The Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup for 2016 kicks off in Sydney where Australia’s Wallabies host New Zealand’s All Blacks.
This will be the first time that the Wallabies and the All Blacks have met since the 2015 Rugby World Cup final which was won 17-34 by New Zealand.
The All Blacks have been heavily tipped to win this match as in the last 13 matches between the teams they have won 11, drawn one and lost one.
Overall Australia have played New Zealand 155 times and Australia have won 42 matches and lost 106. There have been seven draws between the teams.
This gives Australia an overall record of winning 27% of their matches against New Zealand.
This weekend the match will be played in Sydney where the teams have met 54 times. In those 54 matches the Wallabies have won 20 matches and drawn three which gives them a record of winning 37% of their home matches in Sydney.
The average score when Australia play New Zealand in Sydney is : Australia 15 New Zealand 19.
The All Blacks have rewarded Beauden Barrett’s exceptional Super Rugby form with a place in the starting line up for this match with Aaron Cruden starting off the replacements bench.
The All Blacks will be without Hurricanes captain Dane Coles so Nathan Harris starts the match with Codie Taylor as cover on the bench.
Israel Dagg retains his place at fullback and keeps Ben Smith on the wing while Waisake Naholo has beaten Julian Savea to the starting wing spot. Savea is on the bench with his brother Ardie.
Twenty-seven-year-old Tasman and Chiefs prop Kane Hames came into the All Blacks squad as an injury replacement for Joe Moody and will become the sixth new All Black of 2016 and All Black number 1152 if he takes the field, as expected, off the bench.
Australia have brought their Rugby World Cup stars such as Adam Ashley-Cooper, Matt Giteau, Will Genia and Kane Douglas back after they missed the June series against England. Together they add 315 Test caps of experience.
Ben McCalman joins Michael Hooper and David Pocock in a new-look backrow, while old combinations will be reunited in the backline with Will Genia and Bernard Foley forming the halves alongside Giteau and Tevita Kuridrani in the centres.
Brumbies prop Allan Ala’alatoa is in line to make his debut and become the 896th player to represent the Wallabies, after being named on the bench alongside veterans Tatafu Polota-Nau and James Slipper.
Australia have not enjoyed good form at Super Rugby level against the New Zealand sides so they will be hoping that this does not happen at international level. The inclusion of Australia’s World Cup stars will help but these players have not played together since October so they can be expected to take a little time to become familiar with each other again.
New Zealand were invincible in June and they are showing no signs that they have suffered from last year’s retirements. They have won their last 11 matches in succession while the Wallabies have lost their last four.
This Match will be shown on TV in NZ (Sky), Aus (Fox Sports), SA (SuperSport) and in the UK on Sky Sports 5/HD.
Average score: Australia 14 New Zealand 20
Last five results
Sat, 31 Oct 2015 (RWC Final) Australia v New Zealand 17-34 Twickenham, London
Sat, 15 Aug 2015 Australia v New Zealand 13-41 Eden Park, Auckland
Sat, 08 Aug 2015 Australia v New Zealand 27-19 Stadium Australia, Sydney
Sat, 18 Oct 2014 Australia v New Zealand 28-29 Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Sat, 23 Aug 2014 Australia v New Zealand 20-51 Eden Park, Auckland
Australia’s overall record against New Zealand
Played 155, Wins 42, Losses 106 , Draws 7
Match No.1:Australia v New Zealand
Date : 20 Aug 2016
Venue : ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Kick Off local: 20.05
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant Ref 1:Romain Poite (France)
Assistant Ref 2:Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
TMO : Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Teams
Australia
1. Scott Sio , 2. Stephen Moore (c), 3. Sekope Kepu , 4. Kane Douglas , 5. Rob Simmons , 6. Ben McCalman , 7. Michael Hooper, 8. David Pocock , 9. Will Genia , 10. Bernard Foley 11. Dane Haylett-Petty 12. Matt Giteau 13. Tevita Kuridrani 14. Adam Ashley-Cooper 15. Israel Folau
Replacements : 16. Tatafu Polota-Nau 17. James Slipper 18. Allan Ala’alatoa* 19. Dean Mumm, 20. Scott Fardy, 21. Nick Phipps , 22. Matt Toomua , 23. Rob Horne ,
* debut
New Zealand
1. Wyatt Crockett , 2. Nathan Harris , 3. Owen Franks, 4. Brodie Retallick , 5. Samuel Whitelock, 6. Jerome Kaino, 7. Sam Cane , 8. Kieran Read (c), 9. Aaron Smith, 10. Beauden Barrett , 11. Waisake Naholo , 12. Ryan Crotty, 13. Malakai Fekitoa , 14. Ben Smith , 15. Israel Dagg ,
Replacements : 16. Codie Taylor , 17. Kane Hames, 18. Charlie Faumuina , 19. Liam Squire , 20. Ardie Savea, 21. TJ Perenara , 22. Aaron Cruden , 23. Julian Savea
