week in Auckland.
South Africa was scheduled to play Argentina in the final match of the Rugby Championship later Saturday in London. With the bonus-point win, the All Blacks temporarily pulled into first place in the tournament.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
