7 August 2010 19h35 [GMT +12]

AMI Stadium, Christchurch

All Blacks: 15. Mils Muliaina, 14. Cory Jane, 13. Conrad Smith, 12. Ma’a Nonu, 11. Josevata Rokocok0, 10. Daniel Carter, 9. Piri Weepu, 8. Kieran Read, 7. Richie McCaw (capt), 6. Jerome Kaino, 5. Tom Donnelly, 4. Brad Thorn, 3. Owen Franks, 2. Keven Mealamu, 1. Tony Woodcock

Reserves: 16. Corey Flynn, 17. Ben Franks, 18. Samuel Whitelock, 19. Victor Vito, 20. Alby Mathewson, 21. Aaron Cruden, 22. Benson Stanley

Wallabies: 15. Kurtley Beale, 14. James O’Connor, 13. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12. Anthony Faingaa, 11. Drew Mitchell, 10. Matt Giteau, 9. Will Genia, 8. Richard Brown, 7. David Pocock, 6. Rocky Elsom (capt), 5. Nathan Sharpe, 4. Dean Mumm, 3. Salesi Ma’afu, 2. Saia Faingaa, 1. Benn Robinson

Reserves: 16. Stephen Moore, 17. James Slipper, 18. Rob Simmons, 19. Matt Hodgson, 20. Luke Burgess, 21. Berrick Barnes, 22. Cameron Shepherd

  • Date: Saturday 7 August 2010
  • Venue: AMI Stadium, Christchurch
  • Kick-off: 19h35 [GMT +12]
  • Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (SA)
  • Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (SA), Keith Brown (NZ)
  • TMO: Cobus Wessels (SA)

Match facts and stats:

All Blacks:

  • Three changes have been made from the team that beat Australia 49 – 28 in Melbourne on the weekend. Piri Weepu is in the number nine jersey and uncapped halfback Alby Mathewson is on the bench, with Jimmy Cowan not considered for selection because of his rib injury, while midfielder Benson Stanley comes onto the bench in jersey 22.
  • Ma’a Nonu, who made his debut as a 21-year-old against England in 2003, reaches a special milestone this weekend, playing his 50th Test, while prop Tony Woodcock plays his 67th Test this weekend, becoming the sole most capped prop in All Blacks history.
  • Last weekend’s Test against Australia, saw first five-eighth Daniel Carter pass a number of significant points-scoring milestones: with 1094 points so far in his Test career, Carter is now the second highest points scorer in international Test history behind England’s Jonny Wilkinson (1178) and he has also scored 226 points against the Wallabies, the most by any international player against any international opponent in the history of the game.
  • The All Blacks have played Australia in Christchurch 12 times since 1913, with eight wins to the All Blacks and four to Australia.  The last Bledisloe Cup Test in Christchurch was the 32–12 All Blacks win in 2006, which established a record 19 successive home Test wins for the All Blacks, with hooker Keven Mealamu starring with two tries

Wallabies:

  • Australia won on its maiden appearance at the then Lancaster Park in 1913, inflicting a 16-5 defeat on New Zealand in what was the first ever Test match at the venue.
  • Saturday night represents the 16th game between the two teams in Christchurch, with New Zealand having won nine times, while Australia has claimed six wins, most recently 27-23, 12 years ago.
  • Australia’s 27-23 win over New Zealand in 1998 is the last instance of the All Blacks being beaten in a Christchurch Test. New Zealand has won 10 straight in the city since that match, with Australia twice falling during the unbeaten run.
  • Australia won five of the first six trans-Tasman Tests played in Christchurch (in 1913, 1921, 1928, 1952 and 1958), but has prevailed just once in the time since.
  • Current Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans was the coaching coordinator of the All Blacks when New Zealand beat Australia 12-6 at Christchurch in 2002.
  • Saturday night will see Nathan Sharpe play his 85th Test match, setting a new record for the most games by an Australian second-rower, edging ahead of the 84 games as a lock played by ex-skipper John Eales.
  • This is the 162nd match of a trans-Tasman rivalry between teams representing Australia and New Zealand that dates back to 1903 when New Zealand won the inaugural meeting 22-3 in Sydney. These figures include 39 matches played between 1920 and 1928 when NSW represented Australia in matches that were granted official Test status by the Australian Rugby Union.
  • Of the 161 games played between the two nations, New Zealand has won 111 and Australia 45, with five draws – the most recent of which occurred 20 years ago, 19-19 at Brisbane in 1988.
  • The Bledisloe Cup was donated by the then Governor General of New Zealand, Lord Bledisloe, for competition between the two countries in 1931.
  • Australia won the trophy for the first time in 1934, beating New Zealand 25-11 in Sydney.
  • The last example of an Australian win on New Zealand soil was in 2001, when the Wallabies scored 23-15 in Dunedin. The All Blacks have won the 10 games that have been played between the two teams in New Zealand since that match.