After a long deliberation Garces,the same referee who sent off Williams two years ago against the British and Irish Lions,came to the conclusion there was dangerous contact with the neck region.

“I have no option but for it to be a red card,” he said.

Former Wallaby Phil Kearns quipped:“It’s not often I feel sorry for an All Blacks but jeez,” over a red card that was the first time a player had been sent off in a Bledisloe Cup fixture since Drew Mitchell in 2010.

Australia thoroughly deserved their 16-12 half-time lead and went in for the kill after the break,sensing a fragility about an All Blacks side under intense pressure.

Two tries in three minutes,one from Lukhan Salakaia-Loto – his first in Test footy – and then Nic White – his first five-pointer since the Bledisloe opener of 2015 – had the Wallabies as confident and lively as we have seen them in years.

Ahead by 14 points with 26 minutes remaining against the All Blacks? Talk about unfamiliar ground.

Hooper was unbelievable,Samu Kerevi carried the ball like his life depended on it,man-of-the-match Nic White reminded us what we'd been missing,while Reece Hodge had his best game ever in gold.

There were surprises galore. Who would have thought we’d ever see Marika Koroibete,the former Melbourne Storm speedster,score a try under the sticks from a pick and drive in a Bledisloe Test match?

The winger’s intelligent dive off the back of a breakdown propelled the Wallabies ahead by 14 points – after Christian Lealiifano’s conversion – into the last quarter of a pulsating fixture.

When Hodge crashed over for his second try down the right side in the 69th minute,Australia had eclipsed its biggest tally of points against the All Blacks. Their previous best was against New Zealand in the famous Test of 2000 in Sydney.

Then when Kurtley Beale planted the ball under the black dot and Matt Toomua did the rest,it was official – this was the most points any team in Test history had racked up against the All Blacks in 116 years.

There was no questioning Australia’s intensity in the opening exchanges as nerves dissipated. Tolu Latu got a few lineout throws out of the way,James O’Connor got some touches and Lealiifano straightened at the line to make a break and keep New Zealand on their toes.

Lealiifano’s penalty in the seventh minute got Australia in the lead before they surged further ahead when O’Connor’s one-handed pass landed in Hodge’s bread basket before he sprinted away untouched.

Had Anton Lienert-Brown gobbled up an intercept,it could have been a different story.

The All Blacks hit back with a try from Lienert-Brown but there was some conjecture as to whether Hooper or Kieran Read bumped one another off the ball when chasing a left-foot grubber from Jack Goodhue. The TMO said there were no concerns and the try stood.

Four minutes later Allan Alaalatoa missed a simple tackle on Dane Coles,whose run downfield led to a try to Rieko Ioane.

A flummoxed White flung his arms in the air,pleading for the touch judge to pull up a pass Rod Kafer declared “a mile forward” that “needs to be brought back”.

Despite protestations the try stood but a penalty from Lealiifano ensured Australia regained the lead at 13-12 and refused to look back on a magical night for Australian rugby.