Summary
In the immortal words of Samuel Beckett: “The sun rose on the nothing new, having no alternative”.
The All Blacks have won the Bledisloe Cup, for an 18th (90th? Umpteenth?) time. In country Australia tired farmers will contemplate more blood sacrifices to forgotten gods; but this might yet need more than just chicken or goat’s blood.
A series that started with such promise - the tied Test of Wellington - where the Wallabies were literally just inches away of a historic win on NZ soil, through the booming penalty attempt of Reece Hodge that faded onto the post.
In fairness tonight, they were never anywhere near it. From Daugunu’s early brain explosion and subsequent yellow card, to a constant litany of handling errors. The All Blacks offered plenty of sloppiness of their own, but the difference was the territory and the amount of time ball-in-hand. And of course, ruthlessness. From broken play. On the counter-attack.
The halves pair of Smith and Mo’unga were back to their mercurial best. Steering their backline; cajoling their forward pack. The Wallabies debutants tried manfully, but were boys against men. Still - a big learning experience for a lot of these young players, and just the hint of steel in Dave Rennie’s voice tells you that they’ll be a lot, lot better next week in Queensland.
Thanks again for you company - New Zealand: Bledisloe champions, once more!
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So - if you’re just joining us - one to remember for ABs fans; one perhaps to forget for Wallabies supporters:
Dave Rennie chats post-match. “Any positives there, Dave?” the very Australian commentary team beseeches. “Third-twenty”. It was indeed a lot better than the first half, you’d have to say - but even that’s generous from the Australian coach.
“The game’s still pretty simple and it’s still about go-forward. And that’s where the All Blacks are impressive. We’ve got a long way to go - we’re disappointed with tonight; we’re better than that.”
The skipper Sam Cane is handed the Bledisloe Cup - he raises it aloft, telling the world’s media he’s looking forward to “filling it up with a few fizzies” (Steinlager that is, if you were unclear).
Great scenes as the All Blacks squad celebrate an 18th Bledisloe Cup win. Well deserved and worthy winners!
We hear from the captains post-game.
“We’re hurting a lot from that,” says skipper Michael Hooper.
“It was great to be back home, we love playing here, but we need to get back to the game plan.”
Sam Cane ambles over, blood streaming down his face.
“The first half, wasn’t anything special, but we capitalised on their mistakes.”
Is it a relief to win his first Bledisloe as skipper? “Oh, it’s more than a relief. It’s incredibly exciting.”
Updated
Full-time: Australia 5-43 New Zealand
And that’s all there is! Koroibete - one of those who can hold their head high for Australia tonight - arrows for the corner, but it’s called a knock on.
No try; no redemptive closer; no avoiding the headlines: a record defeat - the biggest ever win by New Zealand over Australia.
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80 min: The hooter sounds but the Wallabies chance their arm for one last push. Can they salvage some pride?
79 min: Yellow card! It’s direct contact to the head, but the player was falling into the tackle, so red would have been harsh, you’d say.
And - does that give the Wallabies the chance at least to avoid a greatly unwanted record?
79 min: Penalty against Frizzell who collects Petaia. Ouch - it’s a nasty swinging arm that might have shed some teeth. It doesn’t appear to have been malicious, but it’s very dangerous.
78 min: So, that spot quiz answer tells me 43-6 was the biggest ever winning margin for New Zealand over Australia. Hello.
76 min: The Wallabies chance their arm - you can’t fault the intention. Just the execution. And as they cross inside the All Blacks 22m: another handling error.
And New Zealand look to settle things down, and then contemplate a long-range raid.
Try! Australia 5-43 New Zealand (B. Barrett)
74 min: And some wild celebrations - any sense of resolve from the Wallabies is now flapping in the wind. Not too much to that, but a very nice line from the fullback who joins a set play and arrows through the Wallabies defence.
Two more from Mo’unga, and maybe now those record books might be in danger.
Try! Australia 5-36 New Zealand (Ioane)
72 min: It’s another training ground setpiece - the quick feed, the hook, the ball to No8 who pops for the flying winger on the blindside. Ioane, no mistake as he flies over with the superman dive!
Mo’unga with a tough proposition from the touchline - and he slots it perfectly. Lovely kicking from the fly-half.
70 min: Turnover! And New Zealand looks to tear away, another fabled ABs counter attack. It was nice stuff to put Ioane into a gap before Paisami picks him out well, defensively. The long pass to the touchline is wobbly though, and it’s put down by Papalii.
