The Rugby Championship 2015: third round fact file
Facts and teams for this weekend’s third-round matches in the 2015 Rugby Championship when Australia host New Zealand in Sydney and South Africa host Argentina in Durban.
Australia v New Zealand (Sydney)
Five New Zealand and Australia facts ahead of their Rugby Championship third-round test match in Sydney on Saturday:
- New Zealand and Australia have gone head-to-head 152 times with the All Blacks winning 104 to the Wallabies 41 with seven matches drawn.
- Since winning the Tri-Nations decider in 2011, the Wallabies have not won any of their last 10 matches against the All Blacks, though the teams drew 12-12 in Sydney in August 2014.
- Adam Ashley-Cooper has scored more tries against New Zealand than any other player.
- Australia have not held the Bledisloe Cup – contested against New Zealand – since 2002.
- When the All Blacks lost 27-25 to South Africa in October 2014 in Johannesburg they surrendered a world record 22-match unbeaten run.
Teams (15-1)
Australia
Israel Folau; Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell; Bernard Foley, Nick Phipps; David Pocock, Michael Hooper, Scott Fardy; James Horwill, Dean Mumm; Sekope Kepu, Stephen Moore (captain), Scott Sio
Replacements: Tatafu Polota-Nau, James Slipper, Greg Holmes, Will Skelton, Ben McCalman, Nic White, Matt Toomua, Kurtley Beale
Coach: Michael Cheika
New Zealand
Ben Smith; Nehe Milner-Skudder, Conrad Smith, Sonny Bill Williams, Julian Savea; Dan Carter, Aaron Smith; Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerome Kaino; Luke Romano, Brodie Retallick; Owen Franks, Dane Coles, Tony Woodcock
