All Blacks v Wallabies: Michael Hooper believes Australia can end New Zealand’s Bledisloe Cup reign

Former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper believes Australia have a “good chance” of reclaiming the Bledisloe Cup off the All Blacks for the first time since 2003.

The two sides square off at Eden Park on Saturday in the first of two tests, but all the pressure is on the Wallabies as an All Blacks victory will be enough to lock the trophy away for another year.

History is also against Australia. With it being a two-test series, they must win in Auckland to keep the series alive and then draw or win in Perth to secure the transtasman trophy.

Adding to the occasion, they haven’t beaten the All Blacks in New Zealand since 2001, while you have to go back a further 15 years to when they last won at Eden Park.

The All Blacks are also defending their 51-test unbeaten record at Eden Park, which dates back to 1994.

Regardless of history, Hooper, who captained the Wallabies on 69 occasions, told the Sydney Morning Herald he’s quietly confident the Wallabies can end the All Blacks’ reign.

“I think they’re a good chance [of winning the Bledisloe Cup this year],” Hooper said.

“When Australia win it back – which they will, eventually – God, it’s going to be cool for the team that wins it.”

When the All Blacks first reclaimed the Bledisloe Cup in 2003, it brought the end of a five-year reign the Wallabies had with the trophy. New Zealand came close to capturing it a year earlier, but thanks to a Matt Burke penalty goal after the fulltime siren the Wallabies claimed a 16-14 win to draw the series.

Both sides have had mixed results in 2025, but it is the who are All Blacks facing the most pressure, coming off one of their most underwhelming performances in recent memory in going down 43-10 to the Springboks.

Hooper feels the All Blacks coaches will be under pressure to demand a response, but the Wallabies must be wary of calling out Scott Robertson’s side when wounded.

That’s exactly what happened heading into the second Bledisloe test at Eden Park in 2021 when Andrew Kellaway said the All Blacks’ “aura has worn off”.

“To be honest, the pressure is pretty much on them,” Kellaway said at the time. “You don’t want to be the first All Blacks team to lose at Eden Park.

“There’s no real pressure on our end. Hopefully we roll out there and do a number [on them].”

His comments came after the Wallabies fell to a 33-25 defeat in the first test, but didn’t provide the spark needed as they were thrashed 57-22, the most points the All Blacks have scored against their rivals.