Bledisloe IV has proved anything but a dead rubber, with both the Wallabies and All Blacks being reduced to 14 men after first-half red cards at Suncorp Stadium.
Fifteen months after Scott Barrett was red carded for a no-arms shot on Michael Hooper, it looked like deja vu all over again as the All Blacks lost Ofa Tu'ungafasi in the 23rd minute for a direct shot to the jaw of Tom Wright.
At the time, the Wallabies led 8-5.
But having conceded a penalty soon after that allowed Jordie Barrett to level the scores, the Wallabies shot themselves in the foot again as debutant flanker Lachie Swinton was too shown a red card for making direct contact to the jaw of veteran lock Sam Whitelock.
Australian referee Nic Berry had no other option than to send Swinton off.
Only a day earlier, Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper had said that Swinton's hot-headed nature was a "work-on" but that his physical nature was a real point of difference.
“It’s a growth of his game, and a growth that he’s aware of,” said Hooper on Swinton.
“Like all of us, we have points of our game that we need to improve and Lachie’s no different. He’s very green. This was just his second year of Super, so he’s a growing player but one with huge potential and something potentially that New Zealand hasn’t seen in a Wallaby jersey.”
Only 15 months ago in Perth, All Blacks lock Barrett was sent from the field for a direct no-arms shot on Hooper in the seconds before half-time. The Wallabies won 47-26 - a record margin.
The All Blacks have already wrapped up the Bledisloe Cup but the Tri Nations is still alive, with two matches to follow against Argentina.
