2013 Rugby Championship - Australia v New Zealand

The All Blacks will be fielding a starting lineup of players with 683 Test caps on their combined CVs, versus an Australian team with 442 Test Caps. Riding the pine, New Zealand also have an advantage in experience - 169 to 93. That would seem to give us the edge, especially in the front row (who'll be looking to master new rules and continue the demolition act the Lions pulled on the boys in yellow), the loosies, and our granite-like midfield pairing of Smith & Nonu.

But that's not to say it will be easy. Nonu is carrying a dodgy ankle, and a huge chip on his shoulder; as ever, his discipline could be an issue. The loss of Messam also weakens us at blindside a little, as we are having to start a debutant in Steven Luatua in his place - and immensely gifted player at Super level. Richie McCaw has played some club rugby since November last year. And there is no Daniel Carter.

But look past the media whipped-up negatives. Aaron Cruden is a player of immense talent and skill. Sam Whitelock is turning into one of the best locks in world rugby. McCaw will be fizzing, and our back three will be itching to return the possible Brumb ... I mean Wallabies kicking game. Ben Smith, Julian Savea and Israel Dagg ... more dangerous than a SharkNado!

Huge test for Ewen MacKenzie’s team. I expect them to be fired up, and contesting everything to niggle away at New Zealand and disrupt them. They have talent out wide to burn ... but questions remain over their forwards ability to win & retain the ball those speedsters need.

It’ll be a cracker. Nerves all round .. but I think New Zealand will do it by 10 points. There. I’ve jinxed it.

All Blacks beat the Wallabies to retain the Bledisloe and Tri-nations in 2008

One good thing to come out of the All Blacks losing that infamous day in Cardiff last year is that I really don’t get so amped now about whether we win or lose. In fact, when the All Blacks fell to South Africa and Australia in the early stages of the Tri-Nations this year, I was disappointed yes, but not devastated. Maybe I’m growing up?

Still, I was pretty happy on Saturday night when the All Blacks managed to come back from the pit of defeat and then hang on by a grimy fingernail against a spirited Wallabies side. (So happy I managed to spill four pints of beer in one single arm movement of whooping joy much to my cohorts chagrin).

It was a great test match and everyone (down in the SH anyway) seems to be calling it a triumph for the new ELVS. One thing’s for sure – for a rugby final – which this definitely was, it certainly had it all.

The match could not have been more different to the World Cup final played by England and South Africa last year. For a start it had risk and adventure and huge pace. The winner was decided through the amount of tries scored, not by the amount of (boring) penalty and drop kicks. Imagine a Rugby World Cup final with seven tries scored? Impossible (especially if the English rugby team has anything to do with it).

So the All Blacks are number one again. Even Daniel Carter in a moment of uncharacteristic joy may have signalled so too as he crossed the line for the decisive try that was to end the Wallabies’ hopes of Bledisloe glory. I’ve actually never seen him smile so much after the game. In fact I have never seen so many All Blacks so unstaunch in celebration. An indication if ever there was how sweet this success was after the lows of the earlier tests this year and the valley of woe in Cardiff.

For a match report read Matt's @ Green and Gold Rugby