Wilson urges Wallabies to end 12-match All Blacks drought in Sydney decider

Harry Wilson has challenged the Wallabies to end a record 12-match losing streak against the All Blacks when the sides meet in Sydney for the second Bledisloe Cup Test, following last weekend’s 50-19 defeat at Eden Park.

The All Blacks have not lost to Australia since November 7, 2020 — a 24-22 thriller at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium — a run that now stands as the longest winning sequence in the history of this fixture. They retained the Bledisloe Cup for a 24th consecutive year with a dominant second-half display in Auckland, where their unbeaten home record stretches to 54 games dating back to the 1990s.

“Obviously we haven’t had the rub of the green against the All Blacks, they’ve been dominating us over the last few years, and I guess it’s on this group to fix that up,” Wilson told reporters in Sydney.

Wilson was a Test rookie when Australia last beat New Zealand and scored one of the Wallabies’ two first-half tries last weekend, with the visitors trailing by just three points at the break. The All Blacks pulled clear after the interval, with Cam Roigard, Codie Taylor, Leroy Carter, Josh Moorby and Will Jordan all crossing as New Zealand brought up 50 points in the closing stages.

“To lose to the All Blacks always hurts,” Wilson said. “We’ve got an opportunity to go out here in front of our home crowd and really put in a strong performance. It’s been a big week of reflecting for us as a squad and seeing where we can improve, and now we’ve got to go out there and do it.”

Wallabies coach Les Kiss has reshaped his side for the Sydney fixture. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii shifts back to the centres following Len Ikitau’s withdrawal through injury, while Declan Meredith comes into the starting line-up at fly-half after Ben Donaldson was ruled out. Lineout caller Josh Canham returns from injury via the bench, and Harry McLaughlin-Phillips is in line for a potential debut, also among the replacements.

Wilson acknowledged the Wallabies have shown they can compete at Test level, pointing to wins against other leading nations as evidence the squad has the tools to turn the rivalry around. “The thing about this group, we found ways to win against some really tough nations,” he said.