Source :- THE AGE NEWS
It’s a beautiful night in Auckland, and the rain clouds promised/feared have stayed away. It’s still light with daylight savings now underway, which is new for the Wallabies, given they’re rarely here this late in the year.
The teams are playing in October due to the Greatest Rivalry tour between the Boks and the All Blacks having put the normal schedule of a Rugby Championship into hiatus.
Playing in October may end up having a big influence on this Test match, given it falls outside a regulation 9 window.
Taniela Tupou and Tom Hooper have both gone back to their clubs in France and England respectively, and their absences are noticeable on the Wallabies bench. It is the area of concern for Australia tonight.
As far as starting teams go, the Wallabies look good. There is strength in most positions, and that can give confidence about the prospects of Australia breaking the 40-year Eden Park hoodoo.
But they’ll probably need a decent lead at the hour mark, when the benches are rolled on, and then hang on for dear life.
Can the Wallabies do it? Finally? Yes, and that’s not just hope talking.
But Lady Luck will also need to be on their side. Or at least their bench.
Dave Rennie drew his first match as Wallabies coach against the All Blacks in Wellington. It was 16-all that afternoon in the New Zealand capital.
He then won his fourth match in charge in November 2020 – the Wallabies’ most recent win over the All Blacks – before losing his next five in charge, including the heartbreak in Melbourne in 2022.
How’s he feeling now ahead of his first Bledisloe Test as All Blacks coach?
“It’s not about me. There’s so much interest and expectation as well. We’re embracing it,” he said.
Personally, I think he’ll have never been more nervous. The All Blacks have held the Cup since 2003 and haven’t lost at Eden Park since 1994. Throw in the fact the All Blacks have lost their top two choices in the No.10 jersey and on a three-match losing streak and there’s a lot of pressure.
Wallabies skipper Harry Wilson just spoke with his former teammate and captain Michael Hooper at Eden Park. This is how the interview went down.
Hooper: How’s the week?
Wilson: “It’s been a really good week. I’m really excited now. It’s go time. We’re not going to take a backward step tonight. We’re in enemy territory against a tough opposition, so we’ll step in and take on this battle.”
Hooper: How much does it mean?
Wilson: “I can’t wait. This rivalry is massive. Any chance to play in it is important and we really want to do Australia proud.”
OK, here are the teams and details tonight.
Kick off is at 7:10pm local time and 5:10pm AEDT. The game is on Stan and Nine GEM.
Both nations are down some troops. The All Blacks are missing their captain Ardie Savea, while the Wallabies are without a host of players, including Hunter Paisami (suspension) and overseas-based stars Taniela Tupou and Tom Hooper.
Kiss made just one change to his starting XV, bringing in Isaac Henry for the suspended Paisami. Henry will start at outside centre, linking up with his former schoolboy teammate Len Ikitau who shifts to inside centre.
There’s plenty of changes on the bench, including the recall of Declan Meredith to provide cover at playmaker. It’s an inexperienced backline and that’s where the All Blacks will target.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Wallabies’ clash with the All Blacks at Eden Park.
My name is Christy Doran and I will be with you on the blog, and we have Iain Payten back on the ground at the Garden of Eden. All our game coverage and Payto’s match report, as well as Peter FitzSimons’ reaction, will be right here, so don’t miss a second and stay with us this evening.
The All Blacks are the favourites. Of course they are. The three-time world champions are on a 53-match unbeaten streak at Eden Park, which is a streak dating back to 1994. The Wallabies’ hoodoo at Eden Park is even longer: 40 years. Does it end tonight? If it does, the Wallabies will keep the Bledisloe Cup alive for another week, with Les Kiss’s men needing to deny the All Blacks victory across the two Tests to win back the prized piece of silverware for the first time since 2002.
But the All Blacks are under pressure. Dave Rennie’s side have lost three straight, having lost the Greatest Rivalry against the Springboks 3-1. It will also be Rennie’s first time entering the Bledisloe Cup with the expectation to win it, having lost three series as Wallabies coach (2020-22). He is the last man to lead the Wallabies to a win against the All Blacks though (November 2020), with the men in gold on an 11-match losing streak against the All Blacks.
