Summary
Thank you for joining me this afternoon. My access to the post-match interviews and reaction has been cut short, so without further ado I’ll pass you over to Angus Fontaine, and his match report from Accor Stadium in Sydney.
Let’s do this all again next week in Wellington.
Similarly with the All Blacks, a rampant victory measured in the dozens to kickstart the Robertson-era was there for the taking, but a handful of stone cold try-scoring opportunities were either not taken or ruled out by the TMO. The final 20 minutes was a nightmare with two yellow cards and a massive upset avoided only through some desperate defending and Australia’s capacity to shoot itself in the foot.
I don’t envy the match reporters or analysts after that one. It seemed straightforward at the break: an emerging All Blacks side too powerful for an error-strewn Wallabies outfit. But after half-time Schmidt’s tactical switches paid dividends. Lots of long clearing kicking replaced turgid multi-phase running out of defence, attacking in wider areas provided more penetration than the narrow one-out patterns of the early minutes, and the interchange proved transformative, Salakaia-Loto in particular.
Tom Wright scored late on to keep the Wallabies alive, but he ends dejected, telling the host broadcaster, “that has been the story all year; just not consistent enough.
We had opportunities in the first half. We gifted too many. The All Blacks will hurt you when you are not good enough.
We wanted to put on a performance that the fans could be proud of. Massive appreciation to everyone who turned up in big numbers.
Blimey. That escalated quickly.
The All Blacks could have been 60 points up at half-time and ended fortunate winners, down to 13 men late in the second-half.
Full-time: Australia 28-31 New Zealand
The All Blacks survive an almighty scare to retain the Bledisloe Cup in Sydney.
80 mins: New Zealand kick the restart long. Ten seconds on the clock. Paisami runs into traffic, but he has momentum. And Dickson’s hand points New Zealand’s way…
79 mins: Grandstand finale!
CONVERTED TRY! Australia 28-31 New Zealand (Wright, 78)
Australia’s scrum holds firm and Paisami hits the line on the burst off the back. Bell, Wilson, McDermott – Australia are building. A huge spinning pass to the left invites Pietsch to crash close to the line. Now there’s space. McDermott needs to be quick – he is. Wright is the man in space, he steps to his right, arcs around the mass of bodies and reaches over for a massive try!
Lolesio slots over a nerveless conversion.
77 mins: New Zealand struggle to clear far and Williams wins turnover ball on the right wing on attacking 22.
77 mins: Australia win the lineout ball and set the maul. New Zealand’s defence splinters so Williams drives towards the line. There’s a second effort. All the momentum going the home side’s way, but the All Blacks regroup – and win the breakdown penalty! Massive moment in these closing stages.
76 mins: Excellent long lineout from Australia on the 22 frees Gleeson. Quick ball sets up space on the right, Wilson engages two tacklers, but his flick pass wide to McDermott is forward!
But it’s not New Zealand ball – play is called back for a high tackle on Lolesio. The Australian five-eighth kicks to the right corner. The siege is on!
75 mins: Lienert-Brown is back on to make it 15 v 14 for the final five minutes.
74 mins: New Zealand go back to the one-out grind in midfield, doing their best to keep the game tight – but the inevitable happens and a black jersey is penalised for holding on after the tackle.
73 mins: AND AUSTRALIA SCORE UNDER THE POSTS! It is chaotic, hurried, scruffy footy, but 15 v 13 is always likely to tell… hang on. Disallowed! Earlier in the phase a Kellaway fumble looked obvious, but it wasn’t called until after the try was being celebrated. New Zealand breathe a sigh of relief.
Yellow Card New Zealand! (Clarke, 72)
A second All Black in the bin! The conservative attacking passage ended with a forward pass, Australia tried to counter at speed and engineered space on the right. Clarke sensed the danger and stuck out a hand to intercept but could only slap the ball down. Straight to the bin for a professional foul.
Updated
72 mins: Australia again try to run the ball out of their own half, but it’s slow and going nowhere so Lolesio dabs a little chip over the defensive line that McKenzie deals with. Now it’s the turn of the All Blacks to work through the phases, taking time off the clock until they’re back to a full complement of 15.
71 mins: There’s a stoppage in play while James Slipper is assessed for a head knock, and the record-breaker’s day may be over as he trudges off the field for an HIA.
