All Blacks v Wallabies - Bledisloe I
Kick-off: 5:05pm Saturday 27 September NZT
Eden Park, Auckland
Live blog updates on RNZ
The All Blacks are hurting after a record loss to the Springboks, but now have the advantage of returning to their favourite ground to defend the Bledisloe Cup. Eden Park has been a venue of disappointment for the Wallabies since 1986, but they come in after some very encouraging results, most notably getting a win over the Boks at Ellis Park.
The Wallabies are currently leading the Rugby Championship with 11 points. The Springboks and All Blacks are on 10 and the Pumas nine, with two games to play.
Reminder: this test has an early start time of 5:05pm!
Scott Robertson, Joe Schmidt. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Team lists
All Blacks: 1. Ethan de Groot, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Fabian Holland, 5. Tupou Vaa'i, 6. Simon Parker, 7. Ardie Savea (c), 8. Wallace Sititi, 9. Cam Roigard, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. Jordie Barrett, 13. Billy Proctor, 14. Leroy Carter, 15. Will Jordan
Bench: 16. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 17. Tamaiti Williams, 18. Fletcher Newell, 19. Patrick Tuipulotu, 20. Peter Lakai, 21. Cortez Ratima, 22. Quinn Tupaea, 23. Damian McKenzie
Wallabies: 1. James Slipper, 2. Billy Pollard, 3. Taniela Tupou, 4. Nick Frost, 5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 6. Tom Hooper, 7. Fraser McReight, 8. Harry Wilson (c), 9. Tate McDermott,10. James O'Connor, 11. Corey Toole, 12. Len Ikitau, 13. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 14. Harry Potter, 15. Max Jorgensen
Bench: 16. Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17. Angus Bell, 18. Allan Alaalatoa, 19. Jeremy Williams, 20. Carlo Tizzano, 21. Ryan Lonergan, 22. Tane Edmed, 23. Filipo Daugunu
All Blacks selections
Codie Taylor leads the haka. Photo: ActionPress
Five changes to the team that played in Wellington, with Codie Taylor and Cam Roigard unsurprisingly starting. Caleb Clarke gets the nod on the left wing, moving Leroy Carter to the right and Will Jordan to fullback. But the big one is Ardie Savea taking over as captain from Scott Barrett, who is out with injury, also Peter Lakai gets his first chance of the season off the bench.
Wallabies selections
James Slipper is honoured after becoming the most capped Wallaby player of all time following the test against the All Blacks in Sydney in 2024. Photo: Photosport
James Slipper lines up for his 150th test, becoming only the third player in history to pass that mark. Tate McDermott plays his 50th test with a start at halfback, with Ryan Lonergan set for his debut off the bench. Corey Toole starts on the left wing after an injury to Andrew Kellaway, while there looks like some real depth in the forward reserves with Super Rugby Pacific standout Carlo Tizzano set to come on in the second half.
Key stats
Fraser McReight on attack v the All Blacks in Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship rugby union Test match at Sky Stadium, Wellington in September last year. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
The All Blacks are on a nine-test win streak over the Wallabies, with the last Australian win being a 24-22 result in Brisbane back in 2020. The record in New Zealand is even more stark, with 29 wins and one draw since the last Wallaby win, at Carisbrook in 2001.
The Wallabies have outscored their opposition in the second halves of their last five tests, and won three of them. They have also scored nine tries in the last 20 minutes of those tests, while the All Blacks have conceded 10 in the same time period.
Fraser McReight has scored in his last two tests against the All Blacks, as well as making 36 tackles, 17 carries and hitting 128 rucks.
What they're saying
"I think if you gave (the All Blacks) a choice they'd take the Bledisloe over the Rugby Championship. It's very much just the tradition of it, you know, it's older and more ingrained than the more modern Rugby Championship. As much as they certainly want to go after that and they're in a good position to do it." - Wallaby coach Joe Schmidt.
"We treat this as the second most important trophy to us after the World Cup. We often touch on the times when we didn't have it. There's been past players come in and talk about that and how hard it is to win. I'm sure Australia are sitting there looking at this as an opportunity and rightly so for them." - All Black hooker Codie Taylor.
The last time they met
All Blacks 33 - 13 Wallabies
Arguably the All Blacks' best performance in the Robertson era, they came to Wellington without the burden of losing the Bledisloe after winning in Sydney the weekend before. The back three of Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan and Sevu Reece did the damage in an ultimately comfortable win, which had the added satisfaction of being able to send Sam Cane and TJ Perenara out with a win in their last tests in New Zealand.
What's going to happen
This is a fascinating clash of some pretty compelling statistics, with the All Blacks scoring most of their points at the front end of tests and the Wallabies dominant in the back end. So really, a big first half for the All Blacks will still require a big follow up in the second as the Wallabies have plenty of firepower and ability to strike out wide.
It's also a very pivotal game for Scott Robertson - a loss here will end the Eden Park streak and really turn up the heat on what's already been a dramatic second season in charge.
