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Australia Wallabies 2002 Bledisloe Cup Holder Epic Game

August 2, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Australia Wallabies 2002 Bledisloe Cup Holder Epic Game, IT has been a while between drinks.

The Wallabies last supped from the Bledisloe Cup way back in 2002, when there was no Facebook, Twitter or iPhone, most households had an old-fashioned tube-television in the corner of their living room and John Howard was still the prime minister.

Australia gets its next crack at trans-Tasman bragging rights when the Wallabies host the All Blacks in Sydney on August 8.

But in the meantime, let’s relive the Wallabies glory days, and track down the class of 2002 in a where are they now special.

Captained by George Gregan, Australia beat the All Blacks 16-14 in Sydney in 2002, retaining the Bledisloe on the back of tries to Mat Rogers and Nathan Sharpe in front of 79,543.

New Zealand reclaimed the cup in 2003 — sneaking home 21-17 at Eden Park — and have had an iron grip on the prized silverware ever since.

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THE 2002 WALLABIES, WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Fullback: Chris Latham

Australia’s second highest try scorer is now soaking up the sun on Queensland’s Fraser Coast, where he is the region’s tourism ambassador.

Not a bad gig — and Rugby HQ caught up with Latham in May to shoot a video with Socceroos legend Harry Kewell.

In between fishing, Latham told Greg Clark that he rated the Wallabies’ chances of winning the 2015 Rugby World Cup under Michael Cheika.

“We’re going to have to take it to the opposition and play the Aussie brand of rugby,” Latham said.

“I think Michael’s got a really good brand of wanting to play and it’s a winning way as well.”

Right wing: Ben Tune

The Queensland flyer has had a rough ride in life after hanging up the boots.

In June, Tune told Clark that his battles with depression led him to make the harrowing decision to attempt to end his life in 2009.

Tune is now a beyondblue ambassador after bravely going public with his demons — and a proud family man in Brisbane.

“I’ve got three healthy, active, beautiful young boys who are my world,” Tune said.

“I still battle day in, day out with depression and negative thoughts…

“But I feel like my life is as good as it has been for a long time and the path I’m on is a good one.”

Outside centre: Matt Burke

The Wallabies sharpshooter is still kicking goals in his new gig as a Sydney-based sports presenter for Channel Ten.

He’s also a busy man on the home front, with four daughters, a cocker spaniel and a passion for renovation.

“I’ve never really had an office job before where I get to wear suits and the whole thing,” he told The Daily Telegraph in 2014.

“It’s all very grown up!”

Inside centre: Daniel Herbert

The hard-running Herbert is still involved with Queensland Rugby, now working as the union’s chief commercial officer.

After retiring from Test rugby, his stint with French club Perpignan turned sour, when he injured his neck so badly he was at one stage paralysed down one side of his body.

Remarkably, after a nine month rehabilitation, he made a return to rugby.

Left wing: Stirling Mortlock

The former skipper is now a director of the Melbourne Rebels, and a wealth director at National Australia Bank.

Mortlock’s decorated Test and Super Rugby career was recognised in 2012 when he was made a Member of the Order of Australia.

Fly half: Stephen Larkham

“Bernie’s” renowned rugby brain is ticking over as quickly as ever.

Larkham is the head coach of the Brumbies and the attack coach of the Wallabies as he tries to replicate his Rugby World Cup heroics as a player.

Halfback: George Gregan

The little general has formed a successful husband and wife business team with Erica, owning an expanding collection of espresso bars, wine bars and bistros.

Gregan is also a Fox Sports commentator and he and wife Erica have set up The George Gregan Foundation, after their son Max was diagnosed with epilepsy.

Loose-head prop: Bill Young

The big front-rower is now in the New South Wales hotel game, having taken over the family business which includes the Concord Hotel, The Palace Hotel and Wisemans Ferry Inn Hotel.

“I did a business degree when I finished school and the intention was to be in the hotel game,” Young said.

Hooker: Jeremy Paul

The long-time Brumbies No 2 is now a Central Coast resident and the director of coaching at the Terrigal Trojans club.

Before that, Paul was involved in the Canberra restaurant industry, and had a playing stint in England with Gloucester.

Tight-head prop: Patricio Noriega

The Argentine turned Aussie international was dumped as head coach of French club Bayonne in July, after being relegated in his first season at the helm.
Before that Noriega worked as a scrum guru for the Australian Rugby Union and Racing Metro.

Lock: Nathan Sharpe

The former captain has plenty on his plate.

Based in Brisbane, Sharpe is a director of SES Labour Solutions — involved in the mining industry — as well as a commentator for Channel Ten.