Updated
70 mins: Australia have slow ball just inside their own half. Both sides are committing bodies to the breakdown so McDermott box kicks. Jordan returns it with intent. Then Clarke takes over, now Savea. 14 men, who cares? The All Blacks are going for broke down the left. Australia regroup so the attack shifts to the right, but this is where the playing numbers count with Jordan isolated on the ground, holding onto the ball and gifting the Wallabies a clearing penalty.
68 mins: The Wallabies come again! Wright, Paenga-Amosa, McDermott, through the line, turning the 14-men on their heels. this is thrilling rugby. Crunch! Perenara takes McDermott man and ball in a huge tackle! All the momentum is stalled and a few sludgy phases later New Zealand secure a breakdown turnover.
This match has come to life again in a big way.
Yellow Card New Zealand! (Lienert-Brown, 66)
Earlier in the try-scoring passage the New Zealand replacement ironed out Kellaway before he took possession. Massive swing in this game.
Updated
CONVERTED TRY! Australia 21-31 New Zealand (Paisami, 65)
Australia secure lineout ball on halfway and Salakaia-Loto gallops through a gap and into space like a raging bull. He has black jerseys hanging off him as he goes to ground. Big chance for the Wallabies now, can they capitalise? Phase after phase, working the New Zealand defence over. They reach the line – can they find a touch down? Yes! Instead of the one-out runners it’s spun two out to Paisami to hit on the angle and crash over.
Lolesio makes it a seven-point score.
Updated
64 mins: Kellaway leads a counter out of his own half, but again the ball goes to boot and the Wallabies play for territory, inviting New Zealand to throw a lineout on their own 22. They do just that then engage in a passage of slow multi-phase play until Perenara’s attempted box kick is charged down by Salakaia-Loto. The loose ball is hammered into touch by McKenzie.
63 mins: … and after praising the Australian throw today, it breaks down just when it’s most needed, the ball slapped backwards mid-air by Sititi and then hammered clear by Perenara.
61 mins: Australia’s lineout has been good today and it’s strong again, allowing Valetini to gain 10m. There’s speed at the breakdown and soon Wright is inside the 22. Paisami and Valetini straighten up and there’s a no-arms tackle against Williams gifting a penalty advantage on the play. That’s soon called, and the Wallabies can kick to the right corner.
59 mins: Penalty advantage for New Zealand on their scrum feed on halfway. McKenzie kicks downfield to the left. From the lineout Lienert-Brown and Savea punch holes, but then there’s a loose carry and Australia – as is their clear tactic this half – kick long, turning the All Blacks around, and forcing them to kick to touch.
57 mins: Australia win their own feed just inside New Zealand’s half and attack dangerously through Kellaway and Valetini… but there’s another cheap turnover… and New Zealand pounce! The ball is soon in McKenzie’s hands darting to the left on the outside of Valetini, his ball inside to Jordan sets the flyer away. He draws a couple of gold jerseys and finds Ratima, who is too strong for Lolesio and quick for Koroibete for an all-time try! That was scintillating rugby!
But wait. For the second time today the TMO is going to get in the way. McKenzie’s pass to Jordan is rightly called forward. He was being scragged by Valetini near the touchline and was unable to direct his offload backwards under duress. That is such a shame.
Updated
54 mins: New Zealand begin another imposing drive down the left touchline. As it grinds inside the Australian 22 Wilson rips possession away and Ikitau boots miles clear. Another awful lineout from Taylor becomes a knock-on and Koroibete carries possession towards the 22. There’s space on the right but the ball can’t be prised clear, much to White’s frustration. The referee takes a few seconds to stop the game and explain to the Australian half that he should play No 9 and leave the man with the whistle to referee. Wry smiles across the rugby world at that set-play I’m sure.
“There’s something missing from these All Blacks isn’t there?” emails Dougal Tyrie. “Is it quality of individual player? Or just that they are struggling to gel? You think back to Nonu and Smith and whilst very good, they sort of just did the basics very well, very directly, at pace and with strength. There’s something much more stuttering and apprehensive about the current players.”
I would suggest it’s just experience and composure, especially in the halves. The All Blacks could be up to 60 points by now had a few crucial passes gone to hand. In time McKenzie especially will be less urgent and pick and choose his moments.
52 mins: Back come the All Blacks, grinding narrowly on the inside-left channel. One-out runners pushing the golden defensive line backwards inches at a time. Savea gains metres down the blindside, then it’s back infield. The line is in sniffing distance waiting for a black jersey to cross – and Savea does! But does he get the ball down? The on-field decision is no try. It looks like Wilson, helped later by White and Lolesio have done just enough. Superb desperate defending from the home skipper.
