Rugby round-up: O'Connor's try and conversion sinks All Blacks
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Your support makes all the difference.The 20-year-old winger James O'Connor converted his own try in injury time to give Australia a 26-24 win against New Zealand in Hong Kong. Australia had lost 10 matches in a row to New Zealand, who had won 15 Tests in a row against all comers.
O'Connor said: "I've tried to put myself in that situation a lot in training. Robbie [Deans, Australia's Kiwi coach] has said, 'This is the last kick to win the game,' and I think that's the only one I've hit. When I looked up I was happy to see it go through the posts."
Tries from Quade Cooper and Adam Ashley-Cooper put Australia in front before Jimmy Cowan and Corey Jane scored for the All Blacks, who led 17-12 at half-time. A Ma'a Nonu try stretched New Zealand's lead but a Drew Mitchell try kept Australia in touch. Dan Carter, returning after an ankle injury, kicked three conversions and a penalty for New Zealand. Matt Giteau kicked a conversion for Australia.
Deans said: "What we got was a good response in the last 20 minutes, which is an area we've been battling with."
The New Zealand captain, Richie McCaw, said: "When we were up by 12 points we had a chance to close out the game but we allowed them back into it. They also played well to do that. A few of us made mistakes that in Test rugby you can't really afford to make."
New Zealand play England at Twickenham next weekend and then Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Australia play Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday and then face Leicester, England, Munster, Italy and France.
In the Magners League evening kick-offs, the Newport Gwent Dragons beat the Ospreys 21-16 at the Liberty Stadium, Leinster beat Edinburgh 19-18 in Dublin and in Italy, Benetton Treviso won at home for the fourth time this season, beating Connacht 24-17. They are now sixth in the table, a place ahead of the underachieving Ospreys.
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