69 min: So! A chance for some open play - the ABs spread left. Can we build some sets? Nope. There’s a penalty against Sotutu. And Australia kick for touch.
68 min: McDermott gets his first chance to run with ball-in-hand. Sam Cane is down in back play after a head/shoulder clash with Wilson. He’s a bit groggy, the skipper. And that’s the end of the shift from Wilson. There haven’t been too many bright spots tonight for the Wallabies, but this kid - I really like the look of him. He’s replaced for another debutant, fellow Queensland Red, Fraser McReight.
66 min: And on comes Rieko Ioane. Don’t think for a second that he’s not eyeing a five-pointer as well.
A ball out the back, but Scott Barrett drops it cold. Sloppy stuff from the ABs as well. Simmons with a tasty tackle - there’s still plenty throwing themselves around out there, from both sides.
64 min: But - as we’ve seen so often tonight, the opportunity is quickly snuffed out for the Wallabies, but credit some decent defence from the skipper Cane.
Reece Hodge ambles on - that’s the end of the shift for Lolesio. You’d have to say, despite the try, not quite the dream debut, but perhaps one that will fire the youngster to better things.
62 min: A raft of penalties to either side. This has “post-Global pandemic we’re all a little rusty” rugby written all over it.
There’s a tackle off the ball, and Hooper shows his frustration exhorting referee Ben O’Keefe for a yellow card. “That was cynical!”, he fulminates.
He has to settle for a penalty - and they kick for touch to set up a chance at the line from not far out.
Penalty! Australia 5-29 New Zealand
That bends fiercely off the boot, but shapes nicely back and over the dot. Three extras added - he’s been tidy from the boot (and pretty handy ball in hand, you’d have to say).
And on comes Tate McDermott - a third Wallaby debutant. Not the scoreboard he would have hoped, but still time for the scrum-half to try and effect that.
58 min: And on comes Laumape. Do you reckon he’ll fancy a try tonight? I’m chalking one in already.
Wilson gets caught in the middle of bodies, but isn’t able to roll away. It’s an easy penalty award, that - and Sam Cane says, let’s have a look at the three points.
56 min: We reset for a scrum, not far from halfway. A decent push initially to the Wallabies, but the ABs push back, and Tupou is penalised for pushing up and raising the scrum. Ach, right intent, but perhaps wrong execution.
54 min: Scrum penalty earned by Taylor and friends. “Tongan Thor” Taniela Tupoa comes on with Faisani also replacing Simone.
Both sides shuffling their benches - it is after all that stage of the contest.
Good work from Daugunu on this occasion, who gets himself well placed over the ball and forces a penalty for Australia.
It’s been stop-start stuff tonight. Can either side string a few sequences?
52 min: Deary me. Lolesio with two running options, and he splits Hooper and Wilson, and throw a near un-regatherable ball for the “gun from Gunnedah”, who puts it down.
You have to say - they’re looking more like the error-riddled Wallabies of Game II, not the (relatively) well-disciplined unit of Game I.
49 min: Sheesh, there really are some turnovers in this one. If you’re any of the sides watching on from the northern hemisphere you’d definitely think this is a match involving the world’s No7-ranked side; but you might wonder that it also contains the All Blacks.
Nic White tries the sharp response down the short side and crafts a clever chip and chase - but it’s straight into touch.
47 min: And it’s the ABs front line that goes down! A huge penalty win for the Wallabies forwards, who clear their own lines courtesy a clearing kick to touch.
Paenga-Amosa finds the new man Simmons with the lineout - a chance to spread the backline, but after a few broken/indifferent plays, it’s the veteran Whitelock who stands over Haylett-Petty and earns the penalty for not releasing. Can’t coach experience.
46 min: Coles tries a quick throw from the lineout, but it’s not in straight. And that’s his last action as Cody Taylor and Alex Hodgman trot on for NZ.
Scrum feed for Australia - it’s a big push from the All Blacks, but they don’t earn a penalty. Instead a reset as both sides stand up.
45 min: A break in play as the second-rower Salakaia-Loto suffers what appears a nasty knee twist. He tries to run it off, but can’t.
Rob Simmons sees early action off the bench. LSL shakes away tears - that’s a real blow to the Wallabies.
Try! Australia 5-26 New Zealand (Lolesio)
42 min: HELLO. They started the first half with a stupid inexperienced yellow card. They start the second, the Wallabies, with a fine passage of play.