50 mins: James Slipper enters the fray to become the most-capped Australian in rugby history.
49 mins: New Zealand’s lineout has been poor today and another throw is stolen on halfway allowing the Wallabies to get back in motion. That is until Frost is ragdolled in a tackle and the ball is spat backwards 20m! The All Blacks are soon in possession and moving at pace, cutting to the right. McKenzie slices through and has only Wright to beat – but instead of taking on the fullback he throws an audacious flick pass inside that goes to ground! A third stone cold try butchered by New Zealand!
47 mins: From the restart Australia get to work on halfway. Finally a chain of passes hits every target and Ikitau can straighten and drive towards the 22. Momentum stalls near the left touchline but a strong shove from Paisami reignites the drive. Wilson, McReight, Wilson again, better from the Wallabies. White is busy feeding one-out runners. 14 phases, Australia building, and then a breakdown penalty to the All Blacks. The sound of deflation echoes around Stadium Australia.
PENALTY! Australia 14-31 New Zealand (McKenzie, 45)
Williams, on for de Groot, helps New Zealand win a scrum penalty advantage on their own 22. A massive clearing kick then sends the All Blacks into attacking 22. The lineout is overthrown but the All Blacks benefit from the bounce of the ball. But Faessler does well to strip Savea in possession… then the hooker needlessly plays the ball on the ground, gifting McKenzie three easy points from 20m out bang in front.
Updated
42 mins: New Zealand make no ground trying to run the ball out of defence from the kick-off and the resulting clearing kick only just clears the 22. Australia secure quick lineout ball and try to go through hands but Valetini and Koroibete fail to dovetail and the ball goes to ground. So many Wallaby errors.
41 mins: Lienert-Brown is on for the second half in place of Jordie Barrett, who picked up a knock scoring that disallowed try on the stroke of the interval.
The two sides are back out for the second half as Waltzing Matilda drifts lazily around Stadium Australia.
For those not keeping score, that’s 78 points conceded by the Wallabies in the past 80 minutes of Test rugby. And it should have been more! Yikes.
Updated
“Australia seem to be taking their responsibility to the shirt sponsor very seriously. Just like a bar of chocolate, they seem to melt when heat is applied,” emails Phil Withall. “I’ll see myself out.”
Half-time: Australia 14-28 New Zealand
The All Blacks lead by a handy 14 points. It could, possibly should, be twice as many. The Wallabies are not very good.
Updated
40 mins: From the lineout New Zealand begin some secure phase play, drawing bodies infield, waiting for the time to strike. McKenzie determines that time should be on the stroke of half-time, to the right, with some crisp catch and pass play creating room for Barrett to run through a lame Lolesio tackle and crash over the line.
But hang on. The TMO has spotted something. There was an unclear handover of possession on the ground between Taylor and Ioane earlier in the attack. It looks like a borderline knock-on, but it’s been given, and New Zealand are denied.
39 mins: Australia try to run the ball out of their own 22 but as the passes are spun wide the runners are increasingly isolated and its no surprise when Wright is hauled down and the All Blacks win the counter-ruck through Ioane and McKenzie.
38 mins: New Zealand should have another try! After a kicking exchange Jordan runs the ball into contact on halfway. From the breakdown, McKenzie makes a powerful arcing run that busts through the line and sets him up to provide a try-assist on his inside. Support isn’t close though and McKenzie’s crucial disposal misses its mark and enough gold jerseys flood back to cover. Despite scoring four tries already, New Zealand have butchered at least two more.
CONVERTED TRY! Australia 14-28 New Zealand (Faessler, 36)
The 5m lineout is safe but slow, setting up a weak maul that the All Blacks shove towards the touchline. Then out of nowhere Faessler sneaks off the back, drives through Sam Cane, and drops over the line! Lolesio fades over a superb conversion. It’s raining points in Sydney!
Updated
35 mins: Scrum penalty against the All Blacks on their own feed on their own 22. Australia kick to the left corner.
35 mins: The lineout is secured and the maul forms, but it’s slow to begin with and stationary in no time. Dickson implores Australia to use it or lose it. They don’t. New Zealand are awarded the penalty.
33 mins: Both sides trade errors: Wilson at the breakdown, then New Zealand stepping into touch. The game proper resumes on halfway with McKenzie doing much better under a White bomb. Ratima box kicks after slow ball but the chase is ragged and Wright can slalom his way past the first row of chasers and into space. Looking left and right he’s desperate for support, but none is forthcoming so he accepts contact. It works, with the All Blacks penalised on the ground and Australia can kick to the 22 on the left.
