Top five: Bledisloe Cup try-fests

Richie McCaw scores one of the 10 tries during the 2010 Bledisloe Cup encounter. Photo / Getty Images

With not one player crossing the line in Saturday's opening Bledisloe Cup encounter we look back at five of the top try-heavy tests between New Zealand and Australia.

11 tries - All Blacks 38 Wallabies 13, 12 September, 1936
All Blacks 9 tries: George Hart 2, Brushy Mitchell 2, John Rankin 2, Tori Reid 2, Jim Watt.
Wallabies 2 tries: Owen Bridle, Bill McLaughlin.

The collective memory was a bit vague around the Herald sport desk in regards to this 1936 meeting at Carisbrook. The All Blacks shared the tries around with four different players bagging doubles. After two tries apiece in the first half and the visitors leading by two points, New Zealand dominated the second half with seven tries. Under the modern scoring system the final score would have read 56-17 to New Zealand, after being down 17-13 at halftime, they re-captured the Bledisloe Cup after losing it in 1934. The transtasman rivals wouldn't meet again in Dunedin for another decade after the outbreak of World War II.

10 tries - All Blacks 49 Australia 28, 31 July, 2010
All Blacks 7: Mils Muliaina 2, Dan Carter, McCaw, Cory Jane, Joe Rokocoko, Corey Flynn.
Wallabies 3: Drew Mitchell, Adam Ashley-Copper, Rocky Elsom.

Gregor Paul wrote: "Wallaby legend John Eales reckons the All Blacks are on the verge of a great era. He needs to revise that view - the All Blacks are not on the verge, they are in the midst.

"This was their 12th consecutive win and just about the most convincing of the run; they took just 44 minutes to score 39 points. They took just 35 minutes to secure the bonus point and leave the Wallabies seriously contemplating not coming out for the second half."

A few months later, the Wallabies broke the All Blacks' winning streak with a last minute try and sideline conversion in Hong Kong. A year later, the All Blacks knocked them out of the World Cup.

10 tries - All Blacks 50 Australia 21, 26 July, 2003
All Blacks 7: Joe Rokocoko 3, Dan Carter, Doug Howlett, Aaron Mauger, Tana Umaga
Wallabies 3: Matt Burke, Matt Rogers, Wendell Sailor.

Rokocoko scored a hat-trick, taking his tally to 10 in five tests, as the All Blacks broke 50 against Australia for the first time, seven days after scoring 50 against the Springboks. Richie McCaw and Keven Mealamu started that day with Dan Carter coming off the bench.

"All Australia managed to win on a blustery evening at Homebush was the pre-match woodchopping contest," Herald rugby writer Wynne Gray wrote.

A few months later, the Wallabies knocked the All Blacks out of the World Cup.

10 tries - All Blacks 39 Australia 35, 15 July, 2000
All Blacks 5: Tana Umaga, Pita Alatini, Christian Cullen, Jonah Lomu, Justin Marshall,
Australia 5: Stirling Mortlock 2, Chris Latham, Jeremy Paul, Joe Roff

"Unbelievable start. Three tries in six minutes," said commentator Grant Nisbett as the clocked ticked over the five minute mark and Christian Cullen crossed under the posts for the All Blacks third. Unbelievable indeed. The Wallabies struck back to make it 24-24 at halftime and then had the lead with a minute to go before Taine Randell found Jonah Lomu in space down the lefthand touchline to score the match-winner.

8 tries - All Blacks 47 Australia 29, 18 August, 2013
All Blacks 6: Ben Smith (3), Aaron Cruden, Richie McCaw, Conrad Smith
Australia 2: Will Genia, James O'Connor.

Gregor Paul wrote: "In a gesture of trans-Tasman kindness, no one should ask this morning how bad the Wallabies are and instead focus on just how good the All Blacks are.

"Last night provided plenty of evidence to suggest the All Blacks certainly are good. Really good.

"The All Blacks were structured yet instinctive and expressive: they were ruthless at times, extraordinarily adept at moving the ball out of contact and into space.

"It was almost guerilla-style rugby: the Wallabies had more time on the ball but it didn't matter a stuff - the All Blacks effectively jumped out of trees, conducting smash and grab raids."

A possible blueprint to follow for this Saturday's test at Eden Park.