Sharpe is also presumably driving in style — he is an ambassador for BMW Australia.

Lock: Justin Harrison

Harrison is the head coach of French club RC Narbonne and has enjoyed some success, following the dark days of 2009 when he was banned for eight months after admitting he took cocaine on the night of Bath’s end-of-season party.

Blindside flanker: Owen Finegan

The big bruiser is another high achiever from the class of ‘02, currently Sydney-based and working as the chief executive of the Kids Cancer Project.

Earlier this year Finegan resigned as the chief executive of Canberra-based rescue helicopter service Snowy Hydro SouthCare — where he admitted he had only been in a chopper twice.

Openside flanker: George Smith

The only ‘02 player still playing — Smith just keeps on keeping on.

The brilliant No 7 has just signed a new contract with English club Wasps and, at 35, remains an outside chance of playing at the 2015 World Cup.

“He’s such a good guy to have in your team,” said former teammate Phil Waugh.

“If you turn around in the changing room, and you see George Smith there, you get a lot of comfort.”

No 8: Toutai Kefu

After finishing his playing career in Japan with the Kubota Spears, the powerful back-rower is now the head coach of that Top League club.

He also helped coach Tonga’s 2011 World Cup team, which caused the boilover of the tournament by beating France.

Bledisloe Cup 5 Best Beauty Matches Between All Blacks and Wallabies

August 1, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

1. New Zealand 39, Australia 35 – Stadium Australia, Sydney July 15, 2000

The best test I’ve had the privilege to cover. Easily. This incredibly fluctuating affair, later dubbed The Game From Heaven, had it all, including a world-record crowd of 109,874. The All Blacks led 21-0 after a scintillating three-try opening five minutes, and 24-0 soon after. I recall colleague Phil Gifford leaning over and declaring: “I can guarantee this All Blacks team won’t lose a lead like this.” By halftime it was 24-24 as the Wallabies struck back with four tries. The pace was incredible, and I remember feeling breathless at the break just taking it all in. When the Aussies went ahead 35-34 six minutes out, Gifford’s words hovered hauntingly. But then Taine Randell’s basketball pass put Jonah Lomu on a memorable run to the corner for the 10th, and final, try of a brilliant night. Heaven sent.

2. New Zealand 43 Australia 6 – Athletic Park, July 6, 1996

As we shuffled into grim old Athletic Park, a classic All Black performance was the furthest thing from our minds on a wet and wild afternoon in the capital. But on a historic sort of day – it was the first Tri-Nations match, the first time bonus points had been used and it was the first rugby match the TAB took betting on – John Hart’s men obliged in sublime fashion. As the rain fell and the surface got slipperier, the All Blacks unleashed a near perfect display of skill, speed and power. They ran in six tries in all and some of the handling almost defied belief on a day when the Australians looked like they were playing on a skating rink. It was a magical performance from a side that would be all but unbeatable for two superb seasons.

3. New Zealand 23, Australia 22 – ANZ Stadium, Sydney, September 11, 2010

We can’t feature the best of the Bledisloes without showcasing a signature performance from the greatest All Black of all, and a man who has been a constant in a remarkable 12-year period of New Zealand dominance. It was the test where Richie McCaw surpassed Sean Fitzpatrick’s record tenure as national skipper, and he obliged with one of his most dogged displays to help his men dig out of a 19-6 second-half hole. McCaw crossed for a crucial – and contentious – try in the 68th minute, then made the call to go for the killer blow late, and was there applying the shoulder to the wheel as Kieran Read powered over for the game winner. It was a match the off-key All Blacks should have lost, but their skipper simply refused to allow them to as they completed the first sweep of the expanded Tri-Nations.

4. Australia 24 New Zealand 23 – Westpac Stadium, August 5 2000

A cracking match, thrilling finish and a Wallabies victory at a time when they were specialising in them against the All Blacks … that was test rugby’s debut at Wellington’s new waterfront stadium. Just weeks after being pipped at the post in Sydney, this resilient Australian outfit responded by retaining the Bledisloe Cup for another year. Australian skipper John Eales was the hero, the big lock calmly stepping up to slot a match-winning penalty in injury time that wrote him into folklore. The Aussies led 12-0 early, but the All Blacks hit back to be in front 20-18 at halftime. A tight second half played out, the All Blacks got the lineout wobbles and Jonathan Kaplan made the contentious call late when he whistled up a ruck penalty to give Eales one of his finest moments.

