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Find your frequencyScotty & Izzy: Who expected 50 points from the All Blacks?
Sport Nation • October 12th, 2026 2:57 pm
Damian McKenzie kicks a conversion for New Zealand | Photo: Shane Wenzlick/Photosport
Despite the Wallabies scoring the first try in the opening match of the 2026 Bledisloe Cup, who expected the All Blacks to put 50 points on the Australians?
Former All Blacks fullback and Sport Nation breakfast co-host Israel Dagg certainly didn't, especially after Dave Rennie only became the head coach in March and key players were ruled out of the match following a brutal series in South Africa.
“I did not see that coming. I was a little bit nervy, a little puckered up at the start of that game when Tom Wright just scores that try and I'm thinking ‘oh no, here we go’ and then Harry Wilson scores as well," Dagg said on Scotty & Izzy.
“But class rises to the top. They finally got on top of the opposition and I guess for me the standout, take a bow Damian McKenzie. Oh my goodness!
“Now that's a game plan that really, really suits Damian,” he explained.
Sumo has a vibe about Beauden Barrett in Bledisloe Cup opener | Scotty & Izzy
Scotty Stevenson had also previously tipped Beauden Barrett for a big display - as seen in the video above - and it came to fruition with an outstanding performance in the No. 15 jersey.
“You were feeling it, weren't you?" Dagg asked.
"Just something about Beauden Barrett in this game where you thought he was going to have an outing.”
Stevenson agreed with last week's statement: “he was very organised,” he said, “I thought he did everything required of him.”
Dagg said the All Blacks’ forward pack set the tone, while acknowledging there were still areas to improve.
“I just thought we dominated. I thought our forwards in particular were very confrontational out front. They carried the ball extremely well.
“Line out, probably there was moments there where I was like, ‘oh, we're just missing a wee bit there, we were missing a few opportunities.’"
All Blacks halfback Cam Roigard celebrates his try | Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Stevenson agreed the performance was not perfect, but said the points tally spoke for itself.
“The line-out wasn't flash and so are you talking about a perfect performance? No, but you're talking about 50 points on the Wallabies.
“I don't know how much more of a body of evidence we need for this, but you've lost 24 straight games at Eden Park. I'm sorry for all the talk and all the rhetoric and all pressures on them, Australia are beat before they even get there.”
Listen to the full conversation below:
