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David Pembroke, Ewen McKenzie and Steve Hansen break down the All Blacks’ 50-19 win over Australia at Eden Park, and why the match swung hard after Australia’s strong opening. They dig into what New Zealand fixed fast: high ball catches, maul defence, breakdown support, and a second-half lineout lift, plus how Australia’s plan to target McKenzie and use Sua'ali'i early simply evaporated. The big talking point: the Wallabies’ box kicking and lack of plan B, and what changes before Sydney with the Bledisloe already gone. The chat widens to deeper issues in Australian rugby: pathways, depth, contracts, competition structure, and the ongoing problem at 10, with Carter Gordon central to the future. Plus: refereeing boundaries, TMO stoppages, laws that need simplifying, and how World Rugby can better grow the game beyond the Nations Cup tiers.
Also in this episode:
● All Blacks high ball improvements punish Australia’s tactic
● Wallabies lose momentum after McKenzie sparks first try
● Australia’s box kicking hands New Zealand easy counterattack
● Depth and bench quality gap exposed between squads
● Refereeing, TMO stoppages, and law simplification debate
● Nations Cup growth, fixtures for emerging unions, Brazil support
PLUS: A look at the Raeburn Shield, Argentina hiring Sean Edwards, and Fiji’s reported Jake White move.
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"ALL BLACKS SMASH WALLABIES – Steve Hansen & Ewen McKenzie on the Eden Park aftermath" is an episode of Rugby Unity. Runtime 1 hr 2 min. Published October 12, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.