By DUNCAN JOHNSTONE in Sydney – Stuff.co.nz
The Sydney factor looms large over Saturday’s pivotal Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup test and it’s an ominous one for the All Blacks.
Despite its close proximity to New Zealand this magnificent city hasn’t been kind to the All Blacks since the advent of the professional game.
New Zealand have played 10 tests in Sydney since 1996 and have only won three of them with the Wallabies claiming the other seven, including the 2003 World Cup semifinal.
Nine of the matches have been played at what is now called ANZ Stadium, a ground that has had various guises since it was opened in 1999 after being purposely built for the 2000 Olympics. The All Blacks have lost six of their nine tests there.
This will be the 50th test played between the Trans-Tasman rivals in Sydney and not surprisingly New Zealand fare better overall in the 106-year history of clashes here, winning 29 tests, drawing two and losing 18.
But Australia in general hasn’t been an easy venue for the All Blacks since the Tri-Nations was introduced in 1996.
Saturday night sees Australia host its 15th trans-Tasman clash in Tri-Nations history with both sides having previously won seven games each. The All Blacks have a 2-1 win-loss record in Melbourne and are 3-nil in Brisbane during that period.
All Blacks coach Graham Henry has found Sydney an awkward venue during his tenure, losing twice and having just one win. He is 3-3 on Australian soil. Both statistics are well down on his remarkable winning ratio of 84 percent in all tests.
Wayne Smith has had an even tougher time in Sydney, either in charge of the All Blacks or in his current role as assistant – his record is two wins and four losses at ANZ Stadium.
So Richie McCaw’s side will have to beat history as well as a highly motivated Wallabies team who will have last year’s record 34-19 performance in Sydney to boost their confidence.
All Blacks v Wallabies in Sydney in professional era:
1998: lost 14-19
1999: lost 7-28
2000: won 39-35
2001: lost 26-29
2002: lost 14-16
2003: won 50-21
2003: lost 10-22 (World Cup semifinal)
2004: lost 18-23
2005: won 30-13
2008: lost 19-34
Sydney’s place in the Bledisloe Cup record books:
Biggest Australian winning margin at all venues: 21 (28-7) at Sydney, 1999
Biggest Australian winning score at all venues: 34 (34-19), Sydney, 2008
Most points conceded by Australia at all venues: 50 (21-50), Sydney, 2003
Most points scored by Australia at all venues: 35 (35-39) at Sydney, 2000.
Die lewe is ‘n lied! Vol Wit en Blou Strepe.
Prooooooooooovince!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Trupi, moetie my nuwe maaikie kuk byt nie! Ek sit vir Ex-Player op jou……..letterlik!
@Scrumsaam –
Ja, WP sal seker eendag weer opstaan, as die geld hou….ek hou net nie van die voortdurende gekopery in die Kaap nie. Daar is te veel daarvan en te min interne ontwikkeling.
Maar dis belangrik vir SA rugby dat WP/Bulle/Lions/Sharks/ Cheetahs en Griekwas sterk is.
Daarom is ek bly dat Griekwas vanjaar so goed doen, en dat die mag nie net by die groot unie berus nie.
Uiters belangrik dat die Lions ook weer die kragtige span word wat hulle altyd was.
Ek glo met Kevin de Klerk daar gaan hulle vinnig opstaan.
90@superBul –
Nee wat,ons bly maar met die Noord-Oos finale 🙂
@isigidi – Prooooooooblems 😆
@trupisero – kan nie erger as die lions op die oomblik voel nie as ek dink dinge gaan sleg dan dink ek net weer aan die lions en voel dadelik weer beter…
GBS jy moetie die nuwe ouens so vinnig goedkeur nie!! Ek kan nie byhou met al die nuwe gesegte en maaikies nie!!!!!
Vat vir die volgende 2 dae net WP manne en maninne asb oom Grootstes!
🙂
@Tripples – Gewag vir daai een! net nie geweet waarvandaan dit sou kom nie.
95@Scrumsaam –
hmmmm….ook waar, maar die Lions weet sommer al vroeg hulle gaan nerens kom nie terwyl die WP elke jaar juig & jubel dat “hierdie” die jaar is net om weer 5de te kom.
