The All Blacks threatened to put yet more points on after the siren with a cross-field kick, but Waisake Naholo stepped on the touchline in gathering it. Both sides were all but spent as the final siren approached; both knew this contest was over. The most pertinent question remains however over the severity of a lower leg injury that took Israel Folau from the field in the latter stages. Wallabies captain Michael Hooper congratulated the All Blacks on their performance after the match and rued the way his side gave the ball away to the visitors - noting they are the last side in the world you want to offer up possession to. "We need to be disapppointed about this result and we certainly are because we let this crowd down," he said after the match. In the meantime, look forward to all the analysis and wash up fromThe Sydney Morning Herald's rugby team: Georgina Robinson and Tom Decent.<doc-sep>The Bledisloe Cup is New Zealand's, again, as usual. But, what about the Rugby Championship? Well, the Wallabies have won just one match out of four in the tournament, going down to the All Blacks in the opening two fixtures before beating South Africa and then losing again With three minutes remaining in the first half of Bleidloe II, the score was locked at seven-apiece. Then, New Zealand did their thing, and Australia simply weren't good enough to keep up. Beauden Barrett scored 30 points in total, including four tries, and that was that. New Zealand won the first two Bledisloe Cup games by a combined 53 points. Rugby hasn't been Australia's most successful sport recently, with the Wallabies going down 2-1 to Ireland in a three-Test series in June. The Wallabies managed to win the first game against their Northern Hemisphere opponents before losing the final two. It was the first time since 1979 that Ireland had won a series Down Under. Our more fancied opponents - New Zealand - dismantled France in a three-match series in the same month where they laid on 127 points in three matches. The Wallabies can hold onto the fact that we beat the All Blacks in game three of last year's series, and indeed that's the only thing they can hold on to. What we can't hold on to is our ranking, which is now seventh. Read on below to learn all the information you need about the Bledisloe Cup, as well as the 2018 Rugby Championship. 2018 BLEDISLOE CUP RESULTS GAME I Australia 13 defeated by New Zealand 38. GAME II New Zealand 40 defeated Australia 12. GAME III Yet to be played. WALLABIES 2018 RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS GAME I Australia 23 defeated South Africa 18. GAME II Australia vs. Argentina GAME III South Africa vs. Australia GAME IIII Argentina vs. Australia 2018 RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP LADDER Position Team P W D L PD B Pts 1 New Zealand 4 3 0 1 73 4 16 2 South Africa 4 2 0 2 -3 2 10 3 Argentina 4 2 0 2 -18 0 8 4 Australia 4 1 0 3 -52 1 5 WHAT ARE THE VENUES OF THE 2018 BLEDISLOE CUP? GAME I ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia Australia 13 defeated by New Zealand 38. GAME II Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand New Zealand 40 defeated Australia 12. GAME III Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan WHAT ARE THE DATES AND KICK OFF TIMES FOR THE 2018 BLEDISLOE CUP? GAME I Saturday, August 18th, 2018. Kick off time: 8:05 PM (AEST). GAME II Saturday, August 25th, 2018. Kick off time: 5:35 PM (AEST). GAME III Saturday, October 27th, 2018. Kick off time: TBC. WHAT ARE THE WALLABIES' FIXTURES OF THE 2018 RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP? GAME 1 Saturday, September 8th. Wallabies 23 def. South Africa 18 Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia. Kick off: 8:00 PM (AEST) GAME 2 Saturday, September 15th. Wallabies 19 def. by Argentina 23. Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast, Australia. Kick off: 8:00 PM (AEST) GAME 3 Sunday, September 30th. South Africa vs. Wallabies Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Kick off: 1: 05 AM (AEST) GAME 4 Sunday, October 7th. Argentina vs. Wallabies Padre Ernesto Martearena Stadium, Salta, Argentina. Kick off: 9:40 AM (AEST) HOW CAN I WATCH THE 2018 BLEDISLOE CUP? Games will be shown live on Fox Sports and Channel 10. HOW CAN I WATCH THE 2018 RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP? Games will also be shown live on Fox Sports and Channel 10. HOW CAN I GET TICKETS TO THE 2018 BLEDISLOE CUP? The Bledisloe Cup is one of the most sought-after events on the