“They could do it. Yeah, of course they could. But it’s hard.” That’s George Gregan, the last Wallabies captain to lift the Bledisloe Cup, on beating the All Blacks at Eden Park in Saturday’s first Test.
No Australian side has won there since 1986. Gregan thinks this lot can. “This group’s got a history of making their own history,” he told nine.com.au. “They did it last year in Johannesburg, so why not?”
Australia go into the Test unbeaten in six, with five wins and a draw. New Zealand have lost three in a row to South Africa, who took their four-Test series 3-1. “They don’t like that,” Gregan said.
Give us your score in the comments: can the Wallabies end the Eden Park drought on Saturday?
Gregan has seen this team break a hoodoo before
Last year at Ellis Park, the Wallabies were 22-0 down to the Springboks inside 20 minutes and won 38-22, their first win there in 62 years. Gregan was on the sideline working for SuperSport that day.
Then came Perth on 27 September. Four late yellow cards left the Wallabies with 11 players, and they still beat the Springboks 42-38.
“There’s no system for it,” Gregan said. “It’s getting back, communicating, spacing, and then just working really, really hard.”
He isn’t getting carried away. “There were 13 changes in that Springboks team, but it’s still an amazing team.”
George Gregan says Les Kiss earned the job
Saturday is Les Kiss‘s first Bledisloe Test as Wallabies coach. Gregan has known him since Kiss was a rugby league winger, and faced his Springboks defence in 2001 and 2002.
He called Kiss “a carer” and “a really good learner”, and expects dips along the way. “You’re not born a championship-winning coach. You’ve got to earn it,” Gregan said.
He likes that the players work hard for each other and play what Kiss calls “backyard footy”. In Gregan’s words: “The space isn’t always wide, it might be through.”
McCaw thinks Australia’s form helps the All Blacks
Richie McCaw, Gregan’s old rival, reckons Australia’s run is good news for All Blacks coach Dave Rennie. His players now know “it’s not going to just be a turn up and get the job done”, McCaw told nine.com.au.
The All Blacks haven’t lost at Eden Park since France beat them in 1994. Alan Jones coached the last Australian side to win there, with Andrew Slack as captain.
Nathan Charles is back where his Test career ended
Former Wallabies hooker Nathan Charles joined the squad at Friday’s captain’s run at Eden Park, the final training session before the Test. Charles, 37, revealed last week that he has motor neurone disease (MND).
Eden Park is where he played the last of his four Tests, in 2014. New Zealand won 51-20 that day and Charles tore a pectoral muscle off the bone.
“I know he’s come over here wanting to see a great Wallaby result, and he’s given us a bit of confidence,” captain Harry Wilson said, according to rugby.com.au.
A GoFundMe for his family has raised more than A$170,000.
READ ALSO: Jeremy Paul, who wore the No 2 jersey before Charles, on the cruelty of his diagnosis
Wallabies v All Blacks teams: McKenzie at 10, Suaalii on the wing
Damian McKenzie starts at fly-half for New Zealand with Richie Mo’unga ruled out, and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii stays on the wing for Australia. Andrew Brace of Ireland referees. Both matchday squads:
| No | Wallabies | All Blacks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Angus Bell | Ethan de Groot |
| 2 | Brandon Paenga-Amosa | Codie Taylor (c) |
| 3 | Allan Alaalatoa | Fletcher Newell |
| 4 | Jeremy Williams | Scott Barrett |
| 5 | Lukhan Salakaia-Loto | Josh Lord |
| 6 | Rob Valetini | Tupou Vaa’i |
| 7 | Fraser McReight | Peter Lakai |
| 8 | Harry Wilson (c) | Wallace Sititi |
| 9 | Ryan Lonergan | Cam Roigard |
| 10 | Ben Donaldson | Damian McKenzie |
| 11 | Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii | Leroy Carter |
| 12 | Len Ikitau | Jordie Barrett |
| 13 | Isaac Henry | Quinn Tupaea |
| 14 | Max Jorgensen | Will Jordan |
| 15 | Tom Wright | Beauden Barrett |
| 16 | Josh Nasser | Asafo Aumua |
| 17 | Aidan Ross | George Bower |
| 18 | Massimo De Lutiis | Pasilio Tosi |
| 19 | Lachlan Shaw | Shannon Frizell |
| 20 | Nick Champion de Crespigny | Anton Segner |
| 21 | Tate McDermott | Kyle Preston |
| 22 | Declan Meredith | Rieko Ioane |
| 23 | Harry Potter | Josh Moorby |
Bledisloe Cup 2026 kick-off: 7.10pm Saturday at Eden Park
The first Test starts at 7.10pm local on Saturday 10 October (5.10pm AEDT, 8.10am SAST). Stan Sport’s coverage begins at 4pm AEDT.
The second Test is at Accor Stadium in Sydney on Saturday 17 October, kick-off 3.45pm AEDT. That’s where Gregan lifted the Bledisloe in 2002, when Matt Burke kicked a penalty after the siren to win 16-14.
Gregan never won at Eden Park. Can Kiss?
Gregan played 139 Tests and never won at Eden Park. “We haven’t won there in a long time. That’s something to chase,” he said.
Jeremy Paul has tipped the Wallabies to win 36-34. Is he right, or does the All Blacks’ 32-year unbeaten run at Eden Park hold? Tell us in the comments.
