'Just Bledi Awful' - Aussie media react to thrashing from All Blacks

NZ Herald

20 Aug, 2016 05:18 PM3 mins to read

All Blacks winger Julian Savea scores against Australia. Photo / Brett Phibbs

'This is not a trans-Tasman rivalry, it is an annual funeral'. That's how Australian rugby writer Jamie Pandaram has described the All Blacks' 42-8 thrashing of the Wallabies in Sydney last night.

Under the headline 'Wallabies' Bledisloe hopes up in smoke' on news.com.au, Pandaram wrote: "Thirteen years of failure and there's no end in sight judging by this latest annihilation on the scoreboard and in spirit.

"Two games remain, both in New Zealand, both which the Wallabies must win, having not won in New Zealand since 2001.

"The two sides played in the World Cup final last November, but while the All Blacks lost 881 caps worth of experience in retiring players they have gone forward in style and skill while Australia is reeling backwards."

The Sunday Mail newspaper went with a black page for the back of the sport section with the headline: 'Just Bledi Awful'. With a line of text saying 'This was where we were going to put the best Wallabies photo. We couldn't find one'.

Sunday Mail sports cover on black armband night for @qantaswallabies #AUSvNZL pic.twitter.com/RG9t6uCW0I
— Jim Tucker (@HulaBulaJim) August 20, 2016

'Blackout! Wallabies embarrassed by All Blacks' was another headline on News.com.au.

"The shell-shocked Wallabies were dominated in every facet, with the scrum and lineout malfunctioning, the breakdown ravaged and bodies broken in a disastrous start to the tournament," wrote Darren Walton of Fox Sports.

Under the headline 'New low for Wallabies after massive Bledisloe defeat' Sydney Morning Herald reporter Tom Decent also ripped into the woeful Wallabies while making reference to the story broken by the Herald yesterday that the All Blacks hotel room was bugged.

Video slideshow: Brett Phibbs' best images of All Blacks v Wallabies

"The Wallabies knew victory was imperative in Sydney, but now they have two trips across the ditch to try and salvage the Bledisloe Cup which could be lost for the 14th year in a row. Even the average sports fan knows that will be a near impossible task given the lacklustre seven tries to one effort at ANZ Stadium," Decent wrote.

"While there is no suggestion the Wallabies were privy to any 'inside' knowledge from a hidden device in an All Blacks meeting on Monday, even if they were, it would have mattered diddly-squat," he added.

Fellow SMH writer Georgina Robinson focused on the looming bug scandal saying World Rugby can't "turn a blind eye to any questions thrown up as a result of this investigation".

"The All Blacks were at their imperious best at ANZ Stadium, led by a new generation of players with cool heads and sublime skills, most notably Beauden Barrett. The Wallabies were powerless in response," Robinson wrote.

"Unfortunately, Saturday will be remembered for neither of those performances. It will always be the day someone was caught spying on the All Blacks."

Injured All Black Sonny Bill Williams also might light of the story revealed by the Herald yesterday of a listening device found in the All Blacks' hotel room earlier in the week.