Petaia gets round his opposite number, and Goodhue is beaten, before an inside ball finds the debutant, crashing through the bodies - and it’s a first ever try for Noah Lolesio!
It’s a pretty average conversion attempt from the youngster - he stabs at that and Australia pass up a getable two points. Still: they’re on the board, the home side.
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Second half!
40min: And we’re back! Once more into the fray etc.
The ABs kick off and there’s a few settling phases for the Wallabies. Beauden Barrett flies high to claim a White kick; before ABs knock on and Petaia gets his first chance to pin the ears and run at the line!
Martin Turnbull has written in:
Hi Richard, this is rather abysmal from the Wallabies. Do you know the biggest AB winning margin against the ‘woeful Wallabies’?
Eep. I should know this off the top-of-my-head; I’m pretty certain they equaled it last year. Let us know, you rugby anorak/cognoscenti.
I’d ask: “Your thoughts on that first 40?” But a quick glance below the line let’s me know that in no uncertain terms.
“I honestly cannot remember a top tier side defend this badly in years”.
“Well that was an embarrassment.”
“This is a massacre.”
Ahhh. I feel one again the warm glow of Wallabies disappointment. Always best after the merest flicker of fleeting hope (Game I).
Half-time: Australia 0-26 New Zealand
And that’s all she wrote. A much-needed chance for the Wallabies to regroup.
Nic White at half-time expresses the primary emotion as “frustration”. “No disrespect, but we’ve haven’t made them even do a real lot. It’s our own mistakes”.
Updated
39 min: ABs, ball in hand just inside their own half. Some decent contacts from the Wallabies as Paenga-Amosa lines up a hapless man in black.
But it’s a harrowing error from Daugunu - as the ball sails straight through his arms; off the boot and ricochets perfectly (of course) into the waiting arms of Mo’unga!
He’s away through the middle, but good cover at the back, a little slip, and then a tiny handling error as he attempts to offload spares the Wallabies further embarrassment.
Regular contributor Phil Withall chimes in:
@rrjparkin Wallabies against the All Blacks - like watching Scott Morrison fight climate change...
— phil withall (@phil_withall) October 31, 2020
36 min: Petaia with the dropped ball in the contact. ALB - a comparative veteran of 40+ caps - lines him up expertly.
Some running repairs on the skipper Cane, who gets the white toilet paper headband treatment.
34 min: Simone takes on the line - and he’s lost the ball in a one-on-one strip. My, it’s not been the debuts from him and Lolesio that Rennie would have hoped for.
In fairness there’s some scrappiness from both sides as NZ turn it straight over, before Lolesio kicks for the corner, but just rolls it dead in-goal.
22m restart, ABs.
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33 min: NZ win a throw against the feed - it’s all going ABs. But a relieving penalty spares the blushes and gives Australia a chance to kick for the sideline; settle down, and try and play ball in hand.
32 min: So here are some championship minutes for the Wallabies. They don’t have too many “old heads” out there - but they’ll need them to regather and marshall the troops now, because this is starting to look like it could slip dangerously into a rout.
Try! Australia 0-26 New Zealand (Coles)
30 min: They contest the lineout at two, Australia but it leaves them susceptible to the drive. The big ABs forward pack consolidates and powers - and over they charge; and who’s underneath it all: the veteran Coles!
He deserved a try earlier, perhaps. And now he’s got it!
Mo’unga slots the conversion nicely - right over the dot.
29 min: Peels of excitement from the crowd - it’s another loose ball, and they canter with ruthless precision into counter-attack mode. Goodhue kicks for the corner, and Lolesio is isolated and doesn’t release. Clarke looms over him - penalty New Zealand!
Try! Australia 0-19 New Zealand (Mo'unga)
27 min: Hello. Did somebody say broken play? Loose balls in midfield - against the ABs?!
It’s a lovely little chip over the line and it’s a flying Richie Mo’unga who regathers and runs untouched to the line.
No mistake from the same player with the boot; 2/3 and two more added.
Updated
25 min: Daugunu forces the round the corner offload - but it’s into touch. He threw a few in game one that didn’t stick. You wonder if the Australian skills coaches would think: why not, back yourself; or...
24 min: So. What can the Wallabies muster now? A fine take from Haylett-Petty before Hooper earns some metres up the guts. Daugunu looks to take on Clarke down the touchline; but the second-capper is good enough to put him into touch.
A bit of extras there afterwards as well - what a contest that is looking to be for the next 56 minutes.
