The Stats Don't Lie: All Blacks eye 100th Wallabies scalp

Opinion

Stats guru Tracey Nelson crunches the numbers ahead of the All Blacks clash with Australia on Saturday.

AUSTRALIA v ALL BLACKS (Sydney, Referee Craig Joubert)

This will be the 13th time the Wallabies and All Blacks have played at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, and at the moment it's even with both sides having six wins at this venue. The All Blacks have won the last three matches at this stadium, the Wallabies haven't beaten the All Blacks there since 2008.

ANZ Stadium isn't a particularly happy hunting ground for the Wallabies, having won just one of their last five matches there (v South Africa, 2011). Most recently they lost the deciding third test match against the Lions on this ground.

In the last five test matches against Australia the All Blacks have averaged 21.4 points per game and scored a total of six tries. The Wallabies have averaged 13.6 points per game and only managed three tries, with the All Blacks keeping the Wallabies try-less in three of those last five games.

The Wallabies managed to keep the All Blacks try-less in the last test played in October 2012 (an 18-all draw). If they can manage that feat again it will be first time since 1991 that they will have kept the All Blacks try-less in consecutive tests.

Richie McCaw makes his first test start of 2013 this weekend. Last season he played in 13 of the 14 test matches and per game averaged eight ball carries for a total gain of 37 metres. He averaged 11.9 tackles per game, and was the top All Black tackler in nine of those 13 tests. He also averaged 27 breakdown arrivals per test, and was the lead arriver at the breakdown in all but two tests.

The All Blacks have more experience overall with 444 caps in their starting pack compared to Australia's 271, and 239 caps in their starting backline compared to 171. The Wallabies also have four starting backs with less than five test caps including their first-five Matt Toomua who is making his test debut, while all of the All Blacks' starting backs have played in at least 10 test matches.

The All Blacks bench is also more experienced, boasting 169 caps to the Wallabies' 93. The All Blacks have just one potential debutant on their bench in Ryan Crotty, while the Wallabies have four (Scott Sio, Scott Fardy, Nic White, and Tevita Kuridrani).

Craig Joubert has refereed the All Blacks on 11 occasions, resulting in nine wins, one draw and one loss. That defeat was against Australia in Sydney, in 2008. This weekend will be the eighth time he has officiated in a New Zealand v Australia test match.

If the All Blacks win this game it will be their 100th victory over Australia from a total of 146 test matches played.