69 mins: Awful lineout fumble on a short throw by the All Blacks. The tension in this contest has evaporated into the western Sydney sky. This is typified by New Zealand being forced to play with just 14 after spending all their replacements.

62 mins: Australia get another opportunity to run out of their 22 behind a scrum. Daugunu hits the line hard, Bell supports quickly, Canham is effective, then Meredith is through! He only has Moorby to beat! He jinks one way, then the other, the try line approaching, he’s scragged, but his momentum carries him over the line – but as he reaches out to touch down the pill is knocked form his grasp! Agonising for the No 10.

Australia claim the dropout and mount another siege. With the half-time siren approaching they cut to the right, but it’s all bit slow and too close to the defensive line. Suaalii offloads under pressure high to Jorgensen, who attempts to keep the ball moving, but his next move is telegraphed, Beauden Barrett reads it, plucks the simple interception, then runs 90m virtually unopposed to rubber stamp his team’s dominance.

McKenzie just about adds two more points.

Tupaea’s teammates are having fun in the sun though. Lakai has been huge, enabling Roigard to make a dart. McKenzie slips through the line and almost wriggles his hips beyond Wright but the fullback stands tall. 5m out and another try seems inevitable. Holland is canny to overhand pass to Taylor. The support runners are everywhere, bodies in motion, left, right, and Lakai down the centre! Brilliant. For the third time today once New Zealand got a head of steam up they appeared impossible to deny. Australia’s early ascendancy seems light years ago.

McKenzie finally connects with a conversion and the lead is up to 17.

New Zealand’s kicking game has been poor early. McKenzie is the latest to miss his mark with an attempted dink over the top and Australia can clear. The All Blacks come again through Beauden Barrett then Lakai as a platform is built on the centre spot. McKenzie straightens and finds the offload to up the intensity. A second offload sees the black jerseys swarm inside the 22. 10 phases becomes 11 with Scott Barrett carrying into contact before brother Beauden almost blitzes through the defensive line! 5m out it all starts to get a little scrappy. There’s almost an overlap on the right but everything becomes too tight. Play returns infield, there’s a penalty advantage, the gold line is fractured, Jorgensen rushes out, fails to execute the intercept or the tackle, and Moorby finishes calmly, wrongfooting Suaalii and evading Valetini.

McKenzie misses the conversion.

4 mins: Australia win early lineout ball and again Lonergan is quick to kick, and again the All Blacks deal with it. Judging these high bombs isn’t easy with the afternoon sunshine casting half Accor Stadium in shadow and the other half in a bold glare.

New Zealand go through their work for six phases then find room on the right edge on phase seven, but just as momentum starts to build Lonergan turns the ball over superbly on the ground. The Wallabies counter at pace! Suaalii finds an audacious offload out of contact, Wright flick passes out to Jorgensen who crosses halfway. Australia’s commitment to attacking footy is to their credit. As play moves infield the ABs get men around the ruck and are able to clear their lines.

Above ground, atmospheric conditions are glorious. The temperature in Sydney is mild, the light rain of recent days has drifted away, and the afternoon’s easterly breeze is on the wane.

The Accor Stadium ground itself looks very patchy. This is the fourth match of a busy day that has already featured the Wallaroos v Scotland, Australia’s men’s 7s v Fiji, and Australia’s women’s 7s v New Zealand.

Team News

Wallabies:
Australia coach Les Kiss has named Declan Meredith as starting flyhalf and uncapped playmaker Harry McLaughlin-Phillips ⁠as back-up. with both Carter Gordon and Ben Donaldson unavailable because of leg injuries.

An injury to Len Ikitau and the continuing suspension of Hunter Paisami ​have forced Kiss to move Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii ‌back into the centres ‌alongside Isaac Henry. Harry Potter comes in on the left wing ‌with Filipo Daugunu covering from the bench.

Former All Blacks loosehead prop Aidan Ross gets a start in the front row with Angus Bell moved back to the replacements. Josh Nasser moves up from the bench to start at hooker with Billy Pollard backing him up and Brandon Paenga-Amosa dropped.

