Australia v New Zealand – Historical Notes

Australia v New Zealand – Historical Notes

• This is the 167th match of a trans-Tasman rivalry that dates back to 1903 when New Zealand won the inaugural meeting 22-3 in Sydney.
• This tally includes the 24 matches played between 1920 and 1928 when NSW represented Australia.
• Of the 166 games played between the two nations, New Zealand has won 114 and Australia 47, with five draws – the most recent of which occurred in Brisbane 23 years ago, when the two teams finished at 19-19 in the second match of the 1988 series. There have been 58 matches between the teams since the last drawn game.
• This is the third meeting between the two countries at Rugby World Cup, with each occurring at the semi-final stage. Australia beat New Zealand 16-6 at Dublin during the 1991 tournament, which the Wallabies went on to win, and 22-10 at the same stage of the 2003 event in Australia.
• Sunday’s match is the 40th to be played by the Wallabies at the Rugby World Cup, and Australia’s fifth semi-final. The Wallabies have won 32 of their matches at the tournament, and three of their four previous semi-finals.
• Champions at the inaugural tournament in 1987, which they won in a final at Eden Park, New Zealand has advanced to the final just once since.
• The Wallabies haven’t prevailed at Eden Park since 1986, when an Andrew Slack-led side won 22-9 to claim the Bledisloe Cup after a 2-1 series win.
• The last example of an Australian win against the All Blacks on New Zealand soil was in 2001, when the Wallabies scored 23-15 in Dunedin. The All Blacks have won the 12 games that have been played between the two teams in New Zealand since that match.

• 2001 was also the last instance of Australia winning consecutive Tests against New Zealand.

• The first Test between Australia and New Zealand in Auckland was played in 1925, with the home side winning 36-10.
• There have been 24 Tests between the two sides in the city, with New Zealand winning 20 of those contests and Australia four.
• Australia’s wins were achieved in 1949 (16-9), 1955 (8-3), 1978 (30-16) and 1986 (22-9).
• New Zealand has won the last 12 Tests it has played against Australia at Eden Park, and has not been defeated on the ground by any country since France prevailed 23-20 in 1994.

• New Zealand has not lost a Test at Eden Park in 17 years with the All Blacks’ undefeated sequence at the venue this year being extended to 26 matches, 25 of which have been won after the run started with an 18-18 draw with South Africa in 1994.
• Saturday night represents the 79th Test to have been played by New Zealand at Eden Park. The All Blacks have won 66 of these, which includes the 1987 Rugby World Cup final against France, while losing 10, with two others drawn.