All Blacks beat Wallabies 43-21 to sweep Bledisloe Cup series

What happened

The All Blacks defeated the Wallabies 43-21 in the second Bledisloe Cup test at Accor Stadium in Sydney, completing a sweep of the two-test series. Beauden Barrett scored two tries as the All Blacks dominated the first half, scoring six tries total. The win extends their winning streak against Australia to 13 consecutive matches. The All Blacks made eight changes from the Eden Park team after injuries ruled out four players, including Jordie Barrett, who was replaced at second-five by Timoci Tavatavanawai. George Bower and Fabian Holland also returned to the starting XV. Injuries mounted during the match, with Shannon Frizell and Samisoni Taukei'aho appearing to suffer serious knee and other injuries respectively.

Why it matters

The All Blacks had already secured the Bledisloe Cup with their 50-19 win at Eden Park on 12 October, where Scott Barrett returned from his sabbatical and Beauden Barrett earned a recall after mental challenges from missing most of 2026's earlier tests. The Sydney match was the final test of the southern hemisphere season. This second win completed a sweep of the series and extended their run against Australia while managing an evolving injury list.

Follow the whole thread: All Blacks 2026 Bledisloe Cup squad and selection

Key facts

• All Blacks won 43-21 in Sydney
• All Blacks scored six tries in the first half
• Beauden Barrett scored two tries
• 13 consecutive wins over Australia
• Eight changes made to the team from Eden Park

Covered byStuffNZ Herald1NewsNewstalk ZBOtago Daily TimesNot covered byRNZNewsroomThe SpinoffBusinessDeskinterest.co.nz

Coverage across the news outlets we track, as at publication.

Where the outlets differ

Stuff headlines focused on team selection and changes before the match, while later coverage from multiple outlets reported the actual result. The 1News piece by Scotty Stevenson argued against wholesale experimentation before the match, contrasting with some speculation about whether uncapped players like Josh Jacomb would debut. Post-match coverage emphasised the dominant performance and injury toll.

What outlets are saying