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NEW ZEALAND CAPTAIN Kieran Read lamented the All Blacks’ performance in their joint-heaviest defeat as Australia inflicted a 47-26 thrashing on the reigning Rugby World Cup champions.
The Wallabies ran in six tries at Optus Stadium – against a team that played the entire second half with 14 men following Scott Barrett’s red card – to ensure Michael Cheika’s side will finish above the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship standings.
New Zealand had won the previous six Rugby Championship meetings between the two but now face a fight to keep hold of the Bledisloe Cup.
The two teams are due to meet again in Auckland next weekend, when Australia will aim to win the trophy for the first time in 17 years.
After seeing his team concede the most points they ever have in a Test, Read admitted there needs to be a marked improvement when the two meet again.
“We’ve got to be better than that,” he told Fox Sports.
“We can’t afford to give away that many missed tackles.
“You’ve got one chance – next week it’s do or die.”
Cheika has previously said he will walk away from the Australia job if his team do not win the World Cup in Japan later this year, and this performance was a real statement of intent.
Reece Hodge scored two of their tries while Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Nic White, Marika Koroibete and Kurtley Beale also crossed.