Race to 10 points – Australia 7/2 (Bet 365)
Australia have won three out of their last five Tests against the All Blacks on home soil, with a couple of wins in Brisbane either side of the record-breaking victory in Perth.
But a repeat of that 47-26 scoreline is more unthinkable now as it was then, two years ago, after what we have seen in the first two Bledisloe Cup matches.
Australia played well in patches in the 33-25 and 57-22 losses dished out to them but whenever the All Blacks needed to turn up a gear, they did.
While we don’t give the Wallabies a prayer of salvaging some pride and taking the last leg of the three-Test series, winning the race to 10 points is not beyond them.
Dave Rennie’s side have shown they are capable of creating good openings for the likes of Andrew Kellaway to exploit and the All Blacks’ defence has proved far from impenetrable under Ian Foster.
In five of their last eight matches, they have conceded 20 points plus, whereas in each of the previous 11 matches the opposition scored less than 20
In their two clashes with the All Blacks to date, Australia finished strongly in the first and started relatively well in the second.
Putting a solid 80-minutes appears beyond them but scoring a couple of early tries is not, especially with the dangerous Samu Kerevi at inside centre.
Australia
1. James Slipper (105 Tests), 2. Folau Fainga’a (16 Tests), 3. Allan Alaalatoa (48 Tests), 4. Darcy Swain (5 Tests), 5. Matt Philip (14 Tests), 6. Lachlan Swinton (3 Tests), 7. Michael Hooper – captain (110 Tests), 8. Rob Valetini (9 Tests), 9. Tate McDermott (7 Tests), 10. Noah Lolesio (7 Tests), 11. Marika Koroibete (38 Tests), 12. Samu Kerevi (33 Tests), 13. Len Ikitau (4 Tests), 14. Andrew Kellaway (4 Tests), 15. Tom Banks (16 Tests)
Replacements: 16. Lachlan Lonergan (2 Tests), 17. Angus Bell (7 Tests), 18. Taniela Tupou (30 Tests), 19. Izack Rodda (25 Tests), 20. Pete Samu (10 Tests), 21. Nic White (37 Tests), 22. Reece Hodge (48 Tests), 23. Jordan Petaia (9 Tests)
New Zealand
1. George Bower (5), 2. Codie Taylor (60), 3. Nepo Laulala (33), 4. Brodie Retallick (85), 5. Scott Barrett (43), 6. Akira Ioane (6), 7. Dalton Papalii (7), 8. Ardie Savea – captain (52), 9. Brad Weber (10), 10. Beauden Barrett (93), 11. Rieko Ioane (39), 12. David Havili (7), 13. Anton Lienert-Brown (51), 14. Will Jordan (6), 15. Jordie Barrett (27)
Replacements: 16. Samisoni Taukei’aho (3), 17. Karl Tu’inukuafe (20), 18. Angus Ta’avao (18), 19. Tupou Vaa’i (4), 20. Ethan Blackadder (2), 21. TJ Perenara (70), 22. Damian McKenzie (32), 23. George Bridge (12)