Australia 0-12 New Zealand (Mo'unga)
21 min: It’s a training ground special! The ABs get Mo’unga one-on-one with the big Wallabies hooker Paenga-Amosa. He drops the razzle-dazzle, the twinkling toes, and he’s round and in in the corner for a try! Lovely move from the All Blacks.
It’s a decent attempt from the touchline with the boot, but the conversion attempt just slides across the face; unsuccessful.
Updated
20 min: And Jordie Barrett re-enters: so we’re 15 on 15. Usual service resumed.
A knock on from Hannigan as he attempted to reclaim the high ball. Penalty ABs with a teammate in front of him - they kick for touch and win the line out.
19 min: Scrum feed for the ABs and they spread left before Coles, lurking on the wing once again tries a speculative kick. Koroibete claims and charges through a host of bodies. Good metres and both Barrett and Haylett-Petty exchange booming kicks.
17 min: And now it’s Simone putting it on the toe - but only into the feet of an opponent, and then the debutant knocks on, attempting to regather!
Ach, Dave Rennie won’t be enjoying this. They’re tough to beat with 15; you have to take your chances when you’re facing only 14 All Blacks.
16 min: Petaia puts the little grubber on the toe, but it’s cleaned up, I believe from Mo’unga. Was that the play for the Wallabies? Smith kicks to touch and eats the seconds. The All Blacks gratefully take the freebie.
15 min: Daugunu rejoins the field, so momentarily it’s now the Wallabies with the numerical advantage.
We’ve a ball down in midfield, the tryscorer Tu’inukuafe has dropped it cold; a little look up at the on-rushing defence.
Chance here for the home side you’d imagine.
14 min: 22m restart - what a terrific try-saving covering tackle from Koroibete: he gets the knee under the ball as its being placed - the Wallabies survive again!
13 min: Coles with the lineout - it’s still NZ on the attack, about 25m out. They play short, and what terrific hands from Smith!
He flicks at the base of the scrum to the blindside to a rampaging Caleb Clarke. But there’s some terrific scrambling defence here, I think from Marika Koroibete - has he saved a try?
Updated
No try!
We go upstairs for another TMO to check the grounding - it’s unclear whether Coles has got the requisite downward pressure on the pill.
We endure one of those interminable waits; and what looked a try, is no-try!
Hello, first test of the non-neutral officials team - Wallabies fans circle Australian video ref Angus Gardner’s name in their file-o-faxes; buy that man a beer!
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11 min: So it’s the ABs about 30m out ball in hand. Here’s an unusual play for you - Smith has put it on the toe for the corner, and who’s flying through it’s the veteran hooker, Dane Coles! Has he got the toe to outpace Nic White?
9 min: Who needs No14s? Apparently nobody - we’ve lost both of them so far inside ten minutes - it’s a yellow card to Jordie Barrett!
There was a bit of afters out there after that contact between Barrett and Haylett-Petty; Nic White emerging with blood on the forehead, and we resume with some lusty contacts immediate. Good feeling out there, early on.
7 min: A point a minute. You’d take that if you’re Ian Foster. And a fun fact - New Zealand have won the last 27 matches in which they’ve score first against Australia.
Some boos from the crowd. Jordie Barrett has crashed into Dane Haylett-Petty with what appears to be a raised elbow; which collects the fullback around the throat.
It looks very bad in slow-mo - we might be down to 14 a piece, here.
Try! Australia 0-7 New Zealand (Tu'inukuafe)
5 min: Koroibete comes in and puts on a terrific hit - but the All Blacks line up down their left side, and it’s the prop, big Karl, who bundles over!
First blood, ABs. And no mistake from Mo’unga who slots the extra two.
Updated
4 min: The skipper Hooper concedes a penalty for going early; with the man advantage the All Blacks look straight to the corner.
Coles finds Sotutu from the lineout; they drive from about 15m from the line.
3 min: A penny for the thoughts of coach Dave Rennie. Thousands of hours going into his finely worked plans - it’s a long way to run before you say that’s “unravelled”; but you’d have to say from an Australian perspective - not the “planned” start.
3 min: Deary me. We heard the chat midweek, but Daugunu has cleaned out Clarke in the air - and that looks dangerously like he’s about to pick up a yellow card.
He was bumped into the contact by the skipper Cane, look. Was it reckless? Was it intentional?
Yellow card is the decision - Daugunu walks for a dangerous tackle in the air!