32 mins: The scrum holds and Koroibete smashes into Ratima, injuring the New Zealander in the process. Then Valetini has a go – but he spills in contact.
30 mins: McKenzie spills a long bomb under pressure from Koroibete and the Wallabies can build off the back of a scrum just inside attacking territory.
29 mins: The lineout is smooth and the All Blacks spread from left to right. The excellent Jordie Barrett straightens things up and New Zealand are motoring. Ioane and Clarke get involved. But for the second time in quick succession Taylor is at fault on the ground and Australia survive.
28 mins: Scrum penalty to the All Blacks on halfway, against Tupou. New Zealand kick to the 22.
CONVERTED TRY! Australia 7-28 New Zealand (Savea, 25)
No, Australia can’t score another set-piece try. They can, however, contrive to concede a howler of their own. After the lineout was fumbled and New Zealand cleared, the Wallabies tried to attack from deep, but the backline was not connected and after Lolesio fed Paisami the black wave crashed over the gold jerseys like a tsunami. Paisami tried to offload to Koroibete but Reece was too quick, pilfering, darting into space, drawing the fullback, then passing inside to the rampaging Savea to touch down under the posts.
McKenzie makes it four from four.
Updated
24 mins: Back come the All Blacks with runners invited to hit the line at speed 30m out. More pressure looks inevitable, but Taylor makes a mess of the breakdown and McReight pounces – smashing a kick into open space that bounces fully 60 metres and into touch! That was amazing! Can the Wallabies snaffle another lineout set-piece try?
21 mins: Australia make a mess of the restart but Ionae is penalised for a croc roll at the breakdown and the Wallabies can clear. But again they can’t secure possession downfield and the All Blacks are back on the front foot. McKenzie kicks from halfway and Clarke plucks it out of the sky like a sentient cannonball! Suddenly New Zealand are inside the 22 and menacing. Ratima engineers half a yard of space in traffic, feeds Scott Barrett, and the big skipper can probably reach over the line! But he opts to pass inside instead and hands the ball to a gold jersey!
CONVERTED TRY! Australia 7-21 New Zealand (McReight, 18)
Australia hit back! With their first meaningful attack of the game McReight crosses following a beautiful lineout set-play. Valetini and White with the trickery, McReight the beneficiary, trotting through the bamboozled defensive line.
Lolesio dabs over an easy conversion.
Updated
CONVERTED TRY! Australia 0-21 New Zealand (Clarke, 15)
Australia get to work from the restart with White and Valetini busy. This is promising as the move reaches halfway… Then there’s an interception and New Zealand counter.
With momentum on their side the All Blacks bust into the Australian defence with intent. Runner after runner punches a hole, and the ball is recycled quickly with few bodies committed. There has to be an overlap somewhere. It’s on the left. Jordie Barrett spots it, marshals play his way, and two passes later Caleb Clarke is invited to punch his way through a couple of weak tackles from 15m out.
McKenzie curls another beauty from near the touchline and the All Blacks are rampant!
Updated
13 mins: The All Blacks are soon back in control though, securing the breakdown time and again, working their attack on both sides of the ball. McKenzie spots a gap on the right, darts on the angle, and Savea looks to be away on the touchline, but there’s a forward pass in the move and the Wallabies survive.
11 mins: New Zealand straight back on the attack with Australia penalised for an illegal clearance. And off the back of a lineout on halfway the gold seas part once more. Ioane again, this time running diagonally infield from the left, a third early try is there for the taking, the ball goes through hands – but it’s intercepted! That was a vital step by Wright, saving a certain five points.
CONVERTED TRY! Australia 0-14 New Zealand (Ioane, 9)
9 mins: New Zealand secure straightforward set-piece ball, gain little ground off the back so McKenzie hoists a garryowen for Koroibete. That sparks a kicking exchange that sees Jordan crushed by Wilson. The All Blacks pay no mind. Clarke does superbly, to punch through midfield. Ratima is quick to the breakdown and takes the game on himself, jogging into open space, waiting for the support runner to feed for the walk-in try. That support runner is Rieko Ioane on the left.
McKenzie curls over his second conversion of the afternoon, this one a beautiful curler from near the left sideline.
