THE intent is always to win and Saturday’s dead rubber Bledisloe Cup match between the trans-Tasman rivals at fortress Eden Park is no different.
If the host wins it will be their 18th consecutive Test win, thus setting a world record for Tier 1 nations, but if it’s otherwise it will be the fourth time in six years that the Wallabies have spoilt the party.
It was first in 2010 in Hong Kong that the Wallabies secured a 26-24 win after the hooter to stop their rivals at 15th consecutive win. They did it again two years later with a draw in Brisbane when the All Blacks were on a 16-win streak.
The Wallabies continued to frustrate the All Blacks, this time in 2014 in Sydney with yet another draw to deny the latter the world record.
Right now the All Blacks have again equalled the record set by two other All Blacks sides and the Springboks but this would not mean much if they fail to overcome the Wallabies at a venue where the latter last won in 1986.
The records favour the All Blacks, who have won 24 of their last 30 Tests against the Wallabies, with two matches drawn.
Other than Eden Park, the Wallabies have not beaten the All Blacks anywhere else in New Zealand since 2001, which translates into a 19-match losing streak in New Zealand against the men in black. The All Blacks have also won their last 35 Tests in Auckland.
This year the Wallabies have so far won only three of their nine Tests and two of those defeats were to the All Blacks – a record 42-8 thrashing in Sydney and by 29-9 in Wellington – to allow the All Blacks to continue keeping the cup that has been in their possession since 2003.
Unlike in previous years, the All Blacks now see the world record as an opportunity not to be missed and a challenge they must overcome.
To achieve this, coach Steve Hansen has named a side comprising almost all their form players from the last six matches, especially the starting 15 and their forwards.
The only changes from the side that hammered the Springboks in Durban two weeks ago are in the backline, with fit again Aaron Cruden on the bench in place of Lima Sopoaga, wing Julian Savea returning to start in place of Waisake Naholo and also a return to the matchday 23 for Malakai Fekitoa.
The line-up thus does not fit into Wallabies coach Michael Cheika’s statement that the All Blacks think they’ll win easy this weekend.
To name an understrength side would also indicate an under-estimation of their opponents and a show of disrespect.
Over the season, at least two Wallabies have said that the All Blacks are beatable.
Of course they are and no one is disputing that but to be able to turn their fortune around, the Wallabies will have to play a 100 per cent better than their previous best this season while hoping that the All Blacks play at only 50 per cent of their best. But that would be a tough ask.
An interesting point ahead of the match is the prediction by Hansen on the changes likely to be made by Cheika in the backline, which turned out to be uncannily correct on both positions.
True enough Cheika has dropped Quade Cooper out of the side while starting Bernard Foley back at his preferred position of flyhalf and moving wing Reece Hodge to inside centre.
In all the Wallabies 23 contain four changes from the side that played the Pumas in their last Rugby Championship match at Twickenham two weeks ago.