Bledisloe Cup rugby: Australian media react to thrilling draw between All Blacks and Wallabies

Australian media have reacted with disbelief - and disgust - to the breathtaking first Bledisloe Cup test between the Wallabies and the All Blacks, a cliffhanger that saw nearly nine minutes of injury time but no winner.

Reece Hodge's last-minute penalty attempt from close to 60m out struck the upright, before eight minutes and 35 seconds of sustained attack and counterattack ended with James O'Connor putting the ball high into the Sky Stadium stands to open Ian Foster's reign as All Blacks coach with a 16-all draw.

News.com.au described the match as "arguably the most exhilarating Bledisloe Cup battle", aiming a jab at Aussie touch judge Angus Gardner for his first-half blunder that saw the All Blacks awarded a try despite centre Rieko Ioane stepping into touch in the build-up.

Sydney Daily Telegraph described Gardner's gaffe as a "disgrace that robbed the Wallabies from erasing 19 years of pain - a reference to the last time the Aussies won a test in New Zealand, in Dunedin in 2001.

Most league games are better sporting spectacles than most union games.
But there is NOTHING better than a great Union game, and we just saw one.
It had everything but the final result.
Best-looking draw any of us have ever seen!
Wallabies win 16-16, over All Blacks! https://t.co/DAp1vVNZuL

— Peter FitzSimons (@Peter_Fitz) October 11, 2020

Fox Sports spared some praise for utility back Jordie Barrett, who was one of the All Blacks' standouts after older brother Beauden was forced to withdraw from the starting XV due to injury early on Saturday.

Epic test match! What a finish!
Thought @wallabies had them after collecting Hodgey's kick off the post and building pressure like that 🤔😢

Congratulations to Hoops on 100 tests!

— David Pocock (@DavidPocock) October 11, 2020

Hands in the ruck, penalty Wallabies, who win 19-16. What are assistant referees doing? #NZLvAUS #BledisloeCup pic.twitter.com/1zz7yphgJL

— Simon Borchardt (@SimonBorchardt) October 11, 2020

Drop goal 🤷🏽‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/sowXwqXAMD

— Quade Cooper (@QuadeCooper) October 11, 2020

"If one Barrett doesn't get you, the other one will," wrote Jack Austin, while colleague Liam Fitzgibbon slammed "showboating" Ioane for his "all-time brain explosion".

All Blacks captain Sam Cane during the post-match press conference after their 16-all draw with Australia. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Sydney Morning Herald's Tom Decent called the match - the All Blacks' first in 400 days - "one of the best finishes to a test we have seen in a long time" and revealed how Australian Prime Minister had cheekily told the Wallabies' new Kiwi coach Dave Rennie "not to stuff it up" in a video message on Sunday.

"Talk about exceeding expectations," Decent wrote.

"Rennie was understated in the build-up, never giving the impression either he or his squad were overconfident.

"But what a performance this was, under the circumstances, that will convince even the most sceptical Wallabies fan that something special could be brewing under Rennie.

In what world is this not a penalty? #NZLvAUS #BledisloeCup pic.twitter.com/QtO9rZhQC8

— Michael Cole 🇦🇺🐨🏉 (@michaelcole87) October 11, 2020

"All Blacks coach Ian Foster, an assistant to Steve Hansen in a poor World Cup campaign, looked a nervous wreck as Australia grew in confidence and threatened to cause a major boilover."

Equally impressed with the start to Rennie's Wallabies career, was The Australian - calling it "the final five minutes that could save Australian rugby".

Australian touch judge Angus Gardner failed to spot Rieko Ioane stepping into touch. Photo / SKY Sport

"Australia should have taken a snap at a field goal as they were camped right in front of the posts but no one seized the moment and in the end O'Connor had to clear the ball into touch from behind their own line to secure the draw," opined rugby writer Wayne Smith.

"It means they must win all remaining three tests to win the Bledisloe. But on this effort today, who is to say they can't."