sporting calendar, so you'll need to get in quick if you want to attend matches. Ticketek is your source for all things ticket-related (funny that), and you can click here to purchase them. HOW CAN I GET TICKETS TO THE 2018 RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP? You can get them for each match by clicking here. WHO WILL PLAY IN THE 2018 BLEDISLOE CUP? BLEDISLOE GAME TWO OFFICIAL TEAMS WALLABIES TEAM FOR BLEDISLOE CUP GAME II 1. Scott Sio (46 Tests) 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (83 Tests) 3. Allan Alaalatoa (24 Tests) 4. Izack Rodda (8 Tests) 5. Adam Coleman (24 Tests) 6. Lukhan Tui (8 Tests) 7. Michael Hooper (c) (83 Tests) 8. David Pocock (70 Tests) 9. Will Genia (91 Tests) 10. Bernard Foley (59 Tests) 11. Marika Koroibete (12 Tests) 12. Kurtley Beale (75 Tests) 13. Reece Hodge (28 Tests) 14. Jack Maddocks (1 Test) 15. Dane Haylett-Petty (22 Tests) Reserves: 16. Folau Faingaa(uncapped) 17. Tom Robertson (22 Tests) 18. Sekope Kepu (95 Tests) 19. Rob Simmons (86 Tests) 20. Pete Samu (4 Tests) 21. Nick Phipps (65 Tests) 22. Matt Toomua (34 Tests) 23. Tom Banks (uncapped) ALL BLACKS TEAM FOR BLEDISLOE CUP GAME II 1. Joe Moody 2. Codie Taylor 3. Owen Franks 4. Brodie Retallick 5. Sam Whitelock 6. Liam Squire 7. Sam Cane 8. Kieran Read (c) 9. Aaron Smith 10. Beauden Barrett 11. Waisake Naholo 12. Ryan Crotty 13. Jack Goodhue 14. Ben Smith 15. Jordie Barrett Reserves: 16. Nathan Harris 17. Karl Tu'inukuafe 18. Ofa Tuungafasi 19. Scott Barrett 20. Ardie Savea 21. TJ Peranara 22. Damien McKenzie 23. Anton Lienert-Brown BLEDISLOE GAME ONE OFFICIAL TEAMS WALLABIES: 1. Tom Robertson 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau 3. Sekope Kepu 4. Izaak Rodda 5. Adam Coleman 6. Lukhan Tui 7. Michael Hooper 8. David Pocock 9. Will Genia 10. Bernard Foley 11. Marika Koroibete 12. Kurtley Beale 13. Reece Hodge 14. Dane Haylett-Petty 15. Israel Folau Reserves: 16. Tolu Latu 17. Allan Alaalatoa 18. Jermaine Ainsley 19. Rob Simmons 20. Pete Samu 21. Nick Phipps 22. Matt Toomua 23. Jack Maddocks* ALL BLACKS: 1. Joe Moody 2. Codie Taylor 3. Owen Franks 4. Brodie Retallick 5. Sam Whitelock 6. Liam Squire 7. Sam Cane 8. Kieran Read (c) 9. Aaron Smith 10. Beauden Barrett 11. Rieko Ioane 12. Ryan Crotty 13. Jack Goodhue 14. Waisake Naholo 15. Ben Smith Reserves: 16. Nathan Harris 17. Karl Tu'inukuafe 18. Ofa Tuungafasi 19. Scott Barrett 20. Ardie Savea 21. TJ Perenara 22. Damian McKenzie 23. Anton Lienert-Brown BLEDISLOE CUP GAME TWO: ALL BLACKS DOMINATE WALLABIES ONCE MORE, WIN 40-12 Why, oh why, do we get excited every single time. The score at the 36-minute mark was seven-all. From that point on, the All Blacks won 33-5. David Pocock was immense, Beauden Barrett scored four tries, New Zealand were too good. BLEDISLOE CUP GAME ONE RECAP: ALL BLACKS DOMINATE WALLABIES 38-13 The Wallabies didn't make the most of their opportunities and in the end (as usual) the All Blacks were too good. Six tries to one for the Kiwis in a complete performance, after Australian fans were daring to dream in the first half after building a one-point lead. Australia's set piece was utterly woeful, and due to this Bernard Foley and Kurtley Beale constantly found themselves on the back foot. Injury to Israel Folau meant the game can now be classified as a disaster. Now we move across the ditch for game two, where we haven't won at Eden Park for 32 years. BLEDISLOE CUP HAKA VIDEO GAME ONE GAME TWO WALLABIES RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS Australian side to play South Africa in Brisbane. 1. Scott Sio (47 Tests) 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (84 Tests) 3. Allan Alaalatoa (25 Tests) 4. Rory Arnold (15 Tests) 5. Adam Coleman (25 Tests) 6. Lukhan Tui (9 Tests) 7. Michael Hooper (c) (84 Tests) 8. Pete Samu (5 Tests) 9. Will Genia (92 Tests) 10. Kurtley Beale (76 Tests) 11. Marika Koroibete (13 Tests) 12. Matt Toomua (35 Tests) 13. Reece Hodge (29 Tests) 14. Jack Maddocks (2 Tests) 15. Dane Haylett-Petty (23 Tests) Reserves 16. Folau Faingaa (1 Test) 17. Tom Robertson (23 Tests) 18. Taniela Tupou (4 Tests) 19. Izack Rodda (9 Tests) 20. Ned Hanigan (13 Tests) 21. Joe Powell (4 Tests) 22. Bernard Foley (60 Tests) 23. Tom Banks (1 Test) Australian side to play Argentina on Gold Coast. 1. Scott Sio (48 Tests) 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (85 Tests) 3. Allan Alaalatoa (26 Tests) 4. Rory Arnold (16 Tests) 5. Izack Rodda (10 Tests) 6. Lukhan Tui (10 Tests) 7.