Replacement half-back Nic White has been the unlikely hero for the Wallabies as they defeated the All Blacks 27-19 to win the Rugby Championship to move within a victory of breaking their 13-year Bledisloe Cup drought.

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The triumph at Sydney's Olympic stadium on Saturday night was the Wallabies' first over the All Blacks in 11 Tests and their first since 2011.

Brumbies number nine White turned the game on its head with a late try and a penalty goal to secure a dramatic victory, as coach Michael Cheika's plan to start two openside flankers, David Pocock and Michael Hooper, proved a success.

White broke the All Blacks' line with eight minutes remaining when he sold a big dummy, much to the delight of the crowd of 73,824, converting his try to seal the win.

It came shortly after White landed a penalty goal from 48 metres out, as Cheika's men set up a blockbuster second winner-takes-all Bledisloe Test next weekend at Eden Park.

Australia made a blazing start to the second half when prop Sekope Kepu barged over to score the opening try of the game just a few minutes in after Aaron Smith was given a yellow card for a high tackle.

Starting half-back Nick Phipps was then yellow-carded for being offside and the All Blacks made it pay not long after. Debutant Nehe Milner-Skudder crashed over after a terrific offload from Dan Carter found Ben Smith, who popped a pass to his flying right winger to make it 14-10.

Matt Toomua produced a big play shortly after coming on for Bernard Foley when the Brumbies' playmaker came up with a deft kick which sat up for Adam Ashley-Cooper who finished it well under pressure from Smith.

Matt Giteau slotted the conversion from the corner and the Wallabies hit the lead 17-14 with Phipps still in the sinbin.

The All Blacks hit back with Milner-Skudder scoring his second try of the night on the right edge, taking three Wallabies over the line before coming up with a strong second effort to force the ball and make it 19-17.

The All Blacks went to the half-time break leading 6-3 thanks to a couple of Carter penalty goals.

AAP