mens
international
The Wallabies are under no illusions about the challenges ahead All black people‘ Fortress Eden Park this weekend, but Allan Alaalatoa believes the visitors can carry confidence and belief from their preparations into the match.
Alaalato made his 39th appearing in a gold jersey when the Wallabies last beat the All Blacks on 7 November 2020. Now the 94-Test prop remains a regular starter for the Wallabies, who come into the Bledisloe Cup series on a six-game unbeaten run.
Les Kiss coached the Wallabies to five of those results, including a 28 draw away to Los Cougars and a 42-38 win against the Springboks. But the Australians rallied New Zealand ahead of the Bledisloe Cup series, which will be contested over the next two weekends.
The All Blacks spent some time at home after rugby’s biggest rivalry, which the Springboks won 3-1. More than 68,000 fans watched the fourth Test in Baltimore, USA, at the M&T Bank Stadium last month.
It has been more than 30 years since the All Blacks last lost at Eden Park, with the New Zealanders extending their run to 53 Tests earlier this year. But as Alaalatoa explained on Monday, the Wallabies are focused on themselves.
“We haven’t really discussed that outcome,” Alaalatoa told reporters.
“Our main focus is just asking more of each other every day, asking more of ourselves first and foremost, and then holding each other accountable to what we set our standards at the beginning of the week.
“Then on Saturday … it’s just the belief to go out there and express yourself. Having that confidence comes from what you do, not just this week … (but) in the weeks leading up to it.”
“We want to make sure we get to the point where we’re lining up to run out at Eden Park and you’ve got 23 guys who are confident they’re going to go out there and do their best.”
The Wallabies began their new era under coach Kiss with back-to-back wins over Japan’s Brave Blossoms, before securing a historic series win in Argentina. Three weeks later, the Australians produced a dramatic result against the Springboks in Perth.
Josh Canham and Ryan Lonergan had never started a Wallabies Test before this season, but the pair are among those who now feature regularly in the First XV. Lachlan Shaw, Miles Amatosero, Declan Meredith, Isaac Henry and Massimo De Lutiis made their debuts in 2026.
There is a mix of experience and youth at the Wallabies, with the 34-man squad for the Bledisloe Cup series boasting more than 910 Test caps between them. But that does not include 38-Test lock Nick Frost, who has been selected as injury cover.
“This challenge is always tough. This rivalry between the Wallabies and the All Blacks, it’s always been big in the history of rugby union,” Alaalatoa explained.
“We’re just at a stage where we’re more focused on ourselves and how we continue to get better every day – there are things that we’ve changed … we’re still trying to learn a lot more about ourselves and work in harmony with the coaches.
“We’re probably still at that stage where we want to continue to ask more of each other and get the best out of each other every day to then go out on the weekend and just play our instincts and give ourselves the confidence to go out there and use our skills to go out there and perform.
“That confidence and belief comes from what we do every week.
“We always talk about the contribution of the whole team and everyone has been great in terms of our connection and the way everyone buys in.”
