Bledisloe Cup: New Zealand thrash Australia in Rugby Championship opener

Waisako Naholo scores the All Blacks' fourth try

New Zealand opened the 2016 Rugby Championship by humiliating Australia 42-8 in the Bledisloe Cup at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney.

Ryan Crotty, Beauden Barrett, Jerome Kaino and Waisake Naholo scored tries as they led 32-3 at the break.

Dane Coles and Julian Savea went over to extend the lead before Nick Phipps scored a consolation try.

Police are to investigate how a listening device was planted in a hotel room being used by the All Blacks.

The New Zealand Herald reported that a "sophisticated" bug found on Monday had been hidden in a chair.

The World Champions perform their famous Haka before their Bledisloe Cup game with Australia

The Wallabies denied any involvement, but if the device was intended to be used to help them it fell on deaf ears.

The home side's cause was not helped by losing centres Matt Giteau, Rob Horne and Matt Toomua through injury in the first half.

Man of the match Beauden Barrett scored a try, set up two others and kicked 12 points in their first meeting since the Rugby World Cup final last year.

At one stage the rampant All Blacks looked likely to beat their record highest score of 43-6 against the Wallabies, but captain Kieran Read was sent to the sin bin with 15 minutes remaining allowing the home side to limit the damage.

The Rugby Championship is contested home and away between New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina.

The All Blacks and the Wallabies play a third match each year which is not part of the tournament. They meet again in Wellington, New Zealand next Saturday, where the All Blacks will have the chance to secure the Bledisloe Cup for a 14th straight year.

LINE-UPS

Australia: Folau, Ashley-Cooper, Kuridrani, Giteau, Haylett-Petty, Foley, Genia, Sio, Moore, Kepu, Douglas, Simmons, McCalman, Hooper, Pocock,

Replacements: Polota-Nau, Slipper, Alaalatoa, Mumm, Fardy, Phipps, Toomua, Horne.

New Zealand: Dagg, B Smith, Fekitoa, Crotty, Naholo, Barrett, A Smith, Crockett, Taylor, Franks, Retallick, Whitelock, Kaino, Cane, Read.

Replacements: Coles, Hames, Faumuina, Squire, A Savea, Perenara, Cruden, J Savea.