Having comfortably found their rhythm in 2023, the All Blacks are intent on building on their brilliant start to the season with what they hope will be a Bledisloe Cup retention at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Outside of the World Cup, the trophy is the most important trophy to the All Blacks, and despite more than 80,000 set to pack the MCG on Saturday, it’s clear there’s no shortage of support for the All Blacks.
Even on the banks of the Yarra River through central Melbourne, the All Blacks are in demand, as stand-in captain Ardie Savea is swamped for autographs by adoring ABs fans.
The Wallabies are wounded after their winless start to the year and the All Blacks want to inflict more pain.
"This weeks another great big challenge for us, especially in Melbourne at the G against an Aussie team that’s hurting," said Savea.
The Bledisloe Cup means a lot to the All Blacks and they’re eager to lock it up for a 21st consecutive year and shift their focus to an even more meaningful trophy in France in under two month's time.
"It's always important to look at the bigger picture in terms of what we want to achieve but you break it down, and for us it's week by week," Savea added.
Bledisloe tests in Melbourne have a checkered recent history and memories of last year's infamous encounter - when a time-wasting infringement cost them certain victory - are sure to follow the Wallabies across town this year.
And after 20 years in the Bledisloe wilderness, their hunger runs deep.
"We've got high endeavours to push forward and win the Cup so, it's a two-horse race and the odds don’t really stack up when you’ve lost 20 in a row," said Wallabies co-captain James Slipper.
Saturday will be just the third time the All Blacks have played at the famous MCG.
Their last visit to the venue in 2007 ended in a five-point defeat, before they were sent tumbling out of the World Cup in the quarter-finals a few months later.
The All Blacks hope history doesn’t repeat - on both fronts.
"There's a lot more work we can be better at," noted Savea. "We started well in both tests and let teams back in, so we really want to play the game right."
That begins with ensuring they don’t hit a snag at one of the world’s most famous sporting arenas this weekend.
Watch the full story above
Join Newshub at 9:45pm Saturday for live updates of the All Blacks v Wallabies Bledisloe Cup clash
