Australia vs. New Zealand: How to Watch the Bledisloe Cup Match
Anticipation at Sydney Stadium
This Saturday, October 17, rugby fans will witness another intense Bledisloe Cup clash. The Australian national team, the Wallabies, will host New Zealand's All Blacks at Sydney Stadium. Although New Zealand has already secured the cup for the 24th consecutive year, the Australians are looking to redeem themselves and defend their pride following last week's heavy 50-19 defeat.
In the previous meeting, Australia put up a decent fight during the first half, but the team ran out of physical resources in the second, which New Zealand exploited effectively. This time, there are changes to the Australian squad: due to injuries, Carter Gordon, Ben Donaldson, and Len Ikitau are unavailable. Declan Meredith and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii are set to fill their places.
Team News and Tradition
New Zealand remains in a dominant position. The All Blacks squad will once again feature the Barrett brothers—Beauden, Jordie, and Scott. Despite missing Leroy Carter, Anton Segner, and Asafo Aumua due to injury, New Zealand is prepared to finish the series with a clean sweep.
The history of the Bledisloe Cup highlights New Zealand's clear advantage. Out of 182 encounters, they have won 129 matches, while Australia has won 45. Since 2003, the cup has remained in New Zealand's possession, adding particular intensity to this rivalry.
How to Watch the Match Live
The game kicks off on October 17 at 16:00 local time (AEDT). Various platforms are available for viewers depending on their region:
- USA: The match can be watched for free on Rugbypass TV and the World Rugby YouTube channel.
- Australia: The match will be broadcast live on the free streaming platform 9Now, as well as on Stan Sport.
- New Zealand: Sky Sport NZ will provide live coverage, while ThreeNow will show the match on tape delay.
- UK: The match is available through Sky Sports packages or a NOW Sports membership.
- South Africa: SuperSport will provide coverage for DStv subscribers.
- Canada: The match is available on the Premier Sports platform.
For those unable to access their home country's channels due to geographic restrictions, a technological solution is to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network). This software allows users to virtually "relocate" to another country and access local streaming services. It is important to note that when using any digital service, you should always review the specific platform's terms of service.