<doc-sep>05:29 To clumsily paraphrase a certain former England footballer, “Rugby’s a simple game. Thirty men chase a ball for 80 minutes and at the end, the All Blacks always win.” So here we are, at the opening game of this 2018 Rugby Championship, with the all-conquering All Blacks stepping boldly into the Wallabies backyard and looking to deliver the first blow in this year’s Bledisloe series. Is there any point in wasting the next couple of hours of our lives, when the result it so glaringly obvious? Well, while recent Kiwi dominance over their trans-Tasman rivals needs little explanation – the Wallabies have managed just two wins and two draws in their last 19 Tests against the All Blacks – the last time this pair met, in Brisbane in October last year, it was the Wallabies who tasted victory (albeit to end a seven-game losing streak). And Gary Lineker was proved wrong at the recent Fifa World Cup in Russia, when the unbeatable reputation of Germany – the subject of the above famous quote – was left in tatters. So could it be time for the Wallabies to buck the trend in Sydney? Probably not, to be honest, but it might be fun to watch. Strap yourselves in, and feel free to get in touch during the course of the game, using the details above. Thoughts on the tosh I’ve just spouted, rugby in general, or tonight’s game itself are more than welcome.<doc-sep>
THE Wallabies are going to have to be at the top of their game if they are to take down a star-studded All Blacks team in Sydney on Saturday. THE Wallabies have suffered a major blow ahead of tonight’s Bledisloe Cup match with rampaging prop Taniela Tupou ruled out of the clash against the All Blacks in Sydney. It’s understood Tupou suffered a hamstring injury in the team’s final training session on Friday. Australia will now blood 23-year-old Jermaine Ainsley off the bench at ANZ Stadium for his Test debut in the hottest cauldron of world rugby. The Wallabies had already lost a key frontrower earlier this week when loosehead Scott Sio was ruled out of the match with a shoulder injury. That forced coach Michael Cheika to bring Tom Robertson into his starting side to accompany Tatafu Polota-Nau and Sekope Kepu — a trio that has never scrummaged together. Scott Sio’s injury is a major blow for Australia. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images) Tupou was to have been a damaging figure off the bench, injecting his huge 135kg frame into the match while anchoring the scrum when replacing Kepu. The 22-year-old, nicknamed Tongan Thor, had trained strongly for the past fortnight and some believed he should even start this match despite playing just four internationals. His form during the June series against Ireland, and during the Super Rugby season for Queensland Reds, made Tupou one of the standout players in Australia this year. Jack Maddocks will make his Wallabies debut from the bench. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images) He revealed recently that he could well have been playing for the All Blacks if not for a bureaucratic bungle when he was playing in Auckland schoolboys. When he was told he would not be considered for the representative schools team four years ago, he made up his mind to defect to Australia. Tupou would have been playing his first match against New Zealand tonight. His hamstring injury is believed to be minor, and there could be a chance he will be fit for next week’s return clash in Auckland. TEAMS FOR THE FIRST BLEDISLOE CUP OF THE SEASON Wallabies: 15. Israel Folau 14. Dane Haylett-Petty 13. Reece Hodge 12. Kurtley Beale 11. Marika Koroibete 10. Bernard Foley 9. Will Genia 8. David Pocock 7. Michael Hooper (captain) 6. Lukhan Tui 5. Adam Coleman 4. Izack Rodda 3. Sekope Kepu 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau 1. Tom Robertson. Reserves: 16. Tolu Latu 17. Allan Alaalatoa 18. Jermaine Ainsley 19. Rob Simmons 20. Pete Samu 21. Nick Phipps 22. Matt Toomua 23. Jack Maddocks. All Blacks: 15. Ben Smith 14. Waisake Naholo 13. Jack Goodhue 12. Ryan Crotty 11. Rieko Ioane 10. Beauden Barrett 9. Aaron Smith 8. Kieran Read (captain) 7. Sam Cane 6. Liam Squire 5. Sam Whitelock 4. Brodie Rettalick 3. Owen Franks 2. Codie Taylor 1. Joe Moody. Reserves: 16. Nathan Harris 17. Karl Tu’inukuafe 18. Tim Perry 19. Scott Barrett 20. Ardie Savea 21. TJ Perenara 22. Damian McKenzie 23. Anton Lienert-Brown. Get 3 months free Sport HD + Entertainment on a 12 month plan and watch the 2018 Bledisloe Cup & 2018 Rugby Championship with no ad-breaks during play. T&Cs apply. SIGN UP NOW >