WAtcH live! Rugby New Zealand vs Australia Tri Nations / Bledisloe Cup on Sat 27 August

Watch live!!! to see Australia v New Zealand Tri Nations / Bledisloe Cup on Sat 27 August
Watch live!!! to see Australia v New Zealand Tri Nations / Bledisloe Cup on Sat 27 August ON your PC.

Australia v New Zealand, Brisbane

20:05 local, 10:05 GMT, 16:05 BDT

Australia will attempt to end a 25-year drought at Eden Park in Auckland when they go head-to-head with New Zealand in the Tri-Nations on Saturday.

The Wallabies snapped a 10-game losing streak at the hands of the All Blacks in Hong Kong last time out but face an equally formidable challenge this weekend at a venue where they have come away on the losing side on the last 11 occasions - the most recent of which was 22-16 reverse two years ago.

Tries from David Campese and Andrew Leeds along with the boot of fly-half Michael Lynagh carried the Wallabies to a 22-9 victory in Auckland back in 1986 while James O'Connor was the hero in their last meeting - converting his own late try to seal a 26-24 win.

The All Blacks have won 95 of the 140 previous meetings of these two sides and their dominance over their Trans-Tasman rivals continued for much of 2010 with three victories preceding their loss in Hong Kong. The rivalry between the two sides dates back to 1903 when New Zealand triumphed 22-3 in Sydney.

New Zealand have won 53 of their 65 Tests staged at Eden Park - that will host this year's Rugby World Cup Final - and have not tasted defeat on the ground since a 23-20 loss to France in 1994.

New Zealand v Australia All-time record: Played: 140, New Zealand won 95, Australia won 40, drawn 5

Biggest winning margin: NZ: 37, 43-6 at Wellington, 1996; Aus: 21, 28-7 at Sydney, 1999

Highest score: NZ: 50 (50-21) at Sydney, 2003; Aus: 35 (35-39) at Sydney, 2000

Most tries: NZ: 9 (38-13) at Dunedin, 1936; Aus: 5 (30-16) at Auckland, 1978 and (35-39) at Sydney, 2000.

Longest winning sequence: NZ: 10 (2008-10), Aust: 3 (1978-80, 1991-92, 2000-01)

Most points (individual): NZ: Dan Carter 245; Aus: Matt Burke 176

Most tries (individual): NZ: 8 Doug Howlett, Ian Kirkpatrick, Christian Cullen; Aus: 8 David Campese

Most points in a Test: NZ: 29 Andrew Mehrtens at Auckland, 1999; Aus: 24 Matt Burke at Brisbane, 1996

The battle for the Tri-Nations crown will intensify on Saturday with New Zealand and Australia set to go head-to-head at Eden Park in the opening Bledisloe Cup clash of the year.

Both sides have already accounted for an under-strength Springboks side - the Wallabies winning 39-20 in Sydney and the All Blacks victorious 40-7 in Wellington - with this weekend's game set to go a long way to deciding this year's title.

Many have tipped these two sides to dominate this year's Rugby World Cup with this latest showdown perhaps a dress rehearsal for the tournament finale that will play out on the same ground on October 23. Adding another intriguing element to this game is the fact that a Wallabies-heavy Reds side pipped an All Blacks-dominated Crusaders team to this year's Super Rugby crown.

An 'epic' battle awaits and the good news is that there is at least one more battle between these two titans to look forward to this month with Brisbane the venue for the return clash on August 27.

New Zealand - Player to Watch: No.8 Kieran Read was in sensational form for much of 2010 but will he be able to reach the same level of performance in his first international outing of the year against an in-form Wallabies side?

New Zealand - Team News: The All Blacks have made sevens changes to the side that crushed the Springboks last time out. Owen Franks is to replace his brother Ben at tight-head prop, Keven Mealamu is back at hooker with the combative Andrew Hore on the reserves bench while Brad Thorn is at lock alongside Ali Williams and Kieran Read return at No 8. Scrum-half Piri Weepu has been picked to make his first Test start since last year's Bledisloe Cup victory in Sydney, Hosea Gear returns from a hamstring injury to start his first Test of the year on the left wing and Sitiveni Sivivatu is on the right wing.

Australia - Player to Watch: It is difficult to miss Wallabies fly-half Quade Cooper and he is sure to be centre of attention once again on Saturday. If he is to steer his side to great things at the World Cup then this is the time to lay down a marker.

Australia - Team News: The Wallabies will field the same starting XV that accounted for the Springboks a couple of weeks ago but have made three changes to their reserves bench. Scrum-half Luke Burgess, lock Dan Vickerman and winger Lachie Turner have been included in the squad. Burgess returns from a fractured hand to provide back up for Will Genia, while Vickerman's addition comes after he played 80 minutes of club rugby last weekend. He replaces another experienced campaigner in Nathan Sharpe, who didn't make the cut for the trip across the Tasman. The selection of Turner means the Wallabies will have a four-three split between forwards and backs on the bench, as opposed to the 5-2 in their two tests so far this year.

Key Battle: Without a doubt - Carter v Cooper. The two most dynamic talents in the international game resume their rivalry at Eden Park. They have only met once before with Cooper stealing the show in Hong Kong last year in a memorable display that DC will not have forgotten.

Trivia: The last example of an Australian win on New Zealand soil was in 2001, when the Wallabies scored 23-15 in Dunedin. The All Blacks have won the 11 games that have been played between the two teams in New Zealand since that match.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry has rung the changes ahead of Saturday's Tri-Nations clash with Australia while Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has opted for the same XV which beat the Springboks a fortnight ago.

The All Blacks will hope to extend their 25-year unbeaten run at Eden Park over the Wallabies and have re-called luminaries Owen Franks, Keven Mealamu, Brad Thorn, Kieran Read, Piri Weepu, Hosea Gear and Sitiveni Sivivatu for the clash.

Prop Franks comes into the side in place of his brother Ben while Mealamu replaces Andrew Hore - who will hope to make an impact from the bench. Thorn replaces Sam Whitelock while Kieran Read comes into the side in place of Adam Thomson. Weepu steps into the void left by Jimmy Cowan while Sivivatu and Gear replace Cory Jane and Zac Guildford respectively.

The Test also provides a milestone for the All Blacks centre partnership of Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith who will set a new record having played 29 Tests together. Dan Carter, meanwhile, will earn his 82nd cap against the Wallabies and joins the list of the top five most capped All Blacks.

The Wallabies, on the other hand, have opted to keep the same XV which so ably dispatched the Springboks a fortnight ago 39-20. There are changes on the bench, however, with halfback Luke Burgess, lock Dan Vickerman and winger Lachie Turner all talking their place. Instead of the five-two split between forwards and backs which Deans Favorited two weeks ago, the inclusion of Turner and Burgess means the split is now four-three.

Flanker Rocky Elsom will continue in his role as captain while Deans will hope the Reds pairing of Quade Cooper and Will Genia will provide enough fire power to prevent the All Blacks adding to their 25-year unbeaten record in Auckland over their antipodean counterparts.

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