Pocock confident Aussies can fix issues

NEW ZEALAND delivered a clinic of counter-attacking in Sydney on Saturday, scoring five second-half tries to blow away their hosts in this season’s Rugby Championship opening encounter in their 38-13 win over Australia.

A 25-point margin of victory did not flatter the All Blacks, such was their ruthlessness in broken-field situations.

Back-rower David Pocock, outstanding in defeat, outlined where the Wallabies will begin their re-building operation ahead of next weekend’s return fixture in Auckland.

“We were pretty solid in patches,” he said. “It was the errors they pounced on and all of a sudden you are two, three, four tries behind. But that’s something we can fix.”

Michael Cheika’s team started brightly and had a deserved 6-0 lead thanks to penalties from Reece Hodge and Bernard Foley.

However, the All Blacks scored before the break through Aaron Smith in Sydney.

Jack Goodhue crossed for their second and Beauden Barrett the third and Brodie Retallick secured a bonus-point try.

Jack Maddocks pulled one back on his debut but Waisake Naholo scored a late brace to cap off a clinical display.

“We knew the Aussies had a pretty good series against Ireland up front, so we wanted to put a line in the sand there,” All Black skipper Kieran Read said.

“They had probably dominated the first half so to get that score (just before half-time) was crucial. The resilience of the boys was awesome.”

Meanwhile, Faf de Klerk, Malcolm Marx and wings Aphiwe Dyantyi and Makazole Mapimpi, sharing four tries between them, inspired South Africa to a 34-21 triumph over Argentina in Durban.

There was also a superb return to international rugby for Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth, who produced 80 minutes of abrasive industry in his first Test since last December. (© Daily Telegraph, London)