Rugby Championship: New Zealand beat Australia again

New Zealand retained the Bledisloe Cup and maintained their 100% start to the Rugby Championship with a second consecutive victory over Australia.

Two more tries from Ben Smith, who scored a hat-trick last week, saw the All Blacks take a 15-6 half-time lead.

Australia had led 6-0 after a strong start, and Christian Leali'ifano's third penalty cut the gap to 18-9.

But debutant Tom Taylor's three second-half penalties put the hosts 24-9 clear before Israel Folau's late try.

The Rugby Championship 2013

Saturday 18 August

Australia 29-47 New Zealand

South Africa 73-13 Argentina

Saturday 25 August

New Zealand 27-16 Australia

Argentina v South Africa (2010 BST)

Saturday 7 September

New Zealand v Argentina

Australia v South Africa

Saturday 14 September

New Zealand v South Africa

Australia v Argentina

Saturday 28 September

South Africa v Australia

Argentina v New Zealand

Saturday 5 October

South Africa v New Zealand

Argentina v Australia

The Wallaby winger, who made a stunning Test debut against the British and Irish Lions in June, intercepted Ma'a Nonu's pass and streaked away to score his third Test try with eight minutes left.

But that was little consolation to a well-beaten Australia side, whose winless run in New Zealand now extends to 15 matches stretching back to 2001.

They led through an early Leali'ifano penalty and, after Folau's try-saving tackle on Julian Savea in the corner, threatened to stamp their authority on the match.

But after Leali'ifano cut through and the All Blacks cynically infringed close to their own line to restrict the damage to a second penalty, New Zealand took control.

Superb handling from Savea, Dagg and flanker Steven Luatua put Smith over for his opening try in the right corner after 27 minutes, Taylor's conversion putting the world champions into the lead.

After the fly-half's penalty made it 10-6, Nonu's burst allowed Dagg to put Smith over for his seventh try in his last four Tests with the last move of the first half.

That score effectively decided the contest, as Taylor's boot and scrum-half Aaron Smith's effective probing kept the Wallabies at arm's length until Folau's late intervention.

The sides will meet for a third time, in a game not part the Rugby Championship, in Dunedin on 19 October but New Zealand already have the Bledisloe Cup - the trophy the trans-Tasman rivals contest every year - in their cabinet for the 11th season in a row.

Saturday's second match of the Rugby Championship will see Argentina aiming to salvage some pride when they host South Africa, who thrashed them 73-13 a week ago to set a new record winning margin for the competition.

New Zealand: Dagg, B. Smith, C. Smith, Nonu, Savea, Taylor, A. Smith; Woodcock, Hore, O. Franks, Retallick, Whitelock, Luatua, McCaw, Read.

Replacements: Coles, Crockett, Faumuina, Thrush, Cane, Kerr-Barlow, Slade, Piutau.

Australia: Mogg, Folau, Ashley-Cooper, Lealiifano, O'Connor, Toomua, Genia, Slipper, Moore, Alexander, Simmons, Horwill, Fardy, Hooper, Mowen.

Replacements: Faingaa, Sio, Kepu, Douglas, Gill, White, Cooper, Kuridrani.

Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)