The All Blacks have heaped more misery on the Wallabies with a crushing 43-21 victory in the Bledisloe Cup return bout in Sydney.
As promised after securing the trans-Tasman silverware for a 23rd straight year with a 50-19 shellacking in Auckland, the All Blacks displayed no let-up in another ruthless seven-try rout on Saturday.
The humiliating defeat well and truly marked the end of the honeymoon period for Les Kiss after the new Wallabies coach enjoyed five wins and a draw from his first six Tests in charge this year.
In stark contrast, All Blacks coach Dave Rennie is savouring the sweetest of Bledisloe Cup series successes four years after Rugby Australia fired the New Zealander as Wallabies mentor to usher in a disastrous second Eddie Jones era.
Alarmingly for Kiss and defensive coach Scott McLeod, the Wallabies leaked nine tries and 55 points in 55 minutes from trailing only 17-14 just before halftime at Eden Park until scoring their first five-pointer on at Accor Stadium on Saturday.
The All Blacks’ point-a-minute blitz came despite losing centre Jordie Barrett to a calf injury before kick-off and then centre Quinn Tupaea to concussion in the opening 15 minutes at Accor Stadium.
The New Zealanders were already missing a host of stars, including inspirational captain Ardie Savea and flyhalves Richie Mo’unga and Ruben Love.
But their absence proved irrelevant as veteran former fullback and former world player of the year Beauden Barrett delivered a signature silky display as the All Blacks stretched their winning streak over the Wallabies to 13 Tests over six years.
Barrett became New Zealand’s greatest-ever try-scorer against Australia with his 47th and 48th strikes in the first half as the All Blacks piled on six tries even before the break to kill off the home hopes.
The Wallabies had started promisingly enough, dominating the opening 10 minutes, with electric winger Max Jorgensen showing a series of great touches.
Jorgensen, though, might regret not offering an inside ball to unmarked fullback Tom Wright instead of going himself, and then rushing out of the defensive line to allow his opposing winger Josh Moorby to stroll over for the first try of the match.
With flanker Peter Lakai unstoppable, the Wallabies aimlessly kicking away possession and unable to contain the Kiwi offloads, Barrett’s ensuing double and further five-pointers to No.8 Wallace Sititi and replacement Rieko Ioane earned the All Blacks a 36-7 halftime advantage.
Lock Jeremy Williams scored Australia’s only first-half try in the 28th minute but was yellow-carded shortly after, adding to the Wallabies’ troubles.
When Moorby bagged his second try in the first minute of the second half to increase New Zealand’s lead to 43-7, a record trans-Tasman defeat looked on the cards for Australia.
But consolation tries to Wright and replacement centre Filipo Daugunu instead added a semblance of respectability to the scoreline in front of 73,399 mostly dispirited fans.