The Stats Don't Lie: All Blacks v Australia

Richie McCaw didn't miss a tackle from 18 attempts against Australia. Photo / Getty Images

Tracey Nelson crunches the numbers from Saturday night's Bledisloe Cup clash between the All Blacks and Australia.

Richie McCaw once again led the workrate numbers, being in the first three to the breakdown on 35 occasions and making 100 per cent of his 18 tackles.

Owen Franks impressed with his 80 minute stint, second behind McCaw at the breakdown with 29 arrivals and making 12 tackles and five ball carries.

The top ball carriers this week were Kieran Read with eight, Keven Mealamu and Brad Thorn with six, and Owen Franks and Richie McCaw with five.

The backs didn't shirk their share of the work with Ma'a Nonu (nine), Mils Muilaina (eight) and Dan Carter (seven) all featuring in the first three to the breakdown to ensure the ball was protected on attack.

Carter topped the tackle stats for the backs making 12 plus three assists. Conrad Smith also made 12 plus one assist.

The All Blacks made six clean linebreaks in this test match, with four of them resulting in points (tries to Nonu, Mealamu and Sivivatu, and a drop goal to Carter).

This week the All Blacks made 19 turnovers, with 10 coming from handling errors, six at the breakdown and three from the lineout.

The All Blacks only conceded seven penalties, four at the breakdown and two at the scrum. McCaw was penalised twice for incorrect ruck entry.

THE GOOD

McCaw's form at the breakdown is coming back, this week winning two clean tackle turnovers.

Kieran Read returned from a one month lay-off by making eight ball carries for a gain of 61m, completed nine tackles, and took four lineouts plus one steal off the Wallabies lineout.

Keven Mealamu was another returning from lay-off, and he was in the first three to the breakdown 24 times in his 60 minutes of playing time, and made eight tackles.

The All Blacks are once again contesting opposition lineouts, and this week Read and Thorn both stole ball off the Wallaby jumpers.

THE BAD

The All Blacks' lineout got the yips just after halftime when they lost three out of five throws. Ali Williams first knocked one on, then had one stolen off him by James Horwill. Andrew Hore's first throw of the game resulted in an over throw that was snapped up by the Wallabies.

Wyatt Crockett conceded two scrum penalties, an ongoing trend that will be concerning the All Blacks coaching staff.

FOR THE RECORD

Dan Carter kicked 100% on the night landing two penalties, three conversions and a drop goal.

The All Blacks fielded their oldest test side in history, with a combined total of 766 starting caps. The average age of the All Blacks on Saturday night was just under 29 years.

The 50,000 plus crowd that attended the game made it the biggest crowd for the modern game in New Zealand since the 2005 Lions test at Eden Park, which saw 47, 000 attend. However, it still didn't eclipse the 61, 240 crowd that watched the All Blacks play South Africa in 1956.

For more statistics go to haka.co.nz