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The Bledisloe Cup is a trophy that is played for between New Zealand and Australia. Australia contends that it was first played in 1931 but New Zealand refute that date and say that the first match was a year later in 1932. It is named after Lord Bledisloe, the then Governor-General of New Zealand, who in 1931 declared he would like to present a cup for the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabies to play for. This was then ready for the following year. The Bledisloe Cup is a large silver trophy that was designed in New Zealand, made in London and is considered the largest trophy in world rugby. |
Up until 1981, the Bledisloe Cup was played for irregularly, usually as part of a rugby tour between the two countries. Australia won the Cup for the first time on New Zealand soil in 1949. In this period New Zealand won the Cup 19 times and Australia 4 times.
From 1982 on, the Bledisloe Cup has been played for annually, with the number of games per year varying due to circumstances. In the period from 1982 till 1995 New Zealand won it 11 times and Australia 3 times.
From 1996 the Cup has been played for in matches that are part of the Tri Nations tournament. In 1996 and then from 1999 through to 2005 there were only 2 games played (the Tri Nations matches) and the holder of the trophy had to lose both or lose 1 and draw 1 to lose the Bledisloe Cup. In 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2004 the matches were 1-1 and the holder retained the Cup.
With changes to the Tri Nations competition in 2006 that meant teams played each other 3 times, the Bledisloe Cup returned to a 3 match series. However, in 2008, 2009 & 2010 a 4th games was added, played in Hong Kong and Tokyo.
In RWC years 2 matches were played.
When the Rugby Championship replaced the Tri Nations in 2012, the 3 match format was retained, 2 games being part of the Championship.
In 2020 and 2021, the draw was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and matches were delayed or changed as restrictions required. In 2020, the 4 match series was played in October and in 2021 games were played at locations and on dates as they became possible due to travel restrictions.
In 2022, the decision was made for the Bledisloe Cup to be a 2 match series until at least 2025. The 2 matches would also be part of The Rugby Championship competition.
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1932 July 2 July 16 July 23 1934 August 11 August 25 1938 July 23 August 6 August 13 1946 September 14 September 28 1947 June 14 June 28 1949 September 3 September 24 1951 June 23 July 7 July 21 1952 September 6 September 13 1955 August 20 September 3 September 17 1957 May 25 June 1 1958 August 23 September 6 September 20 |
Australia Australia Australia
Australia Australia
Australia Australia Australia
New Zealand New Zealand
Australia Australia
New Zealand New Zealand
Australia Australia Australia New Zealand New Zealand
New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand
Australia Australia
New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand |
v v v
v v
v v v
v v
v v
v v
v v v
v v
v v v
v v v v v
|
New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand
New Zealand New Zealand
New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand
Australia Australia
New Zealand New Zealand
Australia Australia New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand
Australia Australia
Australia Australia Australia
New Zealand New Zealand
Australia Australia Australia |
Sydney Brisbane Sydney
Sydney Sydney
Sydney Brisbane Sydney
Dunedin Auckland Brisbane Sydney
Wellington Auckland
Sydney Sydney Brisbane
Christchurch Wellington
Wellington Dunedin Auckland
Sydney Brisbane
Wellington Christchurch Auckland
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22 3 13
25 3
9 14 6
31 14
5 14
6 9
0 11 6 9 15
16 8 3
11 9
25 3 17 |
17 21 21
11 3
24 20 14
8 10
13 27
11 16 8 17 16
14 8
8 0 8
25 22
3 6 8 |
Winner
NZ
Aus
NZ NZ NZ
Aus
NZ DRAW
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1962 May 26 June 4 1962 August 25 September 8 September 22 1964 August 15 August 22 August 29 1967 August 19 1968 June 15 June 22 1972 August 19 September 2 September 16 1974 May 25 June 1 June 8 1978 August 19 August 26 September 9 1979 July 28 1980 June 21 June 28 July 12 |
Australia Australia
New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand
New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand
New Zealand
Australia Australia
New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand Australia Australia Australia New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand
Australia Australia Australia Australia
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v v
v v v
v v v
v
v v
v v v
v v v
v v v
v v v v
|
New Zealand New Zealand
Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia
Australia
New Zealand New Zealand Australia Australia Australia New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand Australia Australia Australia
New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand |
Brisbane Sydney
Wellington Dunedin Auckland
Dunedin Christchurch Wellington
Wellington
Sydney Brisbane
Wellington Christchurch Auckland
Sydney Brisbane Sydney Wellington Christchurch Auckland
Sydney Sydney Brisbane Sydney
|
6 5
9 3 16
14 18 5
29
11 18
29 30 38
6 16 6
13 22 16
12
13 9 26 |
20 14
9 0 8
9 3 20
9
27 19
6 17 3
11 16 16
12 3 30
6
9 12 10 |
Winner
NZ
NZ
Aus
Aus
