You can look at it two ways.
In the first it’s a bold step forward for Rugby, spreading the gospel of the game by taking one of Rugby’s biggest annual matches to new locations across the globe – and giving the favourites a chance to play at the venue of the 2019 Rugby World Cup final – a year in advance.
In the second it’s a cynical cash grab and the height of arrogance which may yet undermine the All Blacks nearly twenty year hold on the precious trophy.
I refer of course to the NZRU’s stunning decision to wave their right to a home decider for the Third Bledisloe test this year – instead taking the October 27 game to the 72,000-seater International Stadium in Yokohama near Tokyo, where the RWC final will be staged on November 2 next year.
The financial details of the deal have not been revealed but there’s no doubt the NZRU would be receiving considerable coin to give up a plum home fixture and take the game to Japan.
It’s doubtful that Australia would be receiving any of that, although Raelene Castle, the new Rugby Australia CEO, seemed pretty happy with the announcement – as no doubt Wallabies coach Michael Cheika would have been realizing he would not have to be heading to Auckland or Wellington with the Bledisloe on the line.
Steve Hansen may be looking for a quick exit if it all goes wrong in Yokohama.
Then you can’t blame the Kiwis for being confident. The last time Australia actually held the Bledisloe was back in 2002 and since then the Cup has never gone to a third match decider – the All Blacks have already retained the Bledisloe by winning the first two matches, normally by a comfortable margin.
So dominant have New Zealand been over the last 16 years that they have won 80% of the matches between the nations, 35 out of 45 with two draws, at an average match score of 28.4 to 18.3.
That is considerably up on the 67.67% winning ratio prior to 2003, when the average match score was just 18.1 to 12.5. Such has been New Zealand’s domination post the millennium.
Last year New Zealand wrapped up the Bledisloe after two games – 54-34 in Sydney, (at one stage the All Blacks led 54-6 before Australia scored four late tries) and 35-29 in Dunedin.
The magnificent new International Stadium in Yokohama
The fact that Australia won the final game in Brisbane 23-18, their first win since 2015, was thus rendered academic.
So if the Wallabies are to have any chance of making use of the neutral venue they must win at least one of the two preceding games – in Auckland (where the Wallabies have not won since 1986) on August 25th or Sydney a week earlier, August 18th, where the Wallabies have had more joy, winning seven out of the 17 matches played there since 1999.
But if they don’t then there is a long pointless wait till Yokohama over two months later.
Understandably All Blacks coach Steve Hansen is pretty confident, focusing on the opportunity to test out RWC facilities prior to 2019. The All Blacks will also play a second Test in Japan the following weekend, against the home nation in Tokyo.
“It will be great for the team to prepare in two of the Rugby World Cup cities and play at the same venues” said Hansen after the announcement.
“As well as preparing for a huge Bledisloe Cup Test and another important Test against Japan, it’ll also give the team a chance to have a really good ‘dummy run’ of the facilities, and experience the unique Japanese culture.
“We look forward to again being hosted by the Japanese later in the year.”
Hansen’s plan is pretty clear: a big first up win in Auckland to re-establish their dominance then a follow up win in Sydney, where they won by 20 points last year, to tuck the Bledisloe away. Then enjoy a few weeks acclimatizing in Japan.
It’s up to the Wallabies to change that.
The Wallabies have already played at Yokohama Stadium, where they took on Japan last year.
This is the fourth time a Bledisloe Cup match has been played at a neutral venue and the second in Japan. The first was in 2009 when the All Blacks won 32-19 in Tokyo.
But the other two, in Hong Kong, have been shared with New Zealand winning in 2008 and Robbie Deans’ Wallabies winning in 2010. So the All Blacks can be beaten in Asia.
The door to reclaiming the Bledisloe has been left ajar. It’s now up to the Wallabies to prise it open.
2018 Bledisoe Cup dates
1st Test August 18 Sydney
2nd Test August 25 Auckland
3rd Test October 27 Yokohama
Bledisloe Cup Results at neutral venues
Australia 14 New Zealand 19 Hong Kong 1 Nov 2008
Australia 19 New Zealand 32 Tokyo 31 Oct 2009
Australia 26 New Zealand 24 Hong Kong 30 Oct 2010