Updated
2 min: The Wallabies build 6-8 phases; nothing too flashy before Lolesio goes to the air. It goes to Caleb Clarke who claims nicely before a swarm of Wallabies arrive. A plan, me thinks? New Zealand look to spread wide, but there’s a foot on the line and we have another lineout.
We're underway!
1 min: Ben O’Keefe gives it a sharp toot on the whistle, and Australia get us underway. Beauden Barrett receives cleanly, and kicks straight for touch. First line out - Wallabies feed, just around halfway.
And now - that famous setpiece of world sport that never fails to set the hair on end - no matter how many times you watch it: the haka.
Bloody wow. TJ Perenara marshalls his troops; skipper Sam Cane fronts the All Blacks at the head of the V.
Michael Hooper sets his face to “steely Michael Hooper gaze”, as the Wallabies meet the eyes of their opponents.
And with the formalities away - we are only moments away from kick off. Bledisloe III! From Sydney! This, to potentially decide the series.
A nod for all our opera-rugby-crossover fans out there - it’s Jud Arthur who sings God Defend New Zealand; a proud Kiwi and a sensational bass with Opera Australia. And I believe, a former rugby player of some repute himself. At least going off those ears.
And I’ll hand in my passport now, but damn me if that isn’t one of the finest anthems going round. Right there with the La Marseillaise.
A huge roar from the home crowd - as out come the Wallabies!
What a moment for Lolesio and Simone - as they line up on debut - against the All Blacks - and receive the welcome to country, and then the respective anthems.
As much as home soil should help the Wallabies - especially resplendent in this lovely Indigenous jersey tonight, you have to say the 50th-60th minute interchanges loom as potentially decisive.
And as much as it’s a young ABs bench - just look at those game-winners. TJ Perenara. Surely one of the best players ever not to be a lock on a first XV spot? And then Ngani Laumape and Rieko Ioane. Wow.
So! We have the All Blacks in the tunnel and shortly about to enter the playing field - let’s start to turn our eyes to the live action!
And an early caption competition:
Is this the modern equivalent of the old vaudeville routine - the hook from stage right?
A further word on Caleb Clarke. He was certainly an X-factor in Auckland, a wrecking ball on the wing with a willingness to play aggressively and take on would-be tacklers.
The Australian football jinx is calling any young striker over 6ft who can mildly control a ball “the new Mark Viduka”; is there a danger that this prodigious young talent could wilt under the moniker “the new Jonah Lomu”? The comparison almost automatically invites criticism - there are brilliant rugby players, and then there is Jonah Lomu. But still.
Our friends across the dutch - I’d love to hear your perspectives on this.
So! The head-to-head clashes that get your juices flowing?
Filipo Daugunu has shown plenty about himself in a Wallabies shirt thus far, but he’s also fired some verbal salvos midweek at fellow new face Caleb Clarke. Expect some fireworks on that wing, therefore.
There’s absolutely no question marks over the pedigree of Aaron Smith, but for mine Nic White is really starting to emerge as a quality No9 (an area where Australia has struggled perhaps in recent years) - with darting runs from the base, an improving kicking game, and ever-more intelligent decision making. He’ll be smarting from a one-on-one tackle he missed that allowed Smith a rare try in Wellington, so watch to see if that isn’t addressed somewhere during this game.
In the back rows - no Ardie Savea who welcomes the birth of his third child - what opportunities does that present for the Wallabies? I’ve been impressed with the early showing from big, lumbering Harry Wilson at 8. Will he and Hannigan be able to get the measure of Frizzell and Sotutu?
Now without further ado - a reminder of the teams:
Wallabies
1. James Slipper; 2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa; 3. Allan Alaalatoa; 4. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto; 5. Matt Philip; 6. Ned Hanigan; 7. Michael Hooper (c); 8. Harry Wilson; 9. Nic White; 10. Noah Lolesio; 11. Marika Koroibete; 12. Irae Simone; 13. Jordan Petaia; 14. Filipo Daugunu; 15. Dane Haylett-Petty
Bench: 16. Jordan Uelese; 17. Scott Sio; 18. Taniela Tupou; 19. Rob Simmons; 20. Fraser McReight; 21. Tate McDermott; 22. Reece Hodge; 23. Hunter Paisami
All Blacks
1. Karl Tu’inukuafe; 2. Dane Coles; 3. Ofa Tuungafasi; 4. Patrick Tuipulotu; 5. Samuel Whitelock; 6. Shannon Frizell; 7. Sam Cane (c); 8. Hoskins Sotutu; 9. Aaron Smith; 10. Richie Mo’unga; 11. Caleb Clarke; 12. Jack Goodhue; 13. Anton Lienert-Brown; 14. Jordie Barrett; 15. Beauden Barrett
Bench: 16. Codie Taylor; 17. Alex Hodgman; 18. Tyrel Lomax; 19. Scott Barrett; 20. Dalton Papalii; 21. TJ Perenara; 22. Ngani Laumape; 23. Rieko Ioane
Lolesio and Simone the two starting debutants for the Wallabies, with Fraser McReight and Tate McDermott set for their first bows off the bench.