5. Australia 20 New Zealand 16 – Sydney Football Stadium, August 17, 1994

This match undoubtedly reignited the Bledisloe rivalry just prior to the launch of the professional era. It was the only test Laurie Mains’ All Blacks played that year, and when they trailed 17-6 at halftime it looked set to be an ignominious one. But the New Zealanders flicked a switch at halftime, unleashed the expansive game that would soon become their forte and all but pulled off a sensational comeback victory. Of course the defining moment came late when a young George Gregan pulled off “the tackle” to deny an equally young Jeff Wilson what looked a certain match-winning try. Wilson would later joke that he had launched Gregan’s career with his misfire, but would also admit it was a moment he had to work very hard to shake off. It’s fair to say both went on to bigger and better things from that evening at the SFS – a rare Wednesday night test.

Bledisloe Cup 2015 In Details, Fixtures, History, Format

July 29, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Rugby Union’s Bledisloe Cup is contested by the Australia national rugby union team and New Zealand national rugby union team. It is named after Lord Bledisloe, the former Governor-General of New Zealand who donated the trophy in 1931. The trophy was designed in New Zealand by Nelson Isaac, and crafted by Walker and Hall in Sheffield, England. It is physically the largest trophy in world rugby.

Once played irregularly every few years, Bledisloe Cup matches now happen annually, and include Rugby Championship (formerly Tri Nations) fixtures between the two sides. Their World Cup fixtures do not count as Bledisloe Cup matches, which were always played in Australia or New Zealand. However, 2008 saw a Bledisloe Cup match held outside the two countries for the first time when the teams met in Hong Kong, and a 2009 Bledisloe Cup match was played in Tokyo.

New Zealand has dominated the cup, winning it 12 times in a row (2003–2014).

There is some dispute as to when the first Bledisloe Cup match was played. The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) contend that the one-off 1931 match played at Eden Park was first. However, no firm evidence has been produced to support this claim, and minutes from a New Zealand union management meeting several days later record Lord Bledisloe wishing to present a cup for the All Blacks and Wallabies to play for. The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) believe that the first match was when New Zealand toured Australia in 1932.

Between 1931 and 1981 it was contested irregularly in the course of rugby tours between the two countries. New Zealand won it 19 times and Australia four times in this period including in 1949 when Australia won it for the first time on New Zealand soil. The trophy itself was apparently ‘lost’ during this period and reportedly rediscovered in a Melbourne store room. In the years 1982 to 1995 it was contested annually, sometimes as a series of three matches (two in 1995) and other times in a single match. During these years New Zealand won it 11 times and Australia three times.

Since 1996 the cup has been contested as part of the annual Tri Nations tournament. Until 1998 the cup was contested in a three match series: the two Tri Nations matches between these sides and a third match. New Zealand won these series in 1996 and 1997, and Australia won it in 1998.

In 1996 and from 1999 through 2005, the third match was not played; during those years, Australia and New Zealand played each other twice as part of the Tri Nations for the cup. If both teams won one of these games, or if both games were drawn, the cup was retained by its current holder. The non-holder had to win the two games 2-0 or 1-0 (with a draw) to regain the Cup. A criticism of this system was that with the closeness in the level of ability between the two sides, years where each team won one game each were very common (1999, 2000, 2002, 2004) and in these years, many rugby fans felt dissatisfied with one team keeping the cup in a series tied at 1-1.

2006 saw the return of the 3-game contest for Bledisloe as the Tri Nations series was extended so that each team played each other 3 times. The 2007 Cup, however, reverted to the two-game contest because the Tri Nations was abbreviated that year to minimise interference with the teams’ preparations for the World Cup.

In 2008 it was announced that the Bledisloe Cup would be contested over an unprecedented four matches, with three games played in Australia and New Zealand and a fourth and potentially deciding game in Hong Kong in an effort to promote the game in Asia (the first time Australia and New Zealand played in a third country outside the World Cup).The Hong Kong match, which drew a crowd of 39,000 to see the All Blacks (which had already clinched the Bledisloe Cup) defeat the Wallabies 19–14,proved to be a financial success for the two unions, generating a reported £5.5 million.[4] Even before the match, the two countries’ rugby federations were considering taking Cup matches to the United States and Japan in 2009 and 2010. Japan hosted a fourth Bledisloe Test Match on 31 October 2009. Each team is expected to clear at least A$3.8 million/NZ$5 million from the Tokyo match.However a 2010 fourth match was set in Hong Kong and has struggled to attract crowds.

The three-match format for the Bledisloe Cup continued in 2012, with the first two matches taking place as part of the 2012 Rugby Championship.