THE Bledisloe Cup was already in New Zealand's safe keeping when the Wallabies reached Auckland for the third Test at Eden Park in 1978.
It was a dreadfully luckless tour. Even before the Wallabies left Australia, outstanding lineout forward David Hillhouse and roughhouse prop Steve Finnane withdrew then winger Phil Crowe broke a leg in a club game.
Early in the tour, long-kicking, strong-running fullback Roger Gould was repatriated to Australia to be replaced by halfback John Hipwell, returning after a three-year absence from a knee injury.
The Wallabies went down, 12-13 and one-try all, in the first Test in Wellington. Elusive Laurie Monaghan broke his collarbone and goal kicker Paul McLean limped off with a troublesome knee. They lost the second in Christchurch, three tries to nil and 22-6.
The setbacks seemed endless, made all the more distressing with coach Daryl Haberecht's admission to hospital following a heart attack in Wanganui. McLean returned home, necessitating the call-up of 18-year-old Parramatta five-eighth, Tony Melrose.
Melrose's poise and maturity against North Auckland meant he was retained as five-eighth for the Test, with dynamic Ken Wright moving to inside-centre beside Barraba outside-centre Bill McKid. Former England triallist Geoff Richards, yet another replacement on tour, remained at fullback, and Chris Handy became tight-head for Queensland partner Stan Pilecki.
By comparison with the Test team envisaged before the tour, it was something of a patchwork quilt that fiery flanker Tony Shaw led on to Eden Park. Yet, from the moment the Australian back line swung into action, forcing Bryan Williams to come from the far wing to put Brendan Moon into touch near the corner post, the Wallabies were more adventurous and polished.
Andy Dalton's lineout throw went astray and No.8 Greg Cornelsen sprang to ground the ball for the first try. Four minutes later, winger Paddy Batch dashed into enemy territory for Melrose to continue the break, linking with McKid and Richards. From the ensuing breakdown, the ball spilled loose for Cornelsen's second try.
Australia extended their lead from 10-0 shortly after half-time from a blindside attack by Hipwell and Wright with flanker Gary Pearse racing away to give the Wallabies a 14-3 advantage.
From a disjointed lineout near half-way, Hipwell assessed the position with the New Zealanders swarming around Melrose, deftly passed over his five-eighth to Wright, who burst away brilliantly through midfield for Batch to be grounded short of the line. Again, Cornelsen was at the breakdown to seize the ball for his third try.
Suddenly, the All Blacks were confronted with a 15-point deficit and a fightback was soon forthcoming. Tries to prop John Ashworth and winger Stuart Wilson help them back to 13-18. But at 21-16 with 11 minutes remaining, the All Blacks' hopes of a remarkable revival were extinguished when Hipwell attacked the blindside from a scrum in the All Blacks' quarter.
Seear knocked down the pass and Cornelsen won the desperate race for the ball in the in-goal area, becoming the first player to score four tries in a Test against New Zealand. Wright's conversion and then Melrose's field goal secured victory.
Australia's 30 points were the highest scored in an international by any nation against New Zealand, and the win rejuvenated the Wallabies against a side of formidable quality which had accounted for the British Lions 3-1 in 1977 and was about to embark on its own first ever grand slam-winning tour of the British Isles.
AUSTRALIA 30 (G Cornelsen 4, G Pearse tries; K Wright, T Melrose goals; Wright pen; Melrose field goal) beat NEW ZEALAND 16 (J Ashworth, S Wilson tries; B McKechnie goal, 2 pen).
Australia: Geoff Richards, Brendan Moon, Bill McKid, Ken Wright, Paddy Batch, Tony Melrose John Hipwell, Greg Cornelsen, Gary Pearse, Tony Shaw, Peter McLean, Garrick Fay, Chris Handy, Peter Horton, John Meadows.
New Zealand: Bevan Wilson, Stuart Wilson, Bruce Robertson, Neville Taylor, Bryan Williams, Brian McKechnie, Mark Donaldson, Gary Seear, Leicester Rutledge, Dick Myers, Frank Oliver, Andy Haden, Gary Knight, Andy Dalton, John Ashworth.
