Bledisloe Cup
Encyclopedia
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 London. It is the largest trophy in world rugby.
Once played irregularly every few years, 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
.
Recently New Zealand has dominated the cup, winning it 9 times in a row (2003–2011).
(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. 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.
Longest time held by Australia: 5 years (1998–2002) (5 Titles)
Longest time held by New Zealand: 28 years (1951–1978) (12 Titles)
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
Bledisloe Cup is contested by the Australia national rugby union team
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
and New Zealand national rugby union team. It is named after Lord Bledisloe
Charles Bathurst, 1st Viscount Bledisloe
-External links:*...
, the former Governor-General of New Zealand
Governor-General of New Zealand
The Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
who donated the trophy in 1931. 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.
Once played irregularly every few years, Bledisloe Cup matches now happen annually, and include Tri Nations fixtures between the two sides. Their World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
fixtures do not count as Bledisloe Cup matches, which were always played in Australia or New Zealand. However, 2008
2008 end of year rugby tests
The 2008 end of year rugby tests, also known as the Autumn internationals saw Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, the Pacific Islanders and Canada tour the northern hemisphere. The tour ended with the traditional 'final challenge' Barbarians match, against Australia, which was the...
saw a Bledisloe Cup match held outside the two countries for the first time when the teams met in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, and a 2009
2009 end of year rugby tests
The 2009 end of year rugby tests, also known as the Autumn internationals in the Northern Hemisphere, saw Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina, tour the northern hemisphere....
Bledisloe Cup match was played in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
Recently New Zealand has dominated the cup, winning it 9 times in a row (2003–2011).
History
There is some dispute as to when the first Bledisloe Cup match was played. The Australian Rugby UnionAustralian Rugby Union
The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
(ARU) contend that the one-off 1931 match played at Eden Park
Eden Park
Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
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
2007 Tri Nations Series
The 2007 Tri Nations Series was an annual rugby union competition between the national teams of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The series began in South Africa on 16 June, with a Test between South Africa and Australia at Newlands, Cape Town and ended on 21 July in Eden Park, Auckland...
was abbreviated that year to minimise interference with the teams' preparations for the World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
.
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 £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
5.5 million. Even before the match, the two countries' rugby federations were considering taking Cup matches to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 2009 and 2010. Japan hosted a fourth Bledisloe Test Match on 31 October 2009. Each team is expected to clear at least A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
3.8 million/NZ$
New Zealand dollar
The New Zealand dollar is the currency of New Zealand. It also circulates in the Cook Islands , Niue, Tokelau, and the Pitcairn Islands. It is divided into 100 cents....
5 million from the Tokyo match. However a 2010 fourth match was set in Hong Kong and has struggled to attract crowds.
Overall
Most titles won:- New Zealand
- 40 (including 1931) - Australia
- 12
Longest time held by Australia: 5 years (1998–2002) (5 Titles)
Longest time held by New Zealand: 28 years (1951–1978) (12 Titles)
See also
- History of rugby union matches between Australia and New ZealandHistory of rugby union matches between Australia and New ZealandThe first clash in rugby union between Australia and New Zealand took place in a test match on 15 August 1903 in Sydney. On that occasion, the All Blacks won by 22-3....
- Rugby union trophies and awardsRugby union trophies and awardsRugby union trophies and awards have been given out to teams and participants from the very earliest days of the sport's history. In common with many other sports rugby union has an array of competitions, both domestic international, covering the spectrum of competition structures from season long...
External links
- Bledisloe Cup Live
- Bledisloe Cup on rugby.com.au