Carter Wins Player of the Year

The New Zealand fly-half Dan Carter has followed up his man-of-the-match performance in the World Cup final by being crowned World Rugby Player of the Year for 2015.

Carter, who kicked 19 points including a marvellous drop-goal in the 34-17 victory over Australia at Twickenham on Saturday, has been recognised with the game’s most prestigious individual award for a third time, a mark also held by his captain, Richie McCaw.

The 33-year-old beat his team-mate Julian Savea, Australia’s flanker Michael Hooper and No8 David Pocock, the Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones and Scotland scrum-half Greig Laidlaw to the accolade.

New Zealand were inevitably named team of the year after becoming the first nation to defend the Webb Ellis Cup, triumphing for an unprecedented third time.

Michael Cheika was recognised as coach of the year after inheriting an Australia squad that was beset by disciplinary problems 12 months ago before turning them into World Cup runners-up.

New Zealand wing Nehe Milner-Skudder was named breakthrough player of the year.

The winners were selected by an independent panel of judges, chaired by Australia’s 1999 World Cup-winning captain, John Eales, and made up of former internationals, media and the current tournament’s participating teams.

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Awesome Blacks Sink Wallabies

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New Zealand avenged last week’s loss with a 41-13 thrashing of the Wallabies at Eden Park.

The All Blacks have retained the Bledisloe Cup thanks to the win, as they ran in five tries in their final game of the year on home soil before heading to the World Cup.

There were tries from Dane Coles, Conrad Smith as well as two from Ma’a Nonu to go with a near-perfect kicking display from Dan Carter as the All Blacks eased to a thumping win over their rivals.

Heavily criticised after suffering defeat in the Rugby Championship decider last week, the All Blacks were full value in their warning shot to the rest of world rugby.

The Wallabies on the other hand were good in patches, but a mere shadow of the side that turned New Zealand over for a rare win last week.

The All Blacks started the game by employing an out-of-character kicking game, and were almost made to regret it when the Wallabies counter-attacked efficiently and had the best of the opening 15 minutes.

The visitors ran convincing lines and looked to have the unusually sloppy All Blacks on the ropes, but a quick turnaround from the men in black was a stern reminder of the punishment they are capable of dishing out from nothing.

Sam Whitelock stole the ball in a ruck and passed it to Carter. Criticised in recent times for not running at the line as he did in his younger days, Carter feigned an inside run before ghosting around James Horwill to find plenty of green grass and no visiting defenders. He passed to the supporting Coles who changed his angle well enough to slip Adam Ashley-Cooper and run in for the first try of the game.

With two penalties apiece from Carter and Quade Cooper, the scores were close at half-time at 13-6, with the All Blacks only slightly ahead on the scoreboard as well as in momentum, but that changed early in the second half.

The All Blacks came out after the break with a more characteristic style as they held onto the ball with better intent.

The Wallabies held out well for seven minutes but the first bit of skill from Nehe Milner-Skudder - fast becoming a sensation in the southern hemisphere - got him around Dean Mumm before stepping and passing around the back of the last defender.

He got the pass away to Aaron Smith who looked to score but as he ran it in he was taken high by Cooper, which earned the Aussie fly-half a yellow card and the All Blacks a penalty try.

New Zealand needed no excuse to make their guests pay for the extra man advantage. Only seven points behind when Cooper made the high tackle, his side was 34-6 down by the time they were back to the full complement as Nonu and Smith both dotted down during the sin bin period.

Cooper never returned to the field, and was replaced by Kurtley Beale, but there was no miracle turnaround in store for the Wallabies, who conceded a fifth and final try when Nonu crossed the whitewash for the second time in the game.

Israel Folau managed to score his side’s first try of the game in the 77th minute as he plucked the ball from the air, deep in his own half, and ran almost the length of the field to give the visitors a late consolation.

There was a memorable moment for All Blacks captain Richie McCaw before the game ended.

Playing in his world record-breaking 142nd international, the All Blacks skipper was replaced near the end and given a standing ovation by the Eden Park crowd who were almost certainly watching McCaw’s last international on home soil.

Though he is yet to confirm his retirement, McCaw is widely expected to hang up his boots after the World Cup.

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All Blacks Cane For McCaw

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New Zealand captain Richie McCaw will miss Saturday's Bledisloe Cup game against Australia with a calf injury.

Both 32-year-old flanker McCaw and winger Cory Jane, 30, picked up injuries in training.

Sam Cane replaces McCaw on the open-side flank and Charles Piutau will start on the right wing, with Steven Luatua added to the replacements.

