Bledisloe Cup triumph not easy – Read

Kieran Read said retaining the Bledisloe Cup was no walk in the park for New Zealand despite another drubbing of Australia at Eden Park on Saturday.

Beauden Barrett made history as the All Blacks put on a show in Auckland a week after winning the first Test in Sydney 38-13.

Barrett became the first New Zealand player to score four tries against the Wallabies in a 40-12 rout, ensuring the world champions lifted the famous trophy for a 16th consecutive year.

The outstanding Barrett finished with a 30-point haul, while there were also tries for Joe Moody and Liam Squire in Owen Franks’ 100th Test.

All Blacks captain Read savoured yet another triumph for Steve Hansen’s side, but said their success did not come easily.

A very special moment for Owen Franks as @kevenmealamu presents him with his cap for playing Tests.#NZLvAUS pic.twitter.com/tFZJbYsomT

— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) August 25, 2018

“We respect this cup, we respect what the Wallabies bring every week when you play against them,” he said in the post-match presentation.

“It’s great to be back in front of our fans and lift it [the Bledisloe Cup] again for another year. It doesn’t just come easily for us, we have to work bloody hard.

“We can’t turn up and expect to play, we’ve got a full squad here and we really pay respect to all of the guys in the 23.

“They make us work each day when we turn up to work, those boys are really part of this team and the management as well.”

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