All Blacks vs Wallabies: Bledisloe Cup live scores, blog

The Wallabies head to Dunedin to attempt to break a hoodoo too long to think about while the All Blacks look to sharpen the axe before both name their World Cup sides next week. Join The Roar for live scores and updates.

The Wallabies, with a retained backline and a reshuffled forward pack, will hope they can maintain the fast and furious start from Melbourne for a full 80 at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

The captaincy has changed for a fourth time with salt of the earth Tate McDermott handed the honour at the tender age of 24.

“Tate’s got all the attributes to be a great captain of his country and there’s no doubt it will be a proud moment for him and his family when he leads the team on Saturday night,” head coach Eddie Jones said this week.

The loss of quality tighthead props Allan Alaalatoa and Taniela Tupou are immense. You can’t go deep in a RWC without a steady set piece and that responsibility now falls on towering Pone Fa’amausili and the man who will replace him rookie Zane Nongorr.

If Fa’amausili can use his size to its potential and scrummage well he could just book himself a ticket to Paris.

Angus Bell and Dave Porecki retain their starting spots, while Nick Frost and Richie Arnold provide the shove from second row. Arnold has spoken this week about needing to fast across the pitch.

Arnold along with Tom Hooper at blindside flanker will need to provided some much needed grunt upfront with Will Skelton being moved to the bench for impact.

Fraser McReight will be looking getting his hands on the ball and making the breakdown a mess for the Abs. This is likely his do-or-die moment ahead of the RWC, needing to prove his value, especially in the pilfering arena.

The backline remains unchanged and this is the first time we have seen retained combinations.

Carter Gordon will look to improve on his kicking game to make sure the deadly finishers of Jordan Petaia, Mark Nawaqanitawase and Andrew Kellaway are in the right parts of the field.

Apart from Will Skelton and Zane Nongorr, the bench remains the same. Quade Cooper and Nic White will look will provide experience and poise coming from the bench.

All Blacks coach Ian Foster has made 12 changes for the clash while handing out three debuts.

The Barrett trio has been given a week off with Scott, Jordie and Beauden all rested.

The experience of Brodie Retallick, Ardie Savea and Will Jordan has been retained from the 38-7 win over Australia at the MCG.

Captain Sam Cane returns while flanker Samipeni Finau and wing Shaun Stevenson will earn their first caps from kick-off. Crusader Dallas McLeod will get his shot from the bench.

Fletcher Newell and Leicester Fainga’anuku will play their first Tests of the season after overcoming injuries.

Super Rugby Pacific’s best playmaker Damian McKenzie has been offered the chance to start at flyhalf.

No trophies are on the line at Forsyth Barr Stadium with New Zealand pocketing both the Bledisloe Cup and the Rugby Championship last weekend.

Breaking the hoodoo in New Zealand may be a stretch too far for this Wallabies side but it is another opportunity to show growth ahead of the RWC.

The track will be fast underfoot and hence Jones has picked a more mobile side, but if the Wallabies want any chance to go well in the deep south this will need to be a low scoring affair.

Game information

Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Game: 12:35pm AEST
Odds: All Blacks $1.05, Wallabies $11.00 – Odds by PlayUp

Teams

Wallabies

Australia (1-15): Angus Bell, David Porecki, Pone Fa’amausili, Nick Frost, Richie Arnold, Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini, Tate McDermott (c), Carter Gordon, Marika Koroibete, Samu Kerevi, Jordan Petaia, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Andrew Kellaway.

Replacements: Matt Faessler, James Slipper, Zane Nonggorr, Will Skelton, Rob Leota, Nic White, Quade Cooper, Izaia Perese.

New Zealand (1-15): Tamaiti Williams, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Nepo Laulala, Brodie Retallick, Samuel Whitelock, Samipeni Finau, Sam Cane (c), Ardie Savea, Finlay Christie, Damian McKenzie, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Anton Lienert-Brown, Braydon Ennor, Shaun Stevenson, Will Jordan.

Replacements: Dane Coles, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Tupou Vaa’i, Luke Jacobson, Aaron Smith, Richie Mo’unga, Dallas McLeod.