It’s a beautiful night in Auckland, and the rain clouds promised/feared have stayed away.
asserted
clouds → ’ → Auckland
It’s still light with daylight savings now underway, which is new for the Wallabies, given they’re rarely here this late in the year.
asserted
they → ’ → year
The teams are playing in October due to the Greatest Rivalry tour between the Boks and the All Blacks having put the normal schedule of a Rugby Championship into hiatus.
asserted
tour → play → hiatus
Playing in October may end up having a big influence on this Test match, given it falls outside a regulation 9 window.
uncertain
it → play → window
Taniela Tupou and Tom Hooper have both gone back to their clubs in France and England respectively, and their absences are noticeable on the Wallabies bench.
asserted
absences → go → bench
As far as starting teams go, the Wallabies look good.
asserted
Wallabies → go → ?
There is strength in most positions, and that can give confidence about the prospects of Australia breaking the 40-year Eden Park hoodoo.
asserted
Australia → be → hoodoo
But they’ll probably need a decent lead at the hour mark, when the benches are rolled on, and then hang on for dear life.
Can the Wallabies do it?
asserted
Wallabies → need → it
Yes, and that’s not just hope talking.
asserted
that → ’ → ?
But Lady Luck will also need to be on their side.
asserted
Luck → need → side
Dave Rennie drew his first match as Wallabies coach against the All Blacks in Wellington.
asserted
Rennie → draw → Wellington
He then won his fourth match in charge in November 2020 - the Wallabies’ most recent win over the All Blacks - before losing his next five in charge, including the heartbreak in Melbourne in 2022.
How’s he feeling now ahead of his first Bledisloe Test as All Blacks coach?
asserted
he → win → coach
“It’s not about me.
asserted
It → ’ → me
We’re embracing it,” he said.
asserted
he → embrace → it
Personally, I think he’ll have never been more nervous.
asserted
he → think → ?
The All Blacks have held the Cup since 2003 and haven’t lost at Eden Park since 1994.
asserted
Blacks → hold → 1994
Throw in the fact the All Blacks have lost their top two choices in the No.10 jersey and on a three-match losing streak and there’s a lot of pressure.
Wallabies skipper Harry Wilson just spoke with his former teammate and captain Michael Hooper at Eden Park.
asserted
Wilson → throw → Park
This is how the interview went down.
asserted
interview → go → ?
Hooper: How’s the week?
asserted
week → ’ → ?
I’m really excited now.
asserted
I → ’m → ?
It’s go time.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
We’re not going to take a backward step tonight.
asserted
We → go → step
We’re in enemy territory against a tough opposition, so we’ll step in and take on this battle.”
asserted
we → ’re → battle
Hooper: How much does it mean?
asserted
it → mean → much
Wilson: “I can’t wait.
asserted
I → wait → ?
Any chance to play in it is important and we really want to do Australia proud.”
OK, here are the teams and details tonight.
asserted
we → play → teams
The All Blacks are missing their captain Ardie Savea, while the Wallabies are without a host of players, including Hunter Paisami (suspension) and overseas-based stars Taniela Tupou and Tom Hooper.
asserted
Wallabies → miss → Paisami
Kiss made just one change to his starting XV, bringing in Isaac Henry for the suspended Paisami.
asserted
Kiss → make → Paisami
Henry will start at outside centre, linking up with his former schoolboy teammate Len Ikitau who shifts to inside centre.
asserted
who → start → centre
It’s an inexperienced backline and that’s where the All Blacks will target.
asserted
Blacks → ’ → ?
My name is Christy Doran and I will be with you on the blog, and we have Iain Payten back on the ground at the Garden of Eden.
asserted
we → have → Eden
All our game coverage and Payto’s match report, as well as Peter FitzSimons’ reaction, will be right here, so don’t miss a second and stay with us this evening.
asserted
coverage → miss → us
The three-time world champions are on a 53-match unbeaten streak at Eden Park, which is a streak dating back to 1994.
asserted
which → date → 1994
Does it end tonight?
asserted
it → end → ?
If it does, the Wallabies will keep the Bledisloe Cup alive for another week, with Les Kiss’s men needing to deny the All Blacks victory across the two Tests to win back the prized piece of silverware for the first time since 2002.
asserted
men → do → 2002
Dave Rennie’s side have lost three straight, having lost the Greatest Rivalry against the Springboks 3-1.
asserted
side → lose → Springboks
It will also be Rennie’s first time entering the Bledisloe Cup with the expectation to win it, having lost three series as Wallabies coach (2020-22).
asserted
It → enter → coach
He is the last man to lead the Wallabies to a win against the All Blacks though (November 2020), with the men in gold on an 11-match losing streak against the All Blacks.
asserted
men → lead → Blacks
The Aporia