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1982 August 14 August 28 September 11 1983 August 20 1984 July 21 August 4 August 18 1985 June 29 1986 August 9 August 23 September 6 1987 July 25 1988 July 3 July 16 July 30 1989 August 5 1990 July 21 August 4 August 18 1991 August 10 August 24 1992 July 4 July 19 July 25 1993 July 17 1994 August 17 1995 July 22 July 29 |
New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand
Australia Australia Australia Australia
New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand
Australia Australia Australia Australia
New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand
Australia New Zealand Australia Australia Australia New Zealand Australia
New Zealand Australia |
v v v
v
v v v
v
v v v
v
v v v
v
v v v v v v v v
v
v
v v |
Australia Australia Australia
New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand
Australia Australia Australia Australia
New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand
Australia Australia Australia Australia
New Zealand Australia New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand
Australia
New Zealand
Australia New Zealand |
Christchurch Wellington Auckland
Sydney Sydney Brisbane Sydney
Auckland Wellington Dunedin Auckland
Sydney Sydney Brisbane Sydney
Auckland
Christchurch Auckland Wellington
Sydney Auckland Sydney Brisbane Sydney
Dunedin
Sydney
Auckland Sydney |
23 16 33
8
16 15 24
10
12 13 9
16
7 19 9
24
21 27 9
21 6
16 19 23
25
20
28 23 |
16 19 18
18
9 19 25
9
13 12 22
30
32 19 30
12
6 17 21
12 3
15 17 26
10
16
16 34 |
Winner
NZ
NZ
NZ
NZ
Aus
NZ
NZ
NZ
NZ
Aus
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1996 July 6 July 27 1997 July 5 July 26 August 10 1998 July 11 August 1 August 29 1999 July 24 August 28 2000 July 15 August 5 2001 August 11 September 1 2002 July 13 August 3 2003 July 26 August 16 2004 July 17 August 7 2005 August 13 September 3 2006 July 8 July 29 August 19 2007 June 30 July 21 |
New Zealand Australia
New Zealand Australia New Zealand
Australia New Zealand Australia
New Zealand Australia
Australia New Zealand
New Zealand Australia
New Zealand Australia
Australia New Zealand
New Zealand Australia
Australia New Zealand New Zealand Australia New Zealand
Australia New Zealand |
v v
v v v
v v v
v v
v v
v v
v v
v v
v v
v v v v v
v v |
Australia New Zealand
Australia New Zealand Australia
New Zealand Australia New Zealand
Australia New Zealand
New Zealand Australia
Australia New Zealand
Australia New Zealand
New Zealand Australia
Australia New Zealand
New Zealand Australia
Australia New Zealand Australia
New Zealand Australia |
Wellington Brisbane
Christchurch Melbourne Dunedin Melbourne Christchurch Sydney
Auckland Sydney
Sydney Wellington
Dunedin Sydney
Christchurch Sydney
Sydney Auckland
Wellington Sydney
Sydney Auckland
Christchurch Brisbane Auckland
Melbourne Auckland |
43 25
30 18 36
24 23 19
34 28
35 23
15 29
12 16
21 21
16 23
13 34 32 9 34
20 26 |
6 32
13 33 24 16 27 14
15 7
39 24
23 26
6 14
50 17
7 18
30 24
12 13 27
15 12 |
Winner
Aus
Aus
Aus
Aus
NZ
NZ
NZ
NZ
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2008 July 26 August 2 September 13 November 1 2009 July 18 August 22 September 19 October 31 2010 July 31 August 7 September 11 October 30 2011 August 6 August 27 2012 August 18 August 25 October 20 2013 August 17 August 24 October 19 2014 August 16 August 23 October 18 2015 August 8 August 15 2016 August 20 August 27 October 22 |
Australia New Zealand Australia New Zealand
New Zealand Australia New Zealand New Zealand
Australia New Zealand Australia New Zealand
New Zealand Australia
Australia New Zealand Australia
Australia New Zealand New Zealand Australia New Zealand Australia
Australia New Zealand Australia New Zealand New Zealand |
v v v v
v v v v
v v v v
v v
v v v
v v v
v v v
v v
v v v |
New Zealand Australia New Zealand Australia
Australia New Zealand Australia New Zealand New Zealand Australia New Zealand Australia
Australia New Zealand
New Zealand Australia New Zealand
New Zealand Australia Australia New Zealand Australia New Zealand
New Zealand Australia New Zealand Australia Australia |
Sydney Auckland Brisbane Hong Kong
Auckland Sydney Wellington Tokyo Melbourne Christchurch Sydney Hong Kong
Auckland Brisbane
Sydney Auckland Brisbane
Sydney Wellington Dunedin Sydney Auckland Brisbane Sydney Auckland
Sydney Wellington Auckland |
34 39 24 19
22 18 33 32
28 20 22 24
30 25
19 22 18
29 27 41
12 51 28
27 41
8 29 37 |
19 10 28 14
16 19 6 19
49 10 23 26
14 20
27 0 18 47 16 33
12 20 29
19 13
42 9 10 |
Winner
NZ
NZ
NZ
NZ
NZ
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2017 August 19 August 26 October 21 2018 August 18 August 25 October 27 2019 August 10 August 17 2020 October 11 October 18 October 31 November 7 2021 August 7 August 14 2022 September 15 September 24 2023 July 29 August 5 2024 September 21 September 28 |
Australia New Zealand Australia
Australia New Zealand New Zealand
Australia New Zealand
New Zealand New Zealand Australia Australia
New Zealand New Zealand
Australia New Zealand
Australia New Zealand Australia New Zealand |
v v v
v v v
v v
v v v v
v v
v v
v v v v |
New Zealand Australia New Zealand
New Zealand Australia Australia
New Zealand Australia
Australia Australia New Zealand New Zealand
Australia Australia
New Zealand Australia
New Zealand Australia New Zealand Australia |
Sydney Dunedin Brisbane
Sydney Auckland Yokohama
Perth Auckland
Wellington Auckland Sydney Brisbane
Auckland Auckland
Melbourne Auckland
Melbourne Dunedin Sydney Wellington |
34 35 23
13 40 37
47 36
16 27 5 24
33 57
37 40
7 23 28 |
54 29 18
38 12 20
26 0
16 7 43 22
25 22
39 14
38 20 31 |
Winner NZ
NZ
NZ
NZ NZ
NZ NZ |