Bledisloe Cup Explained

Bledisloe Cup
Sport:	Rugby union
Awardedfor:	Winner between Australia–New Zealand series
Localnames:	Kapu Bledisloe (Māori)
Country:
Number:	63
Firstwinner:	(1932)
Mostwins:	(51)
Mostrecent:	(2023)

The Bledisloe Cup is an annual rugby union competition between the national teams of Australia's Wallabies and New Zealand's All Blacks that has been contested since the 1930s. The frequency that the competition is held has varied, as has the number of matches played in each tournament, but it currently consists of an annual three-match series, reduced to a two-match series in World Cup years, with two of the matches counting towards The Rugby Championship. New Zealand have had the most success, winning the trophy in 2023 for the 51st time and 21st in succession (excluding the disputed inaugural competition in 1931), while Australia have won the trophy 12 times.

History

See also: History of rugby union matches between Australia and New Zealand. Semantics plays a role in the issue when was the inaugural Bledisloe Cup match played. The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) contend that the one-off 1931 match played at Eden Park was first. The only record of a match taking place is recorded in the minutes of a New Zealand union management meeting several days later that Lord Bledisloe wished to present a cup for the All Blacks and Wallabies competition. The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) believe that the first match was when New Zealand toured Australia in 1932.

Between 1931 and 1981, the Bledisloe Cup was contested irregularly in the course of rugby tours between the two countries, with New Zealand winning it nineteen times and Australia four times. In 1949, Australia won the competition for the first time on New Zealand soil. The trophy itself was apparently 'lost' during this period and reportedly rediscovered in a Melbourne store room. It was contested annually from 1982 to 1995, sometimes as a series of three matches (two in 1995) and other times in a single match. During these years, New Zealand won the trophy eleven times and Australia three times.

Since 1996, the cup has been contested as part of the annual Tri Nations tournament. Until 1998, the cup was contested in a three-match series consisting of the two Tri Nations matches between the two sides and a third match. New Zealand won the series in 1996 and 1997, and Australia won it in 1998.

In 1996, and from 1999 through 2005, the third match was not played; during these years, Australia and New Zealand played each other twice as part of the Tri Nations for the cup. If the two teams won one game each, or if both games were drawn, the cup was retained by its current holder. The non-holder needed to win the two games 2–0 or 1–0 (with a draw) to regain the cup. A criticism of this system was that, with the two sides being very well matched in ability level, it was very common for the teams to win one game each and many rugby fans were dissatisfied with one team keeping the cup in the years when the series was tied at 1–1 (1999, 2000, 2002, 2004).

In 2006, the Tri Nations series was extended so that each team played each other three times, meaning a return of the three-game contest for the Bledisloe Cup. However, the cup reverted to the two-game contest in 2007 because the Tri Nations was abbreviated that year to minimise interference with the teams' preparations for the World Cup.

The three-match format for the Bledisloe Cup continued in 2012, with the first two matches taking place as part of the 2012 Rugby Championship.

Neutral venues

Hong Kong

In 2008 the Bledisloe Cup was contested over an unprecedented four matches, with three games each played in Australia and New Zealand, followed by a fourth (and potentially deciding) game in Hong Kong, in an effort to promote the game in Asia. This was the first time Australia and New Zealand had played in a third country outside the Rugby World Cup.^[1] The Hong Kong match drew a crowd of 39,000 to see the All Blacks defeat the Wallabies 19–14 (despite New Zealand having already won the Bledisloe Cup for 2008),^[2] generating a reported £5.5 million and proving to be a financial success for the two unions.^[3] A fourth match was again set in Hong Kong in 2010, but failed to attract sufficient ticket sales.^[4]

Japan

The capital Tokyo hosted a fourth Bledisloe Test match on 31 October 2009. Each team expected to clear at least A$3.8 million/NZ$5 million from the Tokyo match.^[5]

