The Sporting Day: The Bledisloe Cup

There is little doubt that Australian rugby has been given new hope. The game is on the precipice but the future looks golden. The internal bickering that has caused self-interest to rein supreme has been put to the backseat as the game reunites behind the new leadership of John O’Neill. The poor performances of the provincial and national sides that have left Australian fans in a state of worry have been left behind, replaced with newfound hope after a successful jaunt in South Africa. The trial of new rules that are designed to open the game up provide hope for those advocates of running rugby. It is a new dawn for Australian rugby.

And those looking on will take even more heart if the Wallabies can stun the All Blacks in Melbourne and lay the groundwork for the recapturing of the Bledisloe Cup.

After Bill, this is the trophy Australian rugby fans desire most. That large cup donated by Lord Bledisloe is coveted, vaunted, wanted both here and across the ditch in the Shaky Isles. It is an annual series that defines the fortunes of rugby in both countries. The victor is flying and has claims to the title of best team in the world. The loser is forced into reevaluation, the assessment being that without the Bledisloe Cup the game is in a state of trouble.

Dating back to 1932 when the Cup was contested for the first time, New Zealand have been selfish in their possession. When the Cup was contested irregularly from inception through to 1981, the All Blacks won 19 times and the Wallabies only 4. And since the Cup began to be contested annually from 1982, New Zealand has again been the dominant force. But this has not squashed the Wallaby spirit nor quenched the desire to hold aloft the trophy.

Currently, the tide favours the All Blacks. As Australian rugby has slid into the doldrums, the All Blacks have taken full advantage, holding the Bledisloe Cup since 2003, Australia defeating the Kiwis only once in that four year period. But the close loss in South Africa and the All Blacks awful first sixty minutes when playing the Springboks last weekend suggests that 2007 may just be the year the Wallabies win back the Cup and the hearts of the Australian sporting public.

This Saturday is the moment of truth, the Melbourne Cricket Ground the battlefield. The stands will be full and the expectations will be high.

The realization has been made that the best hope of victory rests in the experience and skillful hands of all-time greats George Gregan and Stephen Larkham. The forward pack has shown marked improvement, particularly at set pieces, and there has been some spark in the backline, particularly from Matt Giteau. But it is the link that Gregan and Larkham provide, that seamless flow between forwards and backs that is necessary for victory that will prove the key to success.

On the other hand, the All Blacks haven’t found their rhythm. They made some bad mistakes and performed with uncharacteristic laxness. They are beatable and that is as good as Australian chances have been in recent times.

The first Bledisloe Cup clash will set the tone for Australian rugby for not only the Tri Nations but the World Cup and the years to follow. The importance of the match cannot be overstated. The thrill is starting to circle even now…

© 2007 Jack Stockton 

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