Magical mystery tour
Bledisloe Cup set for land of rising cash in bid to boost coffers and to prepare for 2019 World Cup in Japan
All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith is a big fan of playing a potentially decisive Bledisloe Cup match against Australia in Japan. Mystery still surrounds the rumoured match, with New Zealand Rugby yet to confirm a report from Fox Sports in Australia that had the third Bledisloe Cup marked down for Japan.
It’s New Zealand’s turn to host two matches in the series in 2018 and the turn towards Japan would deny home fans the chance to see an extra test in New Zealand and potentially put a Cup decider on foreign soil. Eden Park will host New Zealand’s other Bledisloe test on August 25.
The All Blacks and Wallabies have a history of taking revenuegenerating tests to Asia but the three times it’s happened before the extra test was the fourth in the series.
While the match is not yet set in stone, Smith was keen to return to Japan after coming off the bench in a win over Japan at Tokyo in 2013.
“I’ve played in Tokyo once and it was great. It’s always a good week; good food — I love Japanese — that would be brilliant,” Smith said. “Last time we played there it was a brilliant stadium; warm, fast field and that’s all you can ask for.
“Taking the Bledisloe offshore is something I used to see the All Blacks do quite a bit before I was in the All Blacks. It always looked like the occasion and the event was awesome. I’m sure the coaches will be doing all that kind of planning behind the scenes.”
NZR did not respond to request from Herald to confirm the match.
The appeal of playing in Japan is two-fold. Both unions are sure to receive a healthy payment, and it gives the All Blacks a chance to spend two weeks in the host nation of the 2019 World Cup.
The week following this third Bledisloe, the All Blacks are scheduled to face Japan on November 3 en route to Europe for their traditional northern tour.
Spending time in Japan to gauge conditions and venues is a desire of all leading rugby nations.
The All Blacks have won two of the three Bledisloe tests previously taken abroad. They prevailed 19-14 in Hong Kong in 2008, and 32-19 in Tokyo a year later. But in Hong Kong in 2010, the Wallabies triumphed 26-24 thanks to a late James O’Connor try and conversion.
Meanwhile, Smith produced a deft sidestep when asked about the 20-page dossier England coach Eddie Jones says he has complied on lessons his players took away from the British and Irish Lions series.
Jones claims the information will help England beat the All Blacks when they faceoff at Twickenham next year.
“That’s brilliant. Good on Eddie Jones he sounds like a brilliant coach,” Smith said.
“I’ve just read George Gregan’s book and he sounds pretty meticulous just like our coaches. He’s just trying to get a reaction I’d say. If we’re around when that happens we’ll see if his dossier works.”