Carter kicks All Blacks to victory

Dan Carter capped off a miracle return to the All Blacks tonight, kicking the winning penalty to beat the Wallabies in Sydney. Photo / Getty Images

SYDNEY - It had to happen. Daniel Carter marked his comeback to test rugby with the match-winning penalty as the All Blacks retained the Bledisloe Cup for another year with a pulsating 19-18 win over the Wallabies tonight.

Before a crowd of more than 80,000 at ANZ Stadium, Carter's fourth penalty with 90sec remaining stole the match and also kept their slim Tri-Nations hopes alive as the All Blacks stormed home in the final quarter.

The All Blacks, who attacked at will and were inspired by Carter's direction, avoided a third consecutive test defeat for just the sixth time in their history and made it five straight wins against coach Robbie Deans' Wallabies.

For Deans it's back to the drawing board after his side gave up a 12-3 halftime lead and remained winless from three Tri-Nations outings. Matt Giteau's six penalties from six attempts wasn't enough for the hosts.

It took until the 64th minute for the first try but it was a cracker to benchman Ma'a Nonu who handled twice and benefited from a brilliant no-look pass from winger Sitiveni Sivivatu who was dangerous all night.

Carter's sideline conversion gave the All Blacks their first lead, 16-15, but the Wallabies struck back with Giteau's sixth penalty from another breakdown penalty in the 68th minute.

But a Carter kick put the All Blacks on attack and Drew Mitchell and Lachie Turner bumbled in front of their own line, with lock Isaac Ross' desperate tackle on Turner drawing the crucial penalty which Carter duly goaled.

The All Blacks defended desperately and a Wallabies handling error ended it as the visitors celebrated wildly.

"That's right up there," captain Richie McCaw told Fox Sports.

"It was a hell of a game and we had to work hard at it. there were times at the end when we let them back in but that's what test rugby is all about."

Right from kickoff there was a hint of the brutal collisions to come when returning Wallaby Rocky Elsom cannoned into McCaw and was penalised for tackling him in the air.

The blood bin was in regular use in the first half; recalled All Black Luke McAlister departing for 10min after being floored by a nasty head clash with Luke Burgess, and Wallabies hooker Stephen Moore suffering a suspected broken nose after colliding with teammate Benn Robinson.

The All Blacks were true to their word of spinning the ball wide rather than kicking, and while they entertained they struggled to crack a resolute Australian defence.

The hosts also enjoyed an 8-5 penalty advantage in the first half from South African ref Jonathan Kaplan.

An early Carter penalty opened the scoring before two dubious breakdown infringements by the All Blacks handed Giteau back-to-back penalties to make it 6-3 after 10 minutes.

The All Blacks scrum applied heavy pressure to the Wallabies and home coach Robbie Deans pulled tighthead prop Al Baxter from the field after 31min after a torrid time against Tony Woodcock.

Several promising All Blacks raids broke down through poor hands and tough defence, with Wallabies captain George Smith forcing several crucial turnovers.

Backchat from Brad Thorn gave Giteau his third penalty, then after halfback Jimmy Cowan put in a try-saving tackle on Nathan Sharpe he was penalised for a ruck infringement and Giteau's fourth goal made it 12-3 at the break.

Both sides lost midfielders at halftime; Nonu replacing All Blacks centre Conrad Smith and Ryan Cross replacing Wallabies second five-eighth Berrick Barnes.

The All Blacks got a lucky break when Wallabies No 8 Richard Brown was sinbinned early in the second half for a spear tackle on Owen Franks, although Carter missed the penalty.

Carter then exchanged penalties with Giteau as Kaplan continued to whistle a tune and it was 15-6 with half an hour left.

McAlister's unhappy night ended with another head clash in the 50th minute and Stephen Donald was called into first-five, with Carter shuffling out.

It didn't seem the All Blacks' night as Kaplan disallowed two tries in as many minutes; the first to Carter from a Sivivatu forward pass then a controversial call on Cowan when he was ruled to have benefited from a Jerome Kaino obstruction.

New Zealand 19 (Ma'a Nonu try; Daniel Carter 4 pen, con) Australia 18 (Matt Giteau 6 pen). Halftime: 3-12.

- NZPA