KEY POINTS:
The all Blacks will arrive in Melbourne later today harbouring mixed memories about a city that has been as kind as it has been cruel.
The All Blacks enjoyed a stunning win when they first played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1997 and then suffered a heart-breaking defeat at the same stadium the following year.
Further wins came in Melbourne during the 2003 World Cup, when the All Blacks defeated Italy, Canada and South Africa at the Telstra Dome.
But while the results were good in Melbourne, the decision to base the team in the city for the duration of the tournament was later recognised as a major planning mistake.
The players became bored and detached from their fans in the final games of the competition, which were played exclusively in Sydney.
July 26, 1997
Australia 18 New Zealand 33
Played in front of a record crowd for Australian rugby of 90,000, the All Blacks had this game at the MCG in the bag by halftime.
They had beaten the Wallabies 30-13 three weeks earlier in Christchurch and were stopping off in Melbourne on their way back from Johannesburg, where they had scraped past the Springboks 35-32 the previous weekend.
Frank Bunce, who had heard several calls for his head earlier in the season, continued to belie his 35 years and touched down first after Taine Randell made the initial burst down the left wing and cleverly off-loaded.
It was a deserved score as the All Blacks had been imperious at the breakdown and dominant at both set-pieces.
Justin Marshall set up the next try when he booted turnover ball from inside his own half inch-perfectly for Jeff Wilson to win the foot race.
Christian Cullen scored the third All Black try when drives by Olo Brown and Craig Dowd took the All Blacks to the Wallaby tryline, where Carlos Spencer threw a skip pass to the unmarked fullback.
John Eales and Jason Little claimed tries for the Wallabies, who looked far more dangerous in the second half when Stephen Larkham came off the bench.
Australia: M. Burke (S. Payne), B. Tune, J. Little, J. Holbeck, J. Roff, T. Horan (S. Larkham), G. Gregan, M. Brial (T. Coker), B. Robinson (D. Wilson), D. Manu, J. Eales, G. Morgan, A. Heath, M. Foley, R. Harry.
New Zealand: C. Cullen, J. Wilson (A. Cashmore), F. Bunce, A. Ieremia, G. Osborne, C. Spencer, J. Marshall, Z. Brooke, J. Kronfeld, T. Randell, I. Jones, R. Brooke, O. Brown. S. Fitzpatrick, C. Dowd.
Scorers: Australia 18 (J. Eales, J. Little tries; M. Burke 2 pens, con.)
New Zealand 33 (F. Bunce, J. Wilson, C. Cullen tries; C. Spencer 3 cons, 4 pens)
July 11, 1998
Australia 24 New Zealand 16
Two easy games against a substandard English team didn't adequately prepare the All Blacks for the jump in intensity they experienced when they returned to the MCG a year later.
The All Blacks were held prisoner by their own inaccuracy as well as the organisation of the Wallaby defence, who were playing their first match under new coach Rod Macqueen.
Scott McLeod played his first test for two years at centre and his opening act was to knock on, which pretty much set the tone for the night.
Two tries in quick succession by Matt Burke helped the Wallabies lead 15-13 at halftime and even the introduction of Carlos Spencer and Jonah Lomu after the break couldn't get New Zealand back into the game. Further penalties by Burke punished New Zealand, who didn't deserve to win, as they made too many simple errors.
Australia: M. Burke, B. Tune, T. Horan, D. Herbert, J. Roff, S. Larkham, G. Gregan, T. Kefu (V. Ofahengaue), D. Wilson, M. Cockbain, J. Eales, T. Bowman, A. Blades, P. Kearns, R. Harry (D. Crowley).
New Zealand: C. Cullen, J. Wilson, S. McLeod, W. Little, J. Vidiri (J. Lomu), A. Mehrtens (C. Spencer), J. Marshall, T. Randell, J. Kronfeld, M. Jones (I. Maka), I. Jones, R. Brooke, O. Brown, A. Oliver, C. Dowd.
Scorers: Australia 24 (M. Burke 2 tries, 4 pens, con)
New Zealand 16 (J. Kronfeld, I. Jones tries; C. Spencer pen; A. Mehrtens pen)
2003 World Cup
October 11, Telstra Dome
New Zealand 70 Italy 7
This will forever be remembered as the game that ended Tana Umaga's World Cup when a collision with Carlos Spencer left him with ruptured knee ligaments. Brad Thorn played instead of the injured Ali Williams.
October 17, Telstra Dome
New Zealand 68 Canada 6
Mils Muliaina scored four tries playing on the left wing and Corey Flynn made his test debut.
November 8, Telstra Dome
New Zealand 29 South Africa 9
If only the All Blacks had played like this a week later. They were strong at set-piece time, aggressive in every collision and too dynamic for the Boks.