On 27 October 2018, Bledisloe Cup returned to Japan for the second time and was hosted in Yokohama with the purpose of promoting and preparing for 2019 Rugby World Cup.^[6] All Blacks beating Wallabies 37–20 in the third test to sweep the series. The attendance figures was around 46,000 which became the record for a rugby test match in Japan.^[7] The relatively poor ticket sales included about 10% arrived via giveaways because of clashing with the fixture between Japan and World XV a day before in Osaka and lack of competitiveness of Wallabies contributing to dead rubber match of the series.^[8]

United States

Before the first match in Hong Kong, the two countries' rugby federations were considering taking Cup matches to the United States and Japan in 2009 and 2010. However, the proposed match in the United States did not come to fruition.

Future proposals

Behind the push from World Rugby with their League of Nations concept, only one match result would count for League of Nations points but the new season schedule must be able to accommodate a second Test each year in the new format. The gate receipts from Bledisloe Cup match ups are critical to both Rugby Australia and New Zealand Rugby Union and both nations are firm in their belief that one home match is mandatory. The third Bledisloe, which has long been a cash cow for both nations, could cease to exist. Any cash lost from forfeiting that match would be compensated by A$18 million per year in League of Nations broadcast revenue.^[9]

Results

Year	Date	Venue	Home	Score	Away	Series Winner	Result	Trophy Holder
	2 July	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney					2–1
16 July	Exhibition Ground, Brisbane	3–21
23 July	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	13–21
1934	11 August	Sydney Cricket Ground,Sydney		25–11			1–0
25 August	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	3–3
1936	5 September	Athletic Park, Wellington		11–6			2–0
12 September	Carisbrook, Dunedin	38–13
1938	23 July	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney		9–24			3–0
6 August	Exhibition Ground, Brisbane	14–20
13 August	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	6–14
1946	14 September	Carisbrook, Dunedin		31–8			2–0
28 September		14–10
1947	14 June	Exhibition Ground, Brisbane		5–13			2–0
28 June	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	14–27
1949	3 September			6–11			2–0
24 September	Eden Park, Auckland	9–16
1951	23 June	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney		0–8			3–0
7 July	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	11–17
21 July	The Gabba, Brisbane	6–16
1952	6 September	Lancaster Park, Christchurch		9–14		Draw	1–1
13 September	Athletic Park, Wellington	15–8
1955	20 August	Athletic Park, Wellington		16–8			2–1
3 September	Carisbrook, Dunedin	8–0
17 September	Eden Park, Auckland	3–8
1957	25 May	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney		11–25			2–0
1 June	Exhibition Ground, Brisbane	9–22
1958	23 August	Athletic Park, Wellington		25–3			2–1
6 September	Lancaster Park, Christchurch	3–6
20 September	Epsom Showgrounds, Auckland	17–8
1962	26 May	Exhibition Ground, Brisbane		6–20			2–0
4 June	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	5–14
1962	25 August	Athletic Park, Wellington		9–9			2–0
8 September	Carisbrook, Dunedin	3–0
22 September	Eden Park, Auckland	16–8
1964	15 August	Carisbrook, Dunedin		14–9			2–1
22 August	Lancaster Park, Christchurch	18–3
29 August	Athletic Park, Wellington	5–20
1967	19 August	Athletic Park, Wellington		29–9			1–0
1968	15 June	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney		11–27			2–0
22 June	Ballymore, Brisbane	18–19
1972	19 August	Athletic Park, Wellington		29–6			3–0
2 September	Lancaster Park, Christchurch	30–17
16 September	Eden Park, Auckland	38–3
1974	25 May	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney		6–11			2–0
1 June	Ballymore, Brisbane	16–16
8 June	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	6–16
1978	19 August	Athletic Park, Wellington		13–12			2–1
26 August	Lancaster Park, Christchurch	22–6
9 September	Eden Park, Auckland	16–30
1979	28 July	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney		12–6			1–0
1980	21 June	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney		13–9			2–1
28 June	Ballymore, Brisbane	9–12
12 July	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	26–10
1982	14 August	Lancaster Park, Christchurch		23–16			2–1
28 August	Athletic Park, Wellington	16–19
11 September	Eden Park, Auckland	33–18
1983	20 August	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney		8–18			1–0
1984	21 July	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney		16–9			2–1
4 August	Ballymore, Brisbane	15–19
18 August	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	24–25
1985	29 June	Eden Park, Auckland		10–9			1–0