Jaarlikse teleurstelling soos die f&kken dasse wat ek elke krismis kry.
67@trupisero – Sorry, had to give a couple of guys a quick uitkak parade hence the delay.
I live and work in Swaziland, but am still active in club Rugby in JHB.
@Pietman – stem 100% saam met jou, daar is genoeg talent in die kaap vat die miljoene wat habana en fourie sou kos en kry die jong latte daar in wat oor n paar jaar in elk geval die blou span gaan duik laat hul hop.
@trupisero – As Rassie se tjekboek leeg gekoop is gaan julle almal kuk!
Koop Rassie koop!
Gehoor hy gaan ‘n aanbod vir GBS ook maak om WP toe te kom, dis nou as daar nog geld oor gaan wees.
99@Scrumdown –
Mbabane area? Beautiful Country.
Have fond memories of the Swazi Reg. Raid.
@isigidi –
@96 Ek stem Isi, GBS moet eers stop om nuwe mense in te skryf, hier is oorgenoeg vir nou.
Anders kry man nie n woordjie in met almal nie….
@Scrumdown –
@99 Do you have a rugby team down there in the ‘mountain kingdom’?
At least you have a very nice golf course there at Royal Swazi…..I think Piggs Peak also?
102@trupisero – Factory is at Ngwenya just inside the border.
I live at a place called Mvubu Falls halfway between Mbabane and Ezulwini.
If you haven’t been here for a while you’ll be quite surprised. There’s now a double lane highway that runs from the Border right through to Manzini. Abosolutely brilliant roads for Motorcycling here.
Golf courses aren’t too shabby either.
Rugby structures are slowly growing at primary and high school levels. Senior’s still need working on.
104@Pietman – A group of guys at the factory have started a club at Ngwenya. We get 25 – 30 Swazi’s to the training sessions.
Match time is a problem though. As I said, senior Rugby needs some development.
@Scrumdown –
I have been to Ezulwini once, there is a small Sun Hotel not far from Royal Swazi, where i stayed over.
Must be near your home then.
Ezulwini, that’s also the name of your currency there, not so?
105@Scrumdown –
Last time through was December on way to Moz. Stayed at Mabuda farm just outside Siteki.
Yeah, the highway is impressive — glad they didn’t just leave it at the entrance to the royal palace.
Ngewnya? You not at the glass factory are you? Always buy when I’m there – here in CT they cost probably double what they sell at the factory.
@Pietman – Currency is 1x Lilangeni, or lots of Emelangeni.
ZAR notes are also legal tender here, and the currency is pegged at 1:1 with the Rand.
@trupisero – Our factor is just down the road. We have 14 hectares that we’re developing into an engineering company. Invested US$ 50 million so far, another 100 to come.
@Scrumdown – Sorry, factory not factor!
@Scrumdown –
Mate of mine worked many years there for what was then Steffanuti & Bressan.
@Pietman –
Joke net Isi, oor die inskrywings!
Die manne moet kom, ‘the more the merrier’.
Gaan nog lekker raak hier game time, ek voel dit.
112@Pietman – The more the merrier…
Our webmaster@rugby-talk.com E-Mail Address has been busy this morning !!
@Scrumsaam – Welkom ou maat!! Lekker om nog ‘n WP mens te verwelkom. Laat waai maar hier, die Bulls maak vreeslik geraas, so jy sal moet hard praat om gehoor te word 🙂
…and the Guests and Page Impresions are steaaaaaaaaaaming in…….. like a conveyorbelt….
Fark people… I’m still reading my mail Inbox… it’s been so busy…
@trupisero – @111 S&B are doing phase 2 of our building work. They also just won the contraxt to build the new international airport terminal building.
@Scrumdown – That last Captain yesterday must have been 1 too many. Can’t type or spell for sh1t today
@Scrumdown –
hehehe..had quite a couple of captains last night myself.
Can I get your e-mail from GBS? Want to check a couple of things with you.
@trupisero – No Problem.
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