New Zealand vs Australia: All Blacks and Wallabies gear up for Bledisloe Cup Test with history for both at stake at Eden Park on Sky Sports

08.10.2026, 17:26 skysports.com

On Saturday, Australia travel to face New Zealand at Eden Park in the latest Bledisloe Cup contest on their best run of form for nearly a decade, live on Sky Sports.

Not only that, they face an All Blacks side suffering from injuries and under pressure to avoid a fourth Test defeat in a row for the first time in some 28 years, dating back to 1998.

Under new head coach Les Kiss, the Wallabies have beaten Japan home and away, beaten Argentina at home and drawn against them away, and beaten South Africa in Perth despite finishing with just 11 players in a madcap Test match.

That run of games was preceded by victory over Italy in July, meaning Australia are on a six-Test unbeaten run for the first time since 2017.

Yet to continue such a run, Australia are going to have to create several massive pieces of history.

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Firstly, they face the All Blacks at Eden Park on Saturday, where the men in black have not suffered defeat since July 1994 against France. A remarkable 32-year record, stretching 51 unbeaten Tests (49 wins, two draws).

Of course, New Zealand travel around the country to play their Test matches rather than having one permanent home, so the record is unique in that sense, but over the three decades since that last defeat in Auckland, New Zealand have lost 15 home Tests, but none at Eden Park.

Secondly, New Zealand are on a record win streak of 11 Tests in a row against Australia since the Wallabies last tasted success in November 2020 during COVID times, and have held the Bledisloe Cup for the last 24 years.

Indeed, Australia held the Bledisloe between 1998 and 2002, and have never held it since.

To hold the Bledisloe Cup, you have to win more contests between the sides in a year than the other, with any years drawn seeing the current holders retain it. The record has been drawn in five calendar years for New Zealand to retain, while they have also won out in 18 of the years since.

This New Zealand had shown an uptick under Dave Rennie, winning his opening four Tests, including beating the Springboks in South Africa with a stunning 33-16 success at Ellis Park, but have since had the stuffing knocked out of them with three straight Test defeats to the Boks in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Baltimore, USA.

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Therefore, for New Zealand to lose on Saturday, they would have to suffer defeat in a Test for the fourth time in a row. The last time that happened? 1998, in the midst of a five-match losing run to Australia (three times) and South Africa (twice).

In 181 previous Tests between New Zealand and Australia dating back to 1903, there have been 128 All Blacks wins to 45 wins for the Wallabies, with eight draws.

In 123 years of history between the nations, Australia have only won in New Zealand on 15 occasions. The weight of history is firmly against them.

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Australia have exuded a quiet confidence since ‌Kiss took over as coach in late July.

The All Blacks will be without totemic forward Ardie Savea as well as playmakers Ruben Love and Richie Mo'unga because of injury, but Kiss was still awed ​by the quality of the team his counterpart Rennie was able to name on Thursday.

"I know ⁠they've had a few injuries, but strewth, when you look at ⁠that team, it makes it tough," Kiss told reporters after naming his side on Thursday.

"We're going to have to be good, that's for sure, to go out there and ‌put something on that can compete."

The All Blacks are coming off four bruising Tests against the Springboks, determined to end the streak of losses which cost them that series.

"No one wants to be part of the first team for a long time to lose at Eden Park, or lose the Bledisloe," Rennie said.

"We've come out of South Africa. We've got a bit of a point to prove there and we're ⁠up against really worthy opponents, and we know we're going to have to be at our ​best."

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Rennie knows many of the Australia team well, having coached the Wallabies from 2020 ​until he was summarily sacked in early 2023 to make way for the ill-fated return of Eddie Jones.

The ​62-year-old, however, was quick to quash any suggestion that his brutal sacking would add to his team's motivation.

"It's ⁠not about me," he said. "I've got no regrets. I got to work with some really good people, people I have a lot of time for, and it's a part of a game that we're involved in."

For the Wallabies, a win on Saturday to earn a ⁠shot at winning back the Bledisloe Cup in next week's second ​Test in Sydney would be transformational to their profile in Australia less than a year out from a ​Rugby World Cup on home soil.

Kiss, though, was wary of leaving any hostages to fortune when asked if the Wallabies could finally end the Eden Park hoodoo.

"I think this is a team that ‌can step forward and see how close we ​can take it," he said.

Damian McKenzie will start at fly-half with veteran Beauden Barrett at full-back as a spate of injuries has shaped the All Blacks line-up to face Australia.

Love has already been ruled out for the season with an ankle injury, while Mo'unga injured a calf muscle at training on Tuesday, leaving McKenzie and Barrett - both preferred as full-backs - to share the playmaker roles in the wake of New Zealand's 3-1 series loss to world champions South Africa.

"Damian's trained a lot (at fly-half) for us. Beauden's predominantly trained at 15 when we're in Africa," Rennie said. "I think both those players are interchangeable. They both spend a lot of time in the backfield. The way we play, having a 15 who is a real playmaker suits.

"We could have played them the other way around but they'll both end up in playmaker roles and they'll both end up in the backfield."

With Caleb Clarke unavailable with a shoulder injury and Fehi Fineanganofo sidelined with concussion, Will Jordan and Leroy Carter will start on the wings. Jordie Barrett and Quinn Tupaea combine in midfield in the absence of Billy Proctor and Anton Lienert-Brown, who also have injuries.

The back-row is unchanged, with captain Savea out of action for several months due to shoulder surgery.

Former captain Scott Barrett will make his first Test appearance of the season, returning at lock, as the three Barrett brothers start together for the first time this year. Hooker Codie Taylor retains the captaincy.

For Australia, Isaac Henry will start at centre in place of Hunter Paisami, who is suspended, in the only change to the Wallabies starting line-up. Henry will combine in midfield with Len Ikitau.

Among a number of changes on a 5-3 bench, prop Massimo De Lutiis replaces Taniela Tupou, who has rejoined his French club. Lachlan Shaw will make his first Bledisloe Cup appearance as a replacement alongside Nick Champion de Crespigny, who is named on the bench for only his second match of the year.

"Keeping consistency in the starting side gives us a solid foundation, while adding some freshness on the bench will provide energy late in the game," Kiss said.

"There aren't many tougher challenges than playing New Zealand at Eden Park, but it's one we're excited by and know that we will need to be at our best in all aspects of our game."

New Zealand: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Quinn Tupaea, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Leroy Carter, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Cam Roigard; 1 Ethan de Groot, 2 Codie Taylor (c), 3 Fletcher Newell, 4 Scott Barrett, 5 Josh Lord, 6 Tupou Vaa'i, 7 Peter Lakai, 8 Wallace Sititi.

Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 George Bower, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Shannon Frizell, 20 Anton Segner, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Rieko Ioane, 23 Josh Moorby.

Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Isaac Henry, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Joseph Aukuso Sua'ali'i, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Ryan Lonergan; 1 Angus Bell, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 4 Jeremy Williams, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 6 Rob Valetini, 7 Fraser McReight, 8 Harry Wilson (c).

Replacements: 16 Josh Nasser, 17 Aidan Ross, 18 Massimo De Lutiis, 19 Lachlan Shaw, 20 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Declan Meredith, 23 Harry Potter.