1986	9 August	Athletic Park, Wellington		12–13			2–1
23 August	Carisbrook, Dunedin	13–12
6 September	Eden Park, Auckland	9–22
1987	25 July	Concord Oval, Sydney		16–30			1–0
1988	3 July	Concord Oval, Sydney		7–32			2–0
16 July	Ballymore, Brisbane	19–19
30 July	Concord Oval, Sydney	9–30
1989	5 August	Eden Park, Auckland		24–12			1–0
1990	21 July	Lancaster Park, Christchurch		21–6			2–1
4 August	Eden Park, Auckland	27–17
18 August	Athletic Park, Wellington	9–21
1991	10 August	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney		21–12		Draw	1–1
24 August	Eden Park, Auckland		6–3
1992	4 July	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney		16–15			2–1
19 July	Ballymore, Brisbane	19–17
25 July	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney	23–26
1993	17 July	Carisbrook, Dunedin		25–10			1–0
align=center align=center	1994	17 August	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney		20–16			1–0
1995	22 July	Eden Park, Auckland		28–16			2–0
29 July	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney		23–34
1996	6 July	Athletic Park, Wellington		43–6			2–0
27 July	Lang Park, Brisbane		25–32
1997	5 July	Lancaster Park, Christchurch		30–13			3–0
26 July	Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne		18–33
16 August	Carisbrook, Dunedin		36–24
1998	11 July	Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne		24–16			3–0
1 August	Lancaster Park, Christchurch		23–27
29 August	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney		19–14
1999	24 July	Eden Park, Auckland		34–15		Draw	1–1
28 August	Stadium Australia, Sydney		28–7
2000	15 July	Stadium Australia, Sydney		35–39		Draw	1–1
5 August	Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington		23–24
2001	11 August	Carisbrook, Dunedin		15–23			2–0
1 September	Stadium Australia, Sydney		29–26
2002	13 July	Lancaster Park, Christchurch		12–6		Draw	1–1
3 August	Stadium Australia, Sydney		16–14
2003	26 July	Stadium Australia, Sydney		21–50			2–0
16 August	Eden Park, Auckland		21–17
2004	17 July	Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington		16–7		Draw	1–1
7 August	Stadium Australia, Sydney		23–18
2005	13 August	Stadium Australia, Sydney		13–30			2–0
3 September	Eden Park, Auckland		34–24
2006	8 July	Lancaster Park, Christchurch		32–12			3–0
29 July	Lang Park, Brisbane		9–13
19 August	Eden Park, Auckland		34–27
2007	30 June	Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne		20–15		Draw	1–1
21 July	Eden Park, Auckland		26–12
2008	26 July	Stadium Australia, Sydney		34–19			3–1
2 August	Eden Park, Auckland		39–10
13 September	Lang Park, Brisbane		24–28
1 November	Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong		19–14
2009	18 July	Eden Park, Auckland		22–16			4–0
22 August	Stadium Australia, Sydney		18–19
19 September	Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington		33–6
31 October	National Stadium, Tokyo		32–19
2010	31 July	Docklands Stadium, Melbourne		28–49			3–1
7 August	Lancaster Park, Christchurch		20–10
11 September	Stadium Australia, Sydney		22–23
30 October	Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong		26–24
2011	6 August	Eden Park, Auckland		30–14		Draw	1–1
27 August	Lang Park, Brisbane		25–20
2012	18 August	Stadium Australia, Sydney		19–27			2–0
25 August	Eden Park, Auckland		22–0
20 October	Lang Park, Brisbane		18–18
2013	17 August	Stadium Australia, Sydney		29–47			3–0
24 August	Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington		27–16
19 October	Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin		41–33
2014	16 August	Stadium Australia, Sydney		12–12			2–0
23 August	Eden Park, Auckland		51–20
18 October	Lang Park, Brisbane		28–29
2015	8 August	Stadium Australia, Sydney		27–19		Draw	1–1
15 August	Eden Park, Auckland		41–13
2016	20 August	Stadium Australia, Sydney		8–42			3–0
27 August	Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington		29–9
22 October	Eden Park, Auckland		37–10
2017	19 August	Stadium Australia, Sydney		34–54			2–1
26 August	Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin		35–29
21 October	Lang Park, Brisbane		23–18
2018	18 August	Stadium Australia, Sydney		13–38			3–0
25 August	Eden Park, Auckland		40–12
27 October	Nissan Stadium, Yokohama		37–20
2019	10 August	Perth Stadium, Perth		47–26		Draw	1–1
17 August	Eden Park, Auckland		36–0
2020	11 October	Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington		16–16			2–1
18 October	Eden Park, Auckland		27–7
31 October	Stadium Australia, Sydney		5–43
7 November	Lang Park, Brisbane		24–22
2021	7 August	Eden Park, Auckland		33–25			3–0
	14 August	Eden Park, Auckland		57–22
	5 September	Perth Stadium, Perth		21–38
2022	15 September	Docklands Stadium, Melbourne		37–39			2–0
	24 September	Eden Park, Auckland		40–14
2023	29 July	Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne		7–38			2–0
	5 August	Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin		23–20

