All Blacks extend Bledisloe streak to 13 wins as style shifts to high‑tempo attack

All Blacks have stretched their unbeaten run against Australia in the Bledisloe Cup to 13 straight matches. The series has sparked debate about how much can be taken from these results after the Wallabies entered the contest on the back of a single victory over South Africa, a side that fielded largely different players from the one New Zealand faced in the weeks before. Earlier, the Wallabies also posted a win and a draw against Argentina’s Pumas in Buenos Aires, showing they could match the Springboks physically and win breakdown battles. Critics point out that the All Blacks often had abundant space and that the Australian defence was passive, leading to careless passes, handling errors and occasional discipline lapses. Supporters counter that the New Zealand side displayed a fast, attacking brand of rugby, especially in the first 40 minutes of the Sydney test, with quick ball movement, strong ruck work and decisive forward handling. Injuries later disrupted their shape in the final half hour, causing a loss of flow. The team now appears more at ease running a high‑tempo, risk‑taking game that creates space and puts pressure on opponents. This approach could be effective against other attack‑oriented nations such as Scotland, but its ability to break down more defensive sides like South Africa, France or Ireland, and to carry the All Blacks to a World Cup title next year, remains unproven. Overall, the two recent matches have given the squad confidence, helped embed new patterns into instinctive play and marked a forward step regardless of the opponent.

Context

The Bledisloe Cup is an annual series between New Zealand and Australia that often shapes each team’s preparation for larger tournaments, making any shift in playing style especially relevant ahead of the next World Cup.