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Wallabies' Bledisloe Cup drought hits 24 years after Eden Park thrashing

Mark Ella's 2012 prediction that the drought would reach 20 years has proved too optimistic as Australia endures another year without the trophy

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Sources3 outlets
The Wallabies' Bledisloe Cup drought has stretched into a 24th year after a 50-19 defeat to the All Blacks at Eden Park, making a 2012 prediction by Wallabies legend Mark Ella that the dry spell would reach 20 years look optimistic in hindsight. With the trophy already decided after the two-match series, Saturday's return clash at Accor Stadium in Sydney will serve as a dress rehearsal for the sides' World Cup pool match at the same venue on October 9 next year.

In 2012, Mark Ella made a striking prediction in the pages of The Sydney Morning Herald. "We haven't won the Bledisloe Cup for 10 years,' Ella said at the time, "and I think it's going to be another 10 years before we get there. It's almost like the depression ... we need to get out of it."

That forecast has proven optimistic. Not only did another decade pass without Australian players lifting the trophy, the drought has now extended into a 24th year following last Saturday's heavy loss at Eden Park. With the Bledisloe Cup contested over two matches this year, Australia can no longer reclaim it.

Contacted this week about his prediction 14 years ago, Ella said he rarely watches rugby these days and doubted he could offer much insight. He also skipped a reunion in Sydney for Wallabies who were part of the 1984 grand slam tour of the UK and Ireland or Australia's 1986 series triumph in New Zealand.

"The Bledisloe Cup was hard to win, whether it was in my day or the current era," Ella said. "We're still struggling."

The question that once would have seemed absurd now hangs over Australian rugby: will the Wallabies win the Bledisloe Cup again?

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The 24-year drought is the longest in the history of the trans-Tasman rivalry and reflects Australian rugby's decline relative to New Zealand.
  • Saturday's match at Accor Stadium now carries no trophy stakes but is a critical preview of the 2027 Rugby World Cup pool clash between the two nations at the same venue.
  • The extended dry spell raises questions about the long-term competitiveness of the Wallabies program that go beyond any single season.

Background

The Bledisloe Cup is contested annually between Australia and New Zealand, traditionally over two or three matches. The Wallabies were once regular winners, with golden eras in the 1980s and 1990s producing celebrated teams. Since the turn of the century, however, the All Blacks have dominated the fixture. Mark Ella, who wore the gold No.10 jersey with distinction in the 1980s, made his downbeat prediction in 2012 when the drought already stood at a decade.

Key Perspectives

Wallabies legend Mark Ella: Even the great players see no imminent turnaround. Ella, who now watches little rugby, describes the current team as "still struggling" and acknowledges the cup was always difficult to win, even in his era. Wallabies supporters: A generation of Australian rugby fans has never seen their team hold the Bledisloe Cup. The 50-19 scoreline at Eden Park offered little cause for optimism that the drought will end soon. The All Blacks: New Zealand's dominance has been near-total during this period, and the result at Eden Park suggests the gap has not narrowed. With the World Cup pool match approaching, the All Blacks will enter it as clear favourites.

What to Watch

  • Whether the Wallabies can produce a competitive performance in Saturday's return match at Accor Stadium, offering any sign of progress ahead of the World Cup.
  • The World Cup pool clash between the two sides at the same venue on October 9 next year, which now carries far greater significance than the Bledisloe fixtures.
  • Any structural or coaching changes within Australian rugby in response to the ongoing drought.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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