Australia maintained its unbeaten run under new coach Robbie Deans with a convincing 34-19 victory over the All Blacks in their opening Bledisloe Cup clash at Sydney's Olympic stadium on Saturday evening.
The Wallabies won their fifth match on the trot under New Zealander Deans to storm to the top of the Tri-Nations standings after a seven-try thriller.
.........
Australia have only scored more points in a Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand in their 35-39 loss at the same venue in 2000.
Most titles won:
New Zealand - 35
Australia - 12
Longest time held by Australia: 5 years (1998-2002) (5 Titles)
Longest time held by New Zealand: 27 years (1951-1978) (12 Titles)
2006 saw the return of the 3 game contest for Bledisloe as the Tri Nations series was extended so that each team played each other 3 times. 2007 however reverted back to the two-game contest because of the World Cup.
In 2008 it was announced that the Bledisloe cup would be contested over an unprecedented four matches, three games are to be played in Australia and New Zealand while a fourth, potentially deciding game, is to be played in Hong Kong in an effort to promote the game in Asia (the first time Australia and New Zealand have played not on home ground outside the World Cup).
thinking ahead - so what about if we're ahead 3-0 by then, and the HK match is a dead rubber (sorry kiwis, just thinking positive here..... contested over an unprecedented four matches, three games are to be played in Australia and New Zealand while a fourth, potentially deciding game, is to be played in Hong Kong in an effort to promote the game in Asia ...
All Blacks' win courtesy of 'tactical overhaul'
Posted 40 minutes ago
New Zealand's 39-10 hammering of Australia in the Tri-Nations was down to a tactical overhaul that followed two successive defeats, All Blacks coach Graham Henry said.
The All Blacks dominated the match and kept their hopes of defending their Tri-Nations title alive, winning their 19th game in a row at Eden Park.
Australia have not won there since 1986.
"We changed the game plan around and the guys executed that exceptionally well," Henry said.
The turnaround sets up an intriguing third match between the two in Brisbane on September 13.
"The next contest is going to be massive, because both teams will have an equal amount of edge," Henry said.
.......
Australian captain Stirling Mortlock insisted the Wallabies had made the effort but things did not go their way.
"The harder we tried the more we seemed to dig ourselves into a hole," he said.
"We'll lick our wounds, we'll get a break now for a week and regroup."
New Zealand edged to the top of the Tri-Nations table after securing a bonus point for scoring four tries, with Australia second ahead of South Africa.
Deans swings axe for All Blacks tussle
Coach Robbie Deans has made five changes to the starting line-up for Saturday's Tri-Nations decider against New Zealand in Brisbane.
Inside centre Tamana Tahu, flanker Phil Waugh, utility forward Hugh McMeniman, prop Matt Dunning and hooker Tatahu Polota-Nau have all been axed following the Wallabies' record 53-8 thrashing by South Africa on August 30.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/sport/rugbyunion/
Anyone brave enough to bet how this game will go? lol
Talk about peaks and troughs... sheesh.
We thrash the Blacks, they thrash us
We thrash the Boks, they thrash us ...
Dean confident (?) axes 5
meanwhile AllBlacks maintain same team (again)
jmanI would like to think we ("cough" the AB's) will eek out a win in Brisy, but I think it will be very close and go down to the wire.
jman
hate to say it, but if I had $1000 to bet with (which I don't) - no way would I be putting it on the aussies lol.
tell you what though - Robbie Deans is a gentleman. (for a Kiwi anyway lol)
I take it that the Wallabies have to win both the remaining Bledisloe games to win back the Cup (?)
ouch
Aust out to $2.95
NZ in to $1.42
Only hope is for Aussies to pray for "the bounce of the ball"
https://www.aussiestockforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=207882&highlight=bounce#post207882
But I'm starting to think we can win this !!!!!!!!!oh dear all blacks just got a try n conversion 0-7
But I'm starting to think we can win this !!!!!!!!!
"That man George Smith" lol..
(How hopeless is the camera side linesman)
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