Forwards ‌Josh Canham and Carlo Tizzano also come in to bolster the finishers, a group that includes Kalani Thomas, who is set to win his third cap as back-up to Ryan Lonergan, with Tate McDermott dropped from the matchday squad.

All Blacks:
New Zealand coach Dave Rennie made three changes to his starting ⁠side earlier this week, bringing in Fabian Holland for Josh Lord ⁠at lock, ⁠replacing ​Ethan de Groot with George Bower at loosehead prop, and promoting Josh Moorby to cover for the injured Leroy Carter on the wing. Then on gameday he was forced to withdraw Jordie Barrett after the imperious centre complained of a tight calf. Timoci Tavatavanawai comes into the run-on side with Chay Fihaki to debut off the bench.

Richie Mo’unga remains unavailable because of a calf injury so Damian McKenzie gets another run in the No ‌10 shirt, with Beauden Barrett again starting at fullback but joining in the build-up frequently.

“The Wallabies are a proud side and they’ll be hurting after last week,” Rennie said. “It’s a great challenge for us to now face them in ⁠front of their home crowd in Sydney.”

1. George Bower, 2. Codie Taylor (c), 3. Fletcher Newell, 4. Scott Barrett, 5. Fabian Holland, 6. Tupou Vaa’i, 7. Peter Lakai, 8. Wallace Sititi, 9. Cam Roigard, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Josh Moorby, 12. Timoci Tavatavanawai, 13. Quinn Tupaea, 14. Will Jordan, 15. Beauden Barrett.

Replacements: 16. Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17. Xavier Numia, 18. Pasilio Tosi, 19. Shannon Frizell, 20. Du’Plessis Kirifi, 21. Cortez Ratima, 22. Chay Fihaki, 23. Rieko Ioane.

15. Tom Wright, 14. Max Jorgensen, 13. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12. Isaac Henry, 11. Harry Potter, 10. Declan Meredith, 9. Ryan Lonergan, 8. Harry Wilson (c), 7. Fraser McReight, 6. Rob Valetini, 5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4. Jeremy Williams, 3. Allan Alaalatoa, 2. Josh Nasser, 1. Aidan Ross.

Replacements: 16. Billy Pollard, 17. Angus Bell, 18. Massimo De Lutiis, 19. Josh Canham, 20. Carlo Tizzano, 21. Kalani Thomas, 22. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 23. Filipo Daugunu.

Preamble

Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Australia v New Zealand in the second and final match of the 2026 Bledisloe Cup. Kick-off at Sydney’s Accor Stadium is scheduled for 4pm local time (6pm NZDT).

The destination of the humungous silver trophy may already be decided for another year but there remains plenty to play for as the Wallabies sign off on home soil for 2026. Not least demonstrating the capacity to bounce back after a first defeat in six matches.

Last weekend’s reverse in Auckland exacerbated Australia’s issues at No 10, forcing another round of playmaker musical chairs. It also reinforced concerns over the national team’s strength in depth. While the first XV is now world class, and a fully fit squad is up there with the best, injuries, suspensions, and European absentees reveal a threadbare group.

Les Kiss’s ability to make the most of the talent at his disposal will be put to the test in Sydney as he makes do without the likes of Will Skelton, Len Ikitau, Carter Gordon, and Taniela Tupou, not to mention a host of other contenders for spots in his matchday 23.

“We got a clear picture last weekend of where we need ⁠to be better,” Kiss said during the week. “We’ve said all along ​we’ll continue to work ​hard and grow our game, ​and the squad has been impressive in the way they have prepared ​this week.”

The All Blacks are far from full strength themselves but they stormed home in the second half at Eden Park and arrive at Accor Stadium with only minimal changes. They were guided around masterfully in Auckland by Cam Roigard, the scrum-half benefiting from the instinct of Damien McKenzie and experience of Beauden Barrett on his outside.

Even on Australian soil New Zealand will start hot favourites to extend their already record winning streak against the Wallabies to 13.

I’ll be back with final team lists and more shortly. Please send me your emails and keep me company throughout the evening. The address is jonathan.howcroft.freelance@theguardian.com.