Scrum of the Earth /

In 1998, the Wallabies made it 15 wins in New Zealand since 1903. The last Australian captain to lift the trophy in Christchurch was Charlie Wilson way back in 1958, so they traveled more in hope than expectancy. That day it was Wilson Whineray who had to suck it up and deal with all the flak, but this time it was Taine Randell's All-Blacks that would taste defeat for a third game in succession as Stephen Larkham pulled the strings for a sophisticated Australian outfit.

Australia scored tries though Tom Bowman, Jason Little, Larkham and an 18-phase move culminating in a score for Matt Burke as they ran out 27-23 winners with the score flattering New Zealand, courtesy of two late tries from Christian Cullen and Jonah Lomu.

Elsewhere, in 1540 Henry VIII, who even found time to marry fifth wife, Catherine Howard on the same day, executed Thomas Cromwell on charges of treason. In 1836, L'Arc de Triomphe is inaugurated in Paris, leading to 172 years of bedlam at the top of the Champs-Elysees while in 1930; Uruguay won the first football World Cup in Montevideo.

And it's Kia huritau ki a koe! As they say in Maori to rugby union's most recent recruit, Sonny Bill Williams (23), England winger Topsy Ojo (23), French fancy Yannick Jauzion (30), South Africa's back-row bruiser, Juan Smith (27), New Zealand flyer, Mils Muliana (28) and Argentinean legend, Federico Mendez (36).

Special mention goes to French IRB Hall of Fame hero, Jean Prat, who would've been 85.

The number of years since Australia last won at Eden Park, Auckland.

Tries from David Campese and Andrew Leeds as well as 14 points from Michael Lynagh's boot saw the Wallabies triumph 22-9 in September 1986.

It's pretty dismal reading for an Australian otherwise with the Wallabies only tasting victory on four out of the 19 cross-Tasman clashes at Eden Park.

The 30-16 stuffing dished out in 1978 was their biggest winning margin while the other slices of glory came in 1949 (16-9) and 1955 (8-3) respectively.

Could Robbie have done it again? In another tactical masterstroke from Deans when minutes after Graham Henry turned his hand with the return of Richie McCaw, Mr. five from five, played his ace, announcing the king of the turnover, Phil Waugh would partner George Smith and the indestructible Wycliff Palu in what appears to be an even stronger Wallaby back-row.

The excellent Rocky Elsom has a sore foot, thus allowing the influential Waratahs flank-forward to don the number six jersey in what could be the shrewdest move of business since dot.com giants, Yahoo bought the Penguin Club.

Stirling Mortlock displaces the unfortunate Ryan Cross, although the captain's return is no surprise. Ma'a Nonu missed Conrad Smith in Sydney, but the Australian talisman's timely recovery will bolster the impressive gold midfield and endeavor to nullify the threat of last year's Super 14 kingpin all-Hurricane midfield.

Hugh McMeniman comes onto the bench - otherwise it is the same side that trumped every New Zealand hand in the Bledisloe Cup opener.

Australia: 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Peter Hynes, 13 Stirling Mortlock (c), 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 George Smith, 6 Phil Waugh, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 James Horwill, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.

Reserves: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Matt Dunning, 18 Dan Vickerman, 19 Hugh McMeniman, 20 Sam Cordingley, 21 Ryan Cross, 22 Drew Mitchell.

Sydney was a bit of a wake up call for 'our Graham.' The All-Blacks blessed with star individuals found life difficult gelling against a unified, complete Wallabies team.

For the Auckland return leg, Henry has been boosted by the return of Richie McCaw, although the jury's still out on whether he is actually fit enough - 60 minutes will do at this stage.

The Wallabies were savages around the breakdown, tearing each All-Black limb from limb, so the presence of McCaw - 100% of not - will repair some of the mental scars left by George Smith & Co.

All three scrum-halves are bracketed with Piri Weepu and one from Andy Ellis or Jimmy Cowan likely to get the nod.

Sione Lauaki will be lucky to ever play again - the U8s are practicing handling on Sunday morning - so Daniel Braid and Adam Thomson will battle it out for the bench spot.

It's about time, but New Zealand's selectors are finally playing their best players in their best positions.

Mils Muliana returns to the wing, Leon MacDonald is still their best full-back and Conrad Smith brings that 'Aaron Mauger/Frank Bunce' level-headedness to the centre partnership, where he will bring out the best in Ma'a Nonu.

Rodney So'oialo can stick to what he's good at off the base of the scrum, Jerome Kaino is an out and out blind-side - the experiments have stopped.

New Zealand: 15 Leon MacDonald, 14 Mils Muliana, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan/Andy Ellis/Piri Weepu; 8 Rodney So'oialo, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Jerome Kaino (c), 5 Ali Williams, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Andrew Hore/ Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.

Reserves: 16 Hore/Mealamu, 17 John Afoa, 18 Anthony Boric, 19 Adam Thomson/Daniel Braid, 20 Jimmy Cowan, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Richard Kahui.

What's going on in rugby league? Granted it must be pretty difficult hearing average players signing six-figure contracts in France with only a smattering of union experience in the back garden, but for Sonny Bill Williams to turn his back on the sport in his prime - could it be that rugby league is merely a supermarket for the richer union of rugby.

Williams -  New Zealand rugby league's version of Dan Carter - has sensationally walked out on the Canterbury Bulldogs to join the high-rollers at Toulon under the watchful eye of Tana Umaga.

He was only a year into a five-year-deal and was obviously unhappy, but is an argument with the girlfriend over who's cooking tea reason enough to set sail for the French Mediterranean and continue his fishbowl lifestyle surrounding by croissants, yachts and euromillionaires - it's not that tough being a chisled 22-year-old is it?

Not bothering to tell his teammates, clubmen or fans - it's a desperate loss for rugby league in general.

It sounds like someone on the run for murder rather than a lover's tiff. 24 hours before a massive clash and Williams is nowhere to be seen.

Over two years in Toulon, Williams will flush a whopping £1.45m into his bank-account.

NRL chief, David Gallop was left fuming and rightly so. Understandably disappointed that rugby is following in football's footsteps where contracts aren't worth the paper they're written on, Gallop said: "If he's not playing football with the Bulldogs, he won't be playing football, full stop. "

As if the IRB didn't have enough on their plate...

The IRB are undemocratic and unrepresentative and give precedence to an elite band of eight founding unions for the right to host the Rugby World Cup.

Quentin Smith, chairman of Sale Sharks and the report's consultant, says "rugby union is stuck in a ghetto," with half of the world's registered players, plying their trade in the cash counting surroundings of England.

Ever since the 2011 Rugby World Cup was awarded to New Zealand, unity between the International Governing Board, its member unions and the sport's fans has taken a hit of two.

A safe £10 bet would've gone on Japan. Only a seasoned bet genius could've foreseen the William Webb Ellis Cup returning to the land that kicked off the world cup era in 1987.

The IRB are being urged to push forward globalisation, thus awarding the 2015 competition to a developing nation, putting the Land of the Rising Sun in pole position - although Italy and the U.S triumphed as hosts in football's equivalent in 1990 and 1994 respectively.

With Argentina's progress being stifled by the reluctance to adopt the Pumas into a major seasonal competition, and the ELVs dividing the sport, awarding the 2015 tournament to Japan would certainly improve chances of regaining our faith in the top table.