Overview
- Australia top the Rugby Championship on 11 points entering the penultimate round, with New Zealand and South Africa on 10 and Argentina on 9.
- Joe Schmidt made six changes to the Wallabies’ starting XV, promoting Tate McDermott and James O’Connor and recalling Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, while warning that repeated slow starts must end.
- Scott Robertson’s All Blacks welcome back Codie Taylor, Cam Roigard and Caleb Clarke, with Scott Barrett sidelined and Ardie Savea named captain.
- Eden Park’s weight looms large as New Zealand ride a 51-Test unbeaten run there dating to 1994 and Australia chase a first Auckland win since 1986, with the Bledisloe Cup at stake over two Tests.
- Robertson dismissed talk of ‘bad blood’ with Schmidt, and Australia prop James Slipper is set to become the first Wallaby to reach 150 Tests.