For the All Blacks, no first-timers, but the marauding Caleb Clarke could feature prominently - either in targeting plans from the Wallabies, or counter-attacks for the ABs. Sotutu, and on the bench, Hodgman, Lomax and Papalii, are all fresh faces.
A message in a bottle from Sandy Wilson has just arrived:
What Ho! Marooned like a Flying Dutchman four days out of Jakarta but with a reasonably solid Satcom connection so will be keeping tabs.
Sadly our internet server is in Australia and won’t allow live video via my normal streaming subscription. So plenty of vivid and impassioned descriptive prose please chaps!
Lovely to hear from you, Sandy. And did somebody say unnecessarily hifalutin prose? On a Guardian sports blog?! Well, verily, sir/madam - I shall humbly attempt.
If you missed Bret Harris’ preview midweek the call from the bleachers was for brave selections:
Well, few will argue that Dave Rennie hasn’t done just that, with four debutants in the Wallabies squad.
Injuries to James O’Connor and Matt Toomua may have largely forced the former Chiefs’ coach’s hand a little, but you still have to have the plums to make the calls.
So - it’s wet, slippery conditions out at Homebush in Sydney. Will that suit the visitors? Perhaps.
Both sides have been uncharacteristically sloppy in little moments ball in hand, across Bledisloe I & II (Not pointing any fingers regarding basic skill execution, Rieko). But it was a much tidier showing from the ABs at their fortress in Eden Park.
Plenty of young faces and inexperience in both squads - so you’d imagine some nerves tonight. It is largely a rebuilding period for both squads - the ABs are looking to a future without the likes of Kieran Read, Owen Franks and Ben Smith; Australia have a Pocock-sized hole in their forward pack with many of their fabled U20s 2019 World Championship finalists coming through the ranks around the XV.
G’day! Kia Ora! Greetings to thee and thine - to all the whanau watching this from around the world. I hope you’re as excited as I am about this one - it shapes as a genuinely enthralling tussle.
As always with the Guardian minute-by-minutes - we’d love to hear from you. Don’t be backwards in coming forward to chime in with pearls of wisdom, insights, niche stats, or just general feel-pinions. It’s a train that picks up all passengers.
Firstly - I’d love to hear from where around the world you’re following the coverage: from remote Tierra del Fuego? From outer Baku? From the new Estonian National Rugby Ground in Tiskre, Tallinn - recently crowned with a win over Finland? Get in touch - via email or tweet.
And secondly? Who’s going to win and why!
Preamble
Sport and hyperbole go together like salt and cooking. A well-apportioned sprinkling here; c’est magnifique! Too much? It all becomes a little unpalatable.
With that in mind, it’s not “do-or-die” or “the last chance for salvation” for the Wallabies (some might say that particular horse bolted several campaigns ago); but at the very least, tonight’s match does represent a big opportunity for a youthful Wallabies outfit to lay down a huge marker for future aspirations.
The Bledisloe Cup. A contest for the ages, 117 years in the making. One of the most iconic clashes in world Rugby - if you can see past the near two decades of recent Black-hued domination.
As we saw in game one in Wellington though, for the hopeful Wallabies fan or the underdog-supporting neutral, there are plenty of indications that this All Blacks iteration is not the fear-inducing version upon which their reputation was built. Which does bring a certain added excitement to this fixture.
And for the chief subplot - not since something like 1934 has Australia named twin debutants in the playmaker roles at No10 and No12, and beaten New Zealand. It’s the hail-mary gamble from new coach Dave Rennie that many have called for; although greats like Stirling Mortlock while applauding the move, have still cautioned that some blooding in games one and two for tyro talents Noah Lolesio and Irae Simone might have been advisable.
Still, we’ll delve into plenty more subplots before we get rolling. Put the kettle on, plump the cushions. Because if games one and two are anything to go off - Bledisloe III should be a cracker.
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