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international
Harry Wilson scored two tries as the Wallabies made history in Johannesburg in August 2025, completing a remarkable comeback against the Springboks. The Australians have lifted a 62-year curse at Emirates Airline Park, and now they are ready to make even more history.
Wilson will captain the Wallabies in the 2026 Bledisloe Cup series opener on Saturday night as the visitors chase a drought at Auckland’s Eden Park. The Garden is the most formidable fortress in Test rugby, with All black people on a 53 game unbeaten streak at the stadium.
The Wallabies haven’t tasted victory over the All Blacks there since September 6, 1986, but the current group look full of belief as they look to extend their six-game unbeaten run that has spanned more than two months.
Wilson and the Wallabies rise to the challenge, although history doesn’t favor the away side going into the Test. The captain believes the Aussies can take confidence from last year’s incredible comeback from a 22-point deficit against the Springboks.
“It definitely gives this group confidence. 62 years, nobody gave us a chance, but we came out and played a good game and got a result,” Wilson told reporters.
“This group, we just want to keep improving and we’ve been doing that ever since and I think that showed the group what we can do every day. Why not?”
It’s been almost 10 years since the Wallabies last went seven matches unbeaten, but the men in gold are on the verge of doing so. They escaped with a great victory Italy in the final match Joe Schmidt led, before Les Kiss took over.
Kiss have overseen four wins and a draw so far, including a 28-all thriller away to Los Angeles Cougars Mendoza. The Wallabies last took to the field at Optus Stadium in Perth, holding on 42-38 against the Boks.
But many of the current Wallabies will be chasing their first win over the team’s arch-rivals from across the Tasman. The All Blacks have not lost in this match since November 2020, when the Wallabies secured the famous result in Brisbane.
“I feel like a group we’ve been developing, improving,” Wilson said.
“We talked about it a lot last year, we knew we weren’t even close to the finished product, but we knew we were a team that wanted to learn, we wanted to get better. I think we started to see signs of the hard work that we put in, that we started to blossom.
“The group has a lot of confidence in themselves and I just hope we can continue to improve. We’re a team that’s hungry and just wants to get better. It’s a great opportunity for us tomorrow night.”