Updated
7 mins: Australia win their first scrum feed and attack dangerously from right to left. The ball is passed through hands smoothly and at pace. This is a lovely move… until Koroibete, the final link in the chain, spills the pill. Wallabies 🤝 errors.
4 mins: New Zealand get straight back to work, claiming the restart then advancing from 22 to 22 from right to left, through hands. But Lomax is penalised on the ground and Australia get some respite. Not for long though as a clearing kick is charged down – but play is recalled to the original infringement.
CONVERTED TRY! Australia 0-7 New Zealand (Jordan, 2)
The hosts clear their lines, but not far, and the All Blacks get to work. Metres 40 to 20 are earned slowly moving through the phases from right to left, then Barrett spots a gap on the right edge which sends Australia’s defence into disarray. New Zealand sniff blood, and feed Jordan to burst through on an angle from right to left to streak under the posts despite some despairing last-ditch defence.
Good grief, that is a horror start for the Wallabies.
Updated
1 min: McKenzie’s drop-kick catches the breeze and Australia fumble it into touch. The All Blacks win easy lineout ball, McKenzie hoists a bomb that Lolesio drops – backwards. Not a great start for the Wallabies.
Kick-off!
Damian McKenzie gets us under way in Sydney…
TJ Perenara leads the All Blacks in the prematch Kapa o Pango haka.
There have been reports of some train delays on the way into Olympic Park but Accor Stadium looks pretty full, aside from the very top tier of the broadcast stand, as the two teams stand to attention for the Welcome to Country and national anthems.
Australia are wearing their First Nations jersey this afternoon, which has a green design woven into the traditional gold. The All Blacks are in their nightmare-inducing gothic number. Unfortunately this version has an awful stiff white collar, making it look like they’re all wearing black t-shirts over white business shirts. Why mess with perfection?
Belatedly, James Slipper trots out onto the Stadium Australia turf, awarded his own entrance to mark his record-breaking day. Shortly afterwards the two starting fifteens join the veteran prop. It’s all very humdrum.
“Nothing says Rugby is strong in Aus like a 3:45pm kick off!” emails Greg Westwood, tongue firmly in cheek. Try 4pm Greg…
The advertised 3.45pm kick-off time can be charitably described as misleading. I wish sports administrators and broadcasters stopped pulling this stunt.
Englishman Karl Dickson is in charge of today’s contest, and here is talking about the latest law changes for the 2024/25 season. Not everyone in the game is happy with the direction of travel.
Kia ora whānau! Plenty of kiwis in Sydney 🖤#AllBlacks #BledisloeCup pic.twitter.com/Zi1yw8u1F2
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) September 21, 2024
It’s a beautiful dry and sunny afternoon in Sydney but a westerly breeze could be a factor when the ball is hoisted to the skies.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has had a word with the host broadcaster.
The week has been good, great to get back together on the back of a disappointing second half in Sante Fe and iron a few things out. At the same time try to take a few steps forward.
The players have worked hard this week. You can never guarantee anything but we know we have to stay connected well, we have to go after the All Blacks because we can’t wait for them, but at the same time we have to do it in an efficient way because we know how well they play.
Schmidt, a Kiwi, and around the All Blacks set-up before he moved to Australia, was asked about he will motivate his adopted nation against his homeland.
I’m more of the rugby guide, a couple of our coaches spark emotion well. I leave them to do that and I help us get organised and grow our skill set so we can cope against one of the best teams in the world.
The build-up to this Test has been dominated by James Slipper, who will become the most-capped Australian in rugby history this afternoon.
In a generation of decline for Australian rugby, Slipper has stood tall. Unlike halfback Gregan, his domain is the scrum, the most brutally confrontational area of the game. Today, Slipper’s face bears the scars of three decades in the engine room – bent nose, pulped ears, battered brows – but his tough nut is quick to split into a grin.
New Zealand XV
Scot Robertson originally made four changes to the side that left South Africa empty handed with Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan and Caleb Clarke all returning in the backs, and Ethan de Groot in the front row. However, just an hour from kick-off Beauden Barrett was withdrawn through illness meaning Jordan shifts to fullback, Sevu Reece comes in on the wing, and Harry Plummer joins the bench, from where he will make his Test debut.
“We have selected an experienced team which has combinations that have played some of our best rugby this season,” All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson said. “The Bledisloe Cup is so revered by both of these teams, we are expecting a classic showdown against our Australian rivals.
“We have acknowledged the rich history of the Cup this week as a team and recognise that history does not bestow any rights. The Bledisloe Cup is always hard-earned and each year is its own chapter in the Bledisloe story.”
