Rugby: The Wallabies' losing streak against the All Blacks

The Wallabies celebrate with the Bledisloe Cup after defeating the All Blacks at Carisbrook in 2001, their last victory in New Zealand. Photo /Getty

The news doesn't get any better for the Wallabies. Backing up from Saturday's thrashing at the hands of the All Blacks they now have to break an 18-test losing streak.

August 11 2001. That was the last time the Wallabies beat the All Blacks on New Zealand soil.

The score was 23-15. It was played at a ground that doesn't exist anymore. Richie McCaw would make his All Blacks debut three months later. Rieko Ioane who joined the All Blacks squad this week was only four at the time.

The All Blacks backline included Lomu, Wilson, Umaga and Howlett that day at Carisbrook but they went down to John Eales' men thanks to 18 points from Matt Burke. Since then it's been a tough trip across the Tasman for the Wallabies, having lost 18 straight tests to the All Blacks in New Zealand.

And most of the time it hasn't even been close. The average margin of defeat is 15 points - not helped by their last two matches in New Zealand - 51-20 and 41-13 to the All Blacks. 12 of the 18 defeats have been by 10 or more points.

The closest the Wallabies have come to victory is a four-point defeat at Eden Park in 2003, when they handed over the Bledisloe Cup and haven't seen it since. 11 of those losses were at Eden Park.

Saturday will be just the Wallabies' third test against the All Blacks at Westpac Stadium since the last second victory in 2000, courtesy of John Eales' right boot.

The Wallabies have tasted success in New Zealand, just not against the All Blacks. They beat Italy, Russia, USA and the Springboks at the 2011 World Cup before losing to the All Blacks in the semifinal at Eden Park.

To be fair not many teams have won on New Zealand soil since that victory at Carisbrook in 2001 - three to be exact. The All Blacks have played 87 home tests and lost just four tests over that time (England 2003, South Africa 2008 and 2009 and France 2009).

That South African defeat in Hamilton is New Zealand's last at home - a winning streak that currently sits at 41 tests.

The Wallabies will probably be glad the test this week isn't at Eden Park where they haven't beaten the All Blacks since 1986. But we can remind them of that ahead of the third Bledisloe Cup test in October.