"We could have played him but the risk and reward wasn't worth it," said All Blacks coach Steve Hansen.

McCaw has been troubled by a knee problem suffered earlier in the Rugby Championship and Hansen is not prepared to risk his skipper before the end-of-year tour which includes Tests against France, England and Ireland.

"We have got to the situation now where it's business as usual. If someone gets injured then the expectation is that everyone has been preparing to play anyway and people come in," added Hansen.

"There is a lot of trust with each other."

Jane had been rushed back for the game after only two appearances in New Zealand's provincial competition after sustaining knee ligament damage in pre-season training.

The All Blacks have already clinched the Bledisloe Cup after two earlier victories over the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship.

New Zealand: Israel Dagg; Charles Piutau, Ben Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea; Aaron Cruden, Aaron Smith; Kieran Read (captain), Sam Cane, Liam Messam; Sam Whitelock, Jeremy Thrush; Charlie Faumuina, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock. Replacements: Dane Coles, Wyatt Crockett, Ben Franks, Brodie Retallick, Steven Luatua, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Beauden Barrett, Tom Taylor.

Australia: Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Toomua, Peter Betham, Quade Cooper, Will Genia, Ben McCalman, Michael Hooper, Ben Mowen, James Horwill (captain), Rob Simmons, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, James Slipper. Replacements: Saia Fainga'a, Benn Robinson, Sekope Kepu, Sitaleki Timani, Dave Dennis, Nic White, Mike Harris, Bernard Foley.

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All Blacks Win Bledlisoe at Eden Park

Dan Carter was instrumental as New Zealand beat Australia 30-14 to claim a record ninth straight Tri-Nations victory at Eden Park.

The World Cup favourites scored tries through Ma'a Nonu, Keven Mealamu and Sitiveni Sivivatu to take control.

Australia rallied and Digby Ioane and captain Rocky Elsom scored after the break to close the gap.

But Carter kicked 15 points - including a rare drop-goal - as the All Blacks triumphed in Auckland.

New Zealand made seven changes for the clash and fielded the oldest starting line-up in Tri-Nations history.

They looked fresh enough though as Carter opened the scoring with a 40m penalty in the sixth minute to extend his all-time Test points record before Nonu crashed over for a close-range try at the end of a fine counter-attack.

Carter converted to put the All Blacks 10-0 ahead inside 10 minutes before Nonu wasted a chance to put Sitiveni Sivivatu in for another try on the overlap.

Australia then rallied to mount some concerted pressure on the New Zealand line and winger Ioane almost scored in the corner but was unable to gather a long cross-field kick.

And the hosts fought back to increase their lead in the 26th minute when hooker Mealamu drove over after captain Richie McCaw was held up just short.

Australia winger James O'Connor missed the chance to reduce the deficit when he sliced two penalties wide from similar positions wide on the left touchline as the Wallabies dominated possession without scoring before half-time.

O'Connor started the second half by missing another penalty before Carter put the first points of the half on the board with a drilled drop-goal from 25 metres - only his third in Test rugby.

Australia finally got on the scoresheet with the try of the match in the 51st minute.

Full-back Kurtley Beale broke from his own 22 before feeding Ioane to run in a stunning long-range try.

Quade Cooper took over the goal-kicking duties and converted to make the scores 20-7.

But New Zealand scored direct from kick-off as Conrad Smith collected the kick before passing inside for Sivivatu to dive over.

Carter converted the try and added a penalty before Elsom scored a deserved try for Australia after cutting in powerfully from the right flank.

Cooper kicked the conversion but New Zealand were comfortable winners to move clear at the top of the table.

New Zealand: Mils Muliaina, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Hosea Gear, Daniel Carter, Piri Weepu; Wyatt Crockett, Keven Mealamu, Owen Franks, Brad Thorn, Ali Williams, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read. Replacements: Andrew Hore, Ben Franks, Samuel Whitelock, Adam Thomson, Andy Ellis, Colin Slade, Sonny Bill Williams.

Australia: Kurtley Beale, James O'Connor, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Pat McCabe, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Will Genia; Sekope Kepu, Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander, Rob Simmons, James Horwill, Rocky Elsom, David Pocock, Ben McCalman. Replacements: Saia Faingaa, Pek Cowan, Dan Vickerman, Scott Higginbotham, Luke Burgess, Anthony Fainga'a, Lachie Turner.

TRI-NATIONS RESULTS

23 July: Australia 39 - South Africa 20

30 July: New Zealand 40 - South Africa 7

6 August: New Zealand 30 - Australia 14