Not since 1994 has an All Blacks side left Eden Park beaten. Fifty-three Tests, 32 years, no defeat. The ground has turned away France, England, Ireland, South Africa and, most relentlessly, the Wallabies, who have not won there since 1986.

On Saturday it hosts an Australian side that still carries a record of its own. Australia have not lost under Les Kiss since he replaced Joe Schmidt in July, a run that now includes a 42-38 win over world No. 1 South Africa at Optus Stadium in Perth on 27 September, plus series wins over Argentina and Japan.

“The pleasing thing for me was that there was a nice calmness, a bit of clarity and focus about what they had to do next,” Kiss said after Perth.

Taylor leads a 34-man New Zealand squad

Dave Rennie, named All Blacks head coach after Scott Robertson’s dismissal earlier this year, named a 34-player squad on 29 September. Codie Taylor, the 35-year-old Crusaders hooker, will captain the side on what will be his 113th Test appearance.

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“The Bledisloe Cup means a huge amount to this team. We’ve held it since 2003 and we don’t take that for granted,” Rennie said.

Scott Barrett returns from injury and Shannon Frizell is back in a New Zealand squad for the first time since 2023. First five-eighth Josh Jacomb is in line for a debut, while Ruben Love, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ardie Savea and Caleb Clarke all miss out through injury.

Kiss keeps his core

Kiss has made minimal changes to the group that beat the Springboks, releasing overseas-based pair Tom Hooper and Taniela Tupou and bringing back lock Nick Frost as injury cover for Josh Canham.

“It’s pleasing to keep the core of our squad together for the upcoming Bledisloe Cup Series against New Zealand. They’re a motivated playing group who take pride in representing the gold jersey,” Kiss said.

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The Wallabies head coach also handed a maiden call-up to 22-year-old Brumbies utility forward Toby Macpherson.

“Toby’s big advantage is he plays lock as well as six,” Kiss said.

The record that frames everything

The Eden Park streak began with an 18-18 draw against South Africa in 1994, the same year France inflicted the ground’s last defeat on the All Blacks. Everything since, from Lions tours to World Cup fixtures to Rugby Championship Tests, has fallen in Auckland’s favour. Australia’s own wait at the venue stretches back a further eight years, to 1986.

Form says the Wallabies arrive better placed than any touring side in recent memory. The record says no touring side has read the odds much differently in three decades.

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Kick-off at Eden Park is at 7:10pm local time on Saturday, with the second Test following seven days later at Stadium Australia in Sydney.

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