The Wallabies have not won the Bledisloe Cup since 2002 and have shot themselves in the foot the last three years by self-destructing at ANZ Stadium. First there was the 42-8 debacle of 2016, then a 54-34 loss a year later in a game where the Australians trailed 40-6 at half-time. Michael Hooper and the Wallabies had no answer to the All Blacks in Sydney last year. Credit:AAP In 2018 the Wallabies came within a whisker of keeping the All Blacks scoreless in the first half before eventually capitulating to fall 38-13 and make it three losses from three Bledisloe Cup openers with an average losing margin of just over 26 points. It has been far from a happy hunting ground at ANZ Stadium, which is why a change of venue has real potential to lift spirits and wipe anyway any lingering painful memories.

Loading “It is a change and a really exciting one,” Hooper told reporters on Sunday at a Wallabies fan day. “That stadium looks genuinely awesome. It’s a great rivalry we have. Looking to build and gain some more momentum from what we’ve been doing in the last couple of weeks. That week off was a bit of a halt there for us, so it’s good to pick it back up.” The Wallabies have been notoriously slow starters, but there are no excuses this year given they have two Rugby Championship games under their belt coming into the Test against a side that narrowly scraped home against Argentina 20-16 in Buenos Aires before playing out a draw with South Africa. “We’ve had two games to trial out new things,” Hooper said. “We have been trying to adjust things in years gone by and your litmus test is the All Blacks straight up. “Coming here to play New Zealand this week with a few more games under the belt and a bit more fitness and a bit more time together is exciting but they have that as well. It’s pretty even.”

Asked whether the side was in a better place than previous years, Hooper replied: "We’ve been building nicely. We’ve had a few good weeks together now, a long time on the road, a week off to re-energise." Loading Hooper was 10 years old when the Wallabies last won the Bledisloe Cup in 2002 and understands the significance of lifting the trophy. However, the Wallabies would need to win in both Perth and then at Eden Park to regain the Bledisloe Cup from New Zealand given the sides only play each other twice this year because of a truncated schedule as a result of the upcoming World Cup. “It’s a great opportunity isn’t it,” Hooper said. “It’s been that case for a few generations of Australian players now and it’d be great to have that look different but it’s a huge task. New Zealand are a great team and have been the best team in the world for the last 10 years and they have shown they can grind out [wins]."