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Angus Fontaine sets the scene from an Australian perspective.
To beat New Zealand at home, all the stars must align. You’ve got to pick a smart side, play the right style, win over the referee and catch a little luck along the way. Silencing the crowd early, with fast points or fierce attack and defence, helps too. Even then, there are no guarantees against the All Blacks. And they are never more dangerous than when wounded, as Scott Robertson’s side certainly is after their worst ever Test defeat last week, a 43-10 spifflication by South Africa in Wellington.
Yet instead of smelling blood and making plans to dismantle an enemy in disarray, the Wallabies inexplicably sent two of their most important players on magical mystery tours to the far side of the planet. James O’Connor and Will Skelton were allowed to return to their clubs Leicester and La Rochelle despite being crucial to Australia’s chances of ending a 23-year Bledisloe Cup drought and snapping New Zealand’s 31-year-long, 51-Test unbeaten streak at their “fortress” of Eden Park.
Preamble
Jonathan Howcroft
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of New Zealand v Australia in round five of the 2025 Rugby Championship. Kick-off at Eden Park in Auckland is scheduled for 5.05pm NZST (3.05pm AEST).
As the battle for the Bledisloe Cup recommences the Rugby Championship is at the most interesting juncture in its short history. After four rounds all four competing nations have two wins and two losses, and all have celebrated victories overseas.
The Wallabies secured theirs at Ellis Park in round one, since when they have suffered two defeats and conjured a Houdini-like escape in the 86th minute at home to Argentina. Yet their remains a feelgood factor around Australian rugby in the wake of a promising Lions series, the emergence of a clutch of youthful world class talents, and the beginning of a narrative pointing towards the 2027 World Cup on home soil.
The same cannot be said about the All Blacks. They suffered a humiliating defeat to the Springboks a fortnight ago in Wellington and are now closer on World Rugby’s rankings to England in fifth place, than they are to South Africa in top spot.
With New Zealand’s pride stung, the Wallabies could be heading to Eden Park at the worst possible moment. Not that there’s ever a good moment to venture to one of the most secure fortresses in world sport. The All Blacks are unbeaten at the venue in the past 51 tests over 31 years and the Wallabies haven’t tasted victory there since 1986.
I’ll be back with the line-ups shortly. If you want to get in touch this afternoon, the address is [email protected].
