Wynne Gray: Third chapter to be written in trans-tasman battle

Adam Ashley-Cooper scored three tries for the Wallabies - who will be taking on the All Blacks for the third time this season. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Usually this game is played in late October in Auckland, Brisbane or Sydney.

This time the All Blacks and Wallabies have waded through seven weeks in the UK mixing up their style of rugby before they front to decide the supreme team at this World Cup.

It's the third battle this season between the Bledisloe rivals with the results chart all-square after Michael Cheika's men won in Sydney before the All Blacks reversed that result in Auckland a week later.

After contrasting quarterfinal victories, a trans-Tasman rematch surged into favouritism as the centerpiece of rugby's quadrennial showdown. So it came to pass ---All Blacks against the Wallabies.

Both are shooting for their third Webb Ellis crown after unbeaten runs at this tournament while the Wallabies have never lost at the three events which have been hosted in the UK.

They won all 18 of their games at the 1991 RWC, the 1999 event and this year's latest extravaganza.

The All Blacks lost three of their 18 matches at those tournaments-to the Wallabies in the '91 semifinal in Dublin, then France and South Africa eight years later.

Who's got the edge this time? It's a question with layers of facts and supposition built into each side of the ledger.

The All Blacks have worked through a terrific four year campaign with coach Steve Hansen guiding them as they have stacked up 47 wins, two draws and three defeats in collecting every trophy except Sunday's prize.

Some of their men have dipped a touch in form while there has been an injection of fresh new talent like Nehe Milner-Skudder and Joe Moody alongside the blooming production of Ben Smith, Aaron Smith and Dane Coles.

Hard work, skill and relentless attention to detail mixed in with a balance in life, have maintained the All Blacks remarkable run at the peak of the global ratings.

All that counts for something and nothing when they line up for Nigel Owens' whistle to start the 2015 RWC final.

The Wallabies have been on a much tighter learning curve, pulled from some decay by the dedicated skills of the streetwise and inspiring work of new coach Michael Cheika.

In a tick over a year his methods have transformed the Wallabies from an erratic crew to a more disciplined squad.

He's held a hardline on dissidents like James O'Connor, persuaded the ARU to change their rules so offshore men like Drew Mitchell and Matt Giteau could return, got the scrum sorted with massive input from Mario Ledesma and the attack changed through Stephen Larkham, revitalized Will Genia and stunned rivals with his Pocock-Hooper loose-forward formation.

Cheika and the Wallabies had a rocky start, thrown together for last year's tour to the UK and losing to France, Ireland and England. However this year the Wallabies won the Rugby Championship when Hooper and Pocock started for the first time together against the All Blacks.

A week later that winning ride was shattered as the All Blacks held onto the Bledisloe Cup convincingly in Auckland, 41-13. The pause for the third chapter has been 11 weeks in gestation and circled the globe before Sunday's decider.