Wallabies captain Michael Hooper dejected after losing to the All Blacks at Eden Park in 2018. Photo / Photosport
Wallabies captain Michael Hooper dejected after losing to the All Blacks at Eden Park in 2018. Photo / Photosport
In case you didn't know, the Wallabies haven't beaten the All Blacks at Eden Park since 1986 - a stretch of 22 tests. And they meet at the ground again on Saturday.
Their inability to win has been dubbed a hoodoo.
What is a hoodoo?
According to Merriam-Webster's dictionary: "Somethingthat brings bad luck."
So the Wallabies have just been unlucky since 1986?
No, for most of the case they have been the underdog so it's more a combination of being not great and the All Blacks being really good. That is despite the fact they have captured two World Cup titles over that time. They have won just four other tests against the All Blacks in New Zealand since 1986, the last being in 2001. That's a losing streak of 27 tests.
Does this hoodoo stretch to other rugby teams?
Great question. The All Blacks haven't lost a test at Eden Park since 1994 when France upset New Zealand 23-20 for a famous series win. It just so happens that Australia play the All Blacks more regularly than other test nations so they have suffered more defeats. But yeah, England last beat the All Blacks at Eden Park in 1973, while South Africa haven't won at the ground since 1937.
1937! Why aren't we talking about South Africa's hoodoo?
Because the Wallabies could deny the All Blacks a Rugby Championship and we're trying to talk down their chances.
A dejected Wallabies team look on after losing to the All Blacks at Eden Park in 2011. Photo / Photosport
Have the Wallabies even got close?
There was the 6-3 defeat in 1991 aka the most boring Bledisloe Cup clash. But not in recent times. The last five matches they've lost by an average margin of 25 points.
That sounds like a hoodoo then?
Well during that stretch the All Blacks had one of the most dominant decade-long runs in history. From 2010 to the end of 2019 they played 133 tests, won 116 and lost just 13, with four draws. Twenty-two of those wins were at Eden Park. And despite making the 2015 final, Australia have had one of their poorer runs in recent times. So they've been up against it.
But the All Blacks have slipped below those standards under Ian Foster with four defeats already this season. Possibly the Wallabies can sniff a chance.
Eden Park got two Bledisloe Cup tests as Covid played havoc with the schedule which saw the second test moved from Wellington. In the first test the All Blacks were up 33-8 (which should sound familiar for anyone who followed last Thursday's match) before some late Wallabies tries made it 33-25. The following week the All Blacks won 57-22 - a record Bledisloe Cup victory.
The All Blacks crossed three times in a competitive first half but after leading 21-15 at halftime they crushed the Wallabies spirit in the second spell by running in five further tries. Seven different try-scorers from the All Blacks highlights their wide range of influential contributors.
Tell me about that glorious victory in 1986?
It secured a famous series win for Australia - back when they played three-test series in New Zealand. They went into the test as favourites and with confidence after tour wins over Southland, Bay of Plenty and Thames Valley - back when they would play provincial sides. The All Blacks side featured the likes of John Kirwan, David Kirk, Gary Whetton and former NZR chairman Jock Hobbs. David Campese and Andrew Leeds both crossed over and Michael Lynaugh kicked 14 points as the All Blacks failed to score a try. Marty Berry played his one and only test, coming on in the final seconds of the match to replace an injured Frano Botica following Campese's late try. Berry watched a Lynaugh conversion attempt from under the posts and then the kickoff was taken into touch. That was his time in the black jersey. The previous year the All Blacks won 10-9 at the ground.
A dejected Wallabies team look on after losing to the All Blacks at Eden Park in 2011. Photo / Photosport
But the Wallabies have won at the ground since?
Yes, in the World Cup match no team wants to take part in - the Bronze final. After losing the 2011 semifinal to the All Blacks at, you guessed it, Eden Park, the Wallabies had to play Wales to earn a third-place winners' medal. They won the game 21-18 with Quade Cooper suffering an ACL injury and was applauded by Eden Park fans as he limped off the field after being booed ceremoniously five days earlier in the semifinal defeat. In 2011 the Wallabies lost three matches at Eden Park, including a Bledisloe Cup match before the World Cup (30-14) and a pool match game against Ireland (15-9).
Who is the biggest loser?
Current Wallabies skipper James Slipper has played in nine defeats at Eden Park, according to Rugby Database, but was part of the side that beat Wales in 2011.
On the flipside, Current lock Sam Whitelock has played in 26 wins and a draw at Eden Park, 10 of those victories over Australia.
Any other sporting teams have Eden Park hoodoos?
The Warriors for starters. They played seven matches at Eden Park between 2011 and 2014, losing their first six matches before finally getting a win when they beat the Raiders 54-12. They haven't played since.
Sticking with the W theme, the Waratahs have just one win over the Blues at Eden Park in 12 attempts, while Premier League side West Ham also struggled at Eden Park, losing to the Wellington Phoenix 2-1 in 2014.
India hasn't won a cricket test at Eden Park since 1976.
Let's see the streak of tests in one long list...
1989 – All Blacks 24 Wallabies 12 1990 – All Blacks 27 Wallabies 17 1991 – All Blacks 6 Wallabies 3 1995 – All Blacks 28 Wallabies 16 1999 – All Blacks 34 Wallabies 15 2003 – All Blacks 21 Wallabies 17 2005 – All Blacks 34 Wallabies 24 2006 – All Blacks 34 Wallabies 27 2007 – All Blacks 26 Wallabies 22 2008 – All Blacks 39 Wallabies 10 2009 – All Blacks 22 Wallabies 16 2011 – All Blacks 30 Wallabies 14 2011 – All Blacks 20 Wallabies 6 – RWC semifinal 2012 – All Blacks 22 Wallabies 0 2014 – All Blacks 51 Wallabies 20 2015 – All Blacks 41 Wallabies 13 2016 – All Blacks 37 Wallabies 10 2018 – All Blacks 40 Wallabies 12 2019 – All Blacks 36 Wallabies 0 2020 – All Blacks 27 Wallabies 7 2021 – All Blacks 33 Wallabies 25 2021 – All Blacks 57 Wallabies 22
