A step closer to rugby's greatest rivalry

New Zealand and Australia will become test rugby's second-most familiar foes in tomorrow's Bledisloe Cup match at Telstra Stadium.

Professionalism has seen the number of transtasman clashes rise rapidly, with the 117th meeting to unfold tomorrow, 100 years after they first met.

That will move them one test clear of the 116 clashes between England and Ireland.

The most common foes are Calcutta Cup combatants England and Scotland - whose 120-test rivalry began in 1871.

The All Blacks and Wallabies meet again next month and are on course for a World Cup semifinal meeting that will leave them just one test behind England and Scotland.

It almost doubles New Zealand's next most common clash. The test against South Africa in Pretoria on Saturday was their 61st meeting.

The statistic will do little to quieten critics who believe Bledisloe Cup tests are played too frequently, devaluing their status.

Sydney is easily the most frequent overseas venue for All Black tests, with the 45th to be played there tomorrow, although it will be just the fifth at the giant venue used to host the 2000 Olympic Games.

So often have the All Blacks played in Australia that Brisbane is only just pipped as the second most regular city for New Zealand tests away from home.

The All Blacks have played 15 tests there, including the 1987 World Cup semifinal against Wales. Second-placed London has hosted 16 New Zealand tests.

The All Blacks have beaten the Wallabies 76 times, lost 35 and drawn five times.

Professionalism has levelled the scales, with the win-loss ratio at 8-8 since 1995. Australia lead 8-3 through the last 11 tests and have held the Bledisloe Cup since 1998.

Test rivalries

Most regular rivalries in test rugby history:

1. England v Scotland, 120 tests

2= NZ v Australia, 116

2= England v Ireland, 116

4. Ireland v Scotland, 115

5= Scotland v Wales, 107

5= Ireland v Scotland, 107

7. England v France, 80

8. Wales v France 79

9. Ireland v France 77

10. Scotland v France 75

11. NZ v South Africa 61

- NZPA