Bledisloe Cup Preview: New Zealand vs Australia

The Rugby Championship has been won and lost, with the competition officially over, but we have an additional round of SANZAR fixtures, the one doubling as a Bledisloe Cup rematch and the other merely as another World Cup warmup.

Australia are unbeaten, the competition winners and the winners in confidence and momentum for the moment, but that could change in Auckland on Saturday.  New Zealand are losers right now after making heavy weather of beating Argentina, having to come from behind to beat South Africa in an unconvincing display, and then losing to Australia. But they can turn that around in the Bledisloe Cup second round.

The Wallabies ended a run of 10 matches without victory against the All Blacks last week, while the All Blacks lost after a winning run of eight Test matches. Eden Park has not been a happy venue for the Wallabies though, losing their last 15 Tests there, including conceding 51 points in 2014. In fact, the All Blacks have not lost at Eden Park since July 1994, with 33 consecutive victories.

The breakdown will be crucial, especially with the All Blacks unconvincing at winning quickly recycled possession at breakdown throughout the Rugby Championship – a real concern for them because continuity through quick ball is a cornerstone of their game-plan, and weak execution makes life so much easier for their opponents. Missing 23 tackles last week did not help their cause either.

Head coach coach Steve Hansen says their goal on Saturday is to play with greater intelligence, accuracy, and intensity. Assessing their performance in those three areas will be a key post-match exercise.

The Wallabies are playing with passion and flair. Michael Cheika has them playing with a unity, plan, and purpose seldom detected when Robbie Deans and then Ewen McKenzie were in charge. That being said, beating the All Blacks two weeks in a row will take supreme effort and tactical nous. Victory is not impossible but they will have to dig deep and produce a performance of wise decision-making and near perfect execution to do a Bledisloe Cup double.

Key players:
For New Zealand, captain Richie McCaw, playing an unprecedented 142^nd Test, sensational Nehe Milner-Skudder, one of the ‘finds’ of 2015, Aaron Smith, wanting to make amends for last week’s unhappy display, and Victor Vito, starting ahead of Jerome Kaino. For Australia, Nic White, having earned the 9 jersey with his heroics last week, Quade Cooper back at 10 and under pressure to deliver a convincing performance, Wycliff Palu back at 8, and Matt Toomua at 12.

The big match-ups:
McCaw vs Michael Hooper, and when he comes off the bench, David Pocock. White vs Smith at 9, each with plenty to prove. Toomua vs Ma’a Nonu. As scrummagers, Scott Sio vs Owen Franks.