Howlett try secures All Blacks win

New Zealand 16 Australia 7

New Zealand retained the Bledisloe Cup with victory over Australia in wet and windy Wellington today.

It took until the second-half before the match really sparked into life with a solitary penalty by Dan Carter the only thing the All Blacks had to show for an opening 40 minutes they dominated.

The tries eventually came, the first to New Zealand wing Doug Howlett before Wallaby centre Stirling Mortlock slid under the posts with 10 minutes to go to set up a tense finish.

Carter slotted another two penalties and a conversion to end the match with 11 points.

New Zealand: 15-Mils Muliaina; 14-Doug Howlett, 13-Tana Umaga (captain), 12-Daniel Carter, 11-Joe Rokocoko; 10-Carlos Spencer, 9-Justin Marshall; 1-Kees Meeuws, 2-Keven Mealamu, 3-Carl Hayman, 4-Chris Jack, 5-Keith Robinson, 6-Jono Gibbes,7-Marty Holah, 8-Xavier Rush.

Replacements: 16-Andrew Hore, 17-Greg Somerville, 18-Jerry Collins, 19-Craig Newbie, 20-Byron Kelleher, 21-Nick Evans, 22-Sam Tuitupou.

Australia: 15-Chris Latham; 14-Clyde Rathbone, 13-Stirling Mortlock, 12-Matt Giteau, 11-Lote Tuqiri; 10-Stephen Larkham, 9-Chris Whitaker; 8-David Lyons, 7-Phil Waugh, 6-Radike Samo, 5-Nathan Sharpe (captain), 4-Justin Harrison, 3-Alastair Baxter, 2-Brendan Cannon, 1-Bill Young

Replacements: 16-Jeremy Paul, 17-Matt Dunning, 18-Daniel Vickerman, 19-George Smith, 20-Matt Henjak, 21-Matthew Burke, 22-Wendell Sailor.