1. Ethan de Groot, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Scott Barrett (c), 5. Tupou Vaa’i, 6. Wallace Sititi, 7. Sam Cane, 8. Ardie Savea, 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. Jordie Barrett, 13. Rieko Ioane, 14. Sevu Reece, 15. Will Jordan
Impact: 16. Asafo Aumua, 17. Tamaiti Williams, 18. Pasilio Tosi, 19. Sam Darry, 20. Luke Jacobson, 21. TJ Perenara, 22. Anton Lienert-Brown, 23. Harry Plummer
Australia XV
Joe Schmidt has taken an axe to the Australian backs following the second half shemozzle in Santa Fe. Fraser McReight’s return in the back row is the only change to the pack, but there’s another new halves pairing with Nic White and Noah Lolesio reconnecting, Hunter Paisami is in the 12 jersey as he returns from injury, and Tom Wright is recalled at fullback, shifting Andrew Kellaway onto the wing.
There’ll be plenty of attention on the replacements bench too with prop James Slipper on track to surpass George Gregan as the most-capped Wallabies player of all time.
1. Angus Bell, 2. Matt Faessler, 3. Taniela Tupou, 4. Nick Frost, 5. Jeremy Williams, 6. Rob Valetini, 7. Fraser McReight, 8. Harry Wilson (c), 9. Nic White, 10. Noah Lolesio, 11. Marika Koroibete, 12. Hunter Paisami, 13. Len Ikitau, 14. Andrew Kellaway, 15. Tom Wright.
Replacements: 16. Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17. James Slipper, 18. Allan Alaalatoa, 19. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 20. Langi Gleeson, 21. Tate McDermott, 22. Tom Lynagh, 23. Dylan Pietsch.
Your 23 Wallabies to take the field this arvo 🦘
— Wallabies (@wallabies) September 21, 2024
🆚 New Zealand
📆 Saturday 21 September 3.45pm AEST
🏟️ Accor Stadium, Sydney
🎫 https://t.co/WhF2arOsPo
📺 @stansportau & Nine#Wallabies pic.twitter.com/jPRoxY8dRL
The Wallabies have been give Buckley’s chance of regaining the Bledisloe Cup. But as Angus Fontaine writes, that might not be an entirely lost cause.
This most Australian of phrases traditionally conveys a state beyond hopelessness but closer inspection shows convict William Buckley, who escaped in 1803 and was given up for dead, actually defied the grim predictions to survive 30 years in the wild.
Angus Fontaine sifted through the wreckage of Santa Fe.
The second-half absence of Bell and lock Nick Frost hurt the Wallabies, with scrum veterans Allan Alaalatoa and James Slipper, in his record-equalling 139th Test, badly exposed in defence and discipline. Even powerhouse winger Marika Koroibete, 32, was made to look ordinary, forced into touch at full tilt and guilty of fumbles and missed tackles.
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Australia v New Zealand in round five of the 2024 Rugby Championship. Kick-off at Accor Stadium in Sydney is 3.45pm AEST.
Also at stake is the Bledisloe Cup, with the Wallabies requiring a victory to retain any hope of ending the All Blacks’ 21-year stranglehold on the trophy. Since New Zealand secured the cup in 2003, the best Australia have mustered is six drawn series, most recently in 2019.
The All Blacks are on a seven-Test Bledisloe winning streak, and the smart money is on that run extending to eight. New Zealand are eager to restore pride after suffering a pair of narrow defeats in South Africa, and Australia are, well, not very good. The All Blacks are ranked third in the world as they rebuild under new coach Scott Robertson. The Wallabies are languishing in ninth, roughly equidistant in rankings points between the All Blacks and… Portugal.
Mistakes of the regrettable Eddie Jones era are still being rectified as Joe Schmidt fully comes to terms with the task facing him. The amiable Kiwi began with a hat-trick of wins (unconvincing, but wins nonetheless) but has since seen his rotating cast of auditionees hammered mercilessly by the Springboks and humiliated by the Pumas.
The All Blacks, with three defeats in their past four matches, are by no means an unstoppable force, but they have a trio of Barretts and some of the most exciting players in world rugby to call upon. Robertson has yet to find the special sauce with the national team, but it is surely only a matter of time for the superstar coach that made the Crusaders near-unbeatable in Super Rugby.
If you’d like to get in touch while I’m on, please fire all communication to jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com.
