The Wallabies will welcome the All Blacks to the Optus Stadium in Perth on the 10th of August 2019 for the annual Bledisloe Cup as preparations hit full gear for the 2019 RWC. Notably, this edition of the Bledisloe Cup will see these teams clash only once in place of the customary two-legged affair.

2018 Bledisloe Cup

The most recent Bledisloe cup was played over three legs in which the All Blacks emerged victors by winning all the three games. The first match was played at the ANZ in Sydney and the Kiwis won by 40-12. The second game was played in Auckland at the Eden Park where the All Blacks again won convincingly by 38-13. The final match of the series was played at the Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, Japan and again New Zealand won by 37-20 capping a fine overall Bledisloe Cup 2018 performance.

Wallabies vs All Blacks Rugby Bledisloe Cup 2019 Kickoff Time, Dates, Venue, What Channel is the Game On

Head to Head

Since inception in 1931, the Wallabies and the Kiwis have met 143 times; 69 times in Australia, 69 times in New Zealand, and 4 times in a neutral venue. The Kiwis boast a superior record having won 101 times against Australia’s 36 with the remaining 6 ending in a draw.

Key Players

Australia will be wary of the threat that Beauden Barrett poses for their defence. Barrett’s strong running game and incredible movement will trouble the Wallabies. Equally, Ardie Savea has started the Rugby Championship strongly and will be worth keeping tabs on.

The Wallabies too have a strong runner and constant threat in Ngani Laumape when in possession and will be banking on him to trouble the Kiwi defensive line. Additionally, Samu Kerevi has been a shining light amidst a terrible run of form by the Wallabies and will equally pose a great threat for the All Blacks with his lethal running.

Match Prediction

The All Blacks avoided an upset against the Pumas on matchday one and as a result continued with their impressive run of form that has seen them win 18 of the previous 20 matches. On the other hand, Australia’s poor run of form continued with a loss to the Springboks which meant that the Wallabies have 7 of the last 10 matches. These two sides are experiencing contrasting fortunes and New Zealand are the outright favorites to win against the Wallabies.