Wallabies V Wales

Wallabies V Wales

DATE: 9 Jun 2012
VENUE: Suncorp Stadium
40 Castlemaine Street Milton

Nickname: The Dragons, National Emblem: The Prince of Wales (Three) Feathers, Home Union: Wales Rugby Union,Founded: 1881, Rugby World Cup Record: Semi-finalists 1987 (3rd), 2011 (4th), Quarter-finalists 1999, 2003, Pool participants 1991, 1995, 2007. Current IRB Ranking: 8 (5 in 2004, highest)

2012 sees the return of the traditional June Test Series, with the Qantas Wallabies hosting Wales in a three test series. Now the undisputed kings of the Northern Hemisphere the Welsh have shown they aren't to be taken lightly defeating England, Ireland, Scotland, France and Italy on their way to claiming a Grand Slam and the Six Nations crown.

The first Test of the Castrol Edge Wales Tour will be held at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane on Saturday 9 June before heading to Etihad Stadium in Melbourne for the second Test on Saturday 16 June followed by the final Test at Allianz Stadium on the afternoon of Saturday 23 June.

A revitalized Wales appear poised to dismantle the established international order following recent wins over England (pre-World Cup) and Ireland, as well as gallant defeats by one-point against South Africa and France, and three against Australia during the Rugby World Cup.

While still a relatively young side with an average age of 26 years per player, Wales retains a core of hardened pros who have experienced their share of success through two Six Nations Grand Slams from the last six championship campaigns.

Australia has experienced the resurgence first hand during visits to Cardiff. Although the Wallabies have won more matches than they’ve lost since first landing in Wales in 1908, Australia has won on just three of its last six visits to the Millennium Stadium.

Bledisloe Cup

Bledisloe Cup

In 2006, the Bledisloe Cup was held over a 3 game series, but this reverted to a 2 game series in 2007 because of the Rugby World Cup games schedules. In the case of a drawn series, the cup is retained by the previous holder.
In 2008 the Bledisloe cup was a 4 game series, with the 4th game being held in Hong Kong in order to try to promote the game in Asia. The New Zealand All Blacks retained the Cup in 2008 & 2009, and also retained it in 2010 and 2011.

The 2010 series was again a 4 game series, with the 4th game being held in Tokyo in order to encourage rugby support in Japan and Asia. If a 4 game series is a draw, the current holder of the cup retains it.

In 2011 it was a 2 game series due to the upcoming World Cup affecting schedules. 2012 will be a 3 match series.

The 2009 Bledisloe Cup, as always, was an exciting series of rugby, avidly followed by fans around the rugby world. The New Zealand All Blacks were the convincing winners of the Bledisloe Cup in 2009 by winning all 4 matches. Graham Henry and his team then proved they were undisputed champions in 2010 by retaining the cup after 2 games!

Rugby World Cup

Rugby World Cup.

WOW, what an amazing Rugby World Cup. The major teams got squeezed by the lower ranked teams and some got a real fright! Ireland beat Australia, and Tonga beat France. Sensational rugby. Auckland turned on great weather for the opening weekend and about 200,000 people turned out to celebrate the start of the Cup in downtown Auckland! Unbelievable! There are flags supporting every country all over the place. A great atmosphere with visitors being warmly welcomed and rugby camaraderie alive and well. The "minow" teams gave their all and sometimes came close to upsetting some of the major teams! 12 teams dropped out of the cup after the pools stage.

The sudden death matches began with the Quarter finals on 8 October. South Africa, England, Argentina and Ireland were knocked out leaving Wales to play France and New Zealand to play Australia in the semi finals on 15th and 16th October. After 2 great clashes, New Zealand and France emerged as the finalists to play on 23 October.

Then what a cliffhanger of a final with a win eventually to New Zealand over France 8-7. 4 million kiwis almost had heart failures at the same time!

Congratulations to the All Blacks for hanging on and their great performances through the cup. And also to the French for playing out of their skins and making the final as exciting as it could possible be.

The next World Cup will be in England in 2015 and then Japan in 2019. The 2011 World Cup was a spectacular success! Lets hope they are too.

Bledisloe Cup 2012

Bledisloe Cup 2012

The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) contend played at Eden Park was first in 1931. There is some dispute as to when the first Bledisloe Cup match was played. 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. 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.

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.

Bledisloe Cup 2012

Bledisloe Cup 2012

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

Recently New Zealand has dominated the cup, winning it 9 times in a row (2003–2011). Bledisloe Cup matches now happen annually, and include 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.