Matches and statistics

Match stats

.

Venues

.

In Australia

Location	Stadium	width=108px	Won by	width=108px	Won by	width=108px	Drawn
Sydney, New South Wales		6	13	1
	Concord Oval	align=center	3	align=center
	Sydney Football Stadium	4	2	align=center
	Stadium Australia	6	11	1
Brisbane, Queensland		align=center	5	align=center
	The Gabba	align=center	1	align=center
	Ballymore Stadium	1	3	2
	Lang Park	2	4	1
Melbourne, Victoria		2	2	align=center
	Docklands Stadium	align=center	2	align=center
Perth, Western Australia		1	1	align=center
Overall		22	47	5

In New Zealand

Media coverage

In Australia, the Bledisloe Cup was televised between 1992 and 1995 by Network Ten. Since 1996, paid service Fox Sports has televised it jointly with (free to air) Seven Network between 1996 and 2010, Nine Network (2011–2012), Network Ten (2013–2020) and since 2021 the Nine Network has held full broadcast rights alongside its paid streaming arm Stan Sport.

See also

• History of rugby union matches between Australia and New Zealand
• Laurie O'Reilly Cup
• Rugby union trophies and awards

Notes and References

1. News: Hong Kong to host NZ v Australia . BBC Sport . 3 March 2008 . 2008-03-03.
2. News: Australia 14–19 New Zealand . BBC Sport . 1 November 2008 . 2008-11-08.
3. News: US & Japan may host Bledisloe Cup . BBC Sport . 31 October 2008 . 2008-11-08.
4. Web site: Rugby: Bledisloe test locked in for Hong Kong . 13 September 2010 . . 20 September 2011.
5. News: Wallabies to take on All Blacks in Tokyo. AAP. 1 July 2009. The Roar. 2016-07-18.
6. News: Rugby: NZ beats Australia 37–20 to sweep Bledisloe Cup series. 28 October 2018 . . 6 February 2019.
7. Web site: Rugby: Japan 'special' venue for World Cup, All Blacks captain says. 27 October 2018 . . 6 February 2019.
8. Web site: Capacity crowd not expected for Bledisloe Cup test. 26 October 2018 . . 6 February 2019.
9. Web site: Rugby Championship change likely as World League talks gain steam. Phillips. Sam. The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 February 2019. 6 February 2019.