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The 2020 Bledisloe Cup series was won by New Zealand 2-1. The Wallabies won Game 4 in Brisbane 24-22.
The All Blacks retained the trophy for an 18th consecutive year after winning Game 3 at ANZ Stadium 43-5 and Game 2 at Eden Park 27-7. The first match of the series finished in a 16-all draw.
Originally postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bledisloe Cup will comprise four Tests in 2020, two standalone matches played in New Zealand in October, and a further two to be hosted in Australia – the first in Sydney, the second in Brisbane – which will double as Rugby Championship fixtures.
The first two Tests of the series were played in New Zealand on consecutive Sunday afternoons; Game 1 at Wellington’s Sky Stadium on October 11 finished in a 16-all draw, before Game 2 a week later at Eden Park was won by 20 points by the All Blacks.
Game 3 saw the All Blacks break records with a 43-5 obliteration, while Game 4 saw Australia earn a consolation 24-22 win.
Date | Time | Fixture | Venue |
---|---|---|---|
Oct 11 | 2pm | New Zealand 16 dr. with Australia 16 | Sky Stadium |
Oct 18 | 2pm | New Zealand 27 def. Australia 7 | Eden Park |
Oct 31 | 7:45pm | Australia 5 def. by New Zealand 43 | ANZ Stadium |
Nov 7 | 7:45pm | Australia 24 def. New Zealand 22 | Suncorp Stadium |
All times are in AEDT (Sydney/Melbourne time)
Originally, Australia was set to host the first and third Bledisloe Cup Tests in 2020. Due to both major rectangular stadiums in Sydney undergoing redevelopment, neither would be played there, although ANZ Stadium did end up hosting the third game of the series after the pandemic-forced reschedule.
Instead, Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium was due to host the series opener on August 8, while Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium was supposed host the third Test on October 17. The second Test would have been played at the newly-named Sky Stadium in Wellington. After losing this year’s Test, Melbourne will instead play home to a Bledisloe Cup encounter in 2021.
The 2019 series was reduced to two matches to accommodate the upcoming Rugby World Cup, and while Australia were victorious first up, a drawn 1-1 series saw the cup revert to the reigning champs.
Date | Fixture | Venue |
---|---|---|
Sat Aug 10 | Australia 47 def. New Zealand 26 | Optus Stadium |
Sat Aug 17 | New Zealand 36 def. Australia 0 | Eden Park |
The 2018 series was claimed by New Zealand, after they won the first two matches in convincing fashion.
The third match – also won by the All Blacks – was played in Yokohama, just outside Tokyo. The match gave both teams an opportunity to experience conditions in Japan ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, which was the first such tournament to be held in Asia.
Date | Fixture | Venue |
---|---|---|
Sat Aug 18 | Australia 12 def. by New Zealand 40 | ANZ Stadium |
Sat Aug 25 | New Zealand 38 def. Australia 13 | Eden Park |
Sat Oct 27 | New Zealand 37 def. Australia 20 | Nissan Stadium (Yokohama) |
The All Blacks won the first two Tests and thus the Bledisloe Cup for a 15th consecutive year, defeating the Wallabies 54-34 in Sydney, and 35-29 in Dunedin.
The third and final game was played in Australia following the conclusion of the Rugby Championship and saw the Wallabies get a dead rubber victory.
Date | Fixture | Venue |
---|---|---|
Sat Aug 19 | Australia 34 def. by New Zealand 54 | ANZ Stadium |
Sat Aug 26 | New Zealand 35 def. Australia 29 | Forsyth Barr Stadium |
Sat Oct 21 | Australia 23 def. New Zealand 18 | Suncorp Stadium |