The hoodoo of Eden Park haunts Aust

In case you didn’t know, the Wallabies haven’t beaten the All Blacks at Eden Park since 1986 — a stretch of 18 tests. Their inability to win has been dubbed a hoodoo.

What is a hoodoo?

According to the dictionary: “Something that brings bad luck.”

So the Wallabies have just been unlucky since 1986?

No, for most of the case, they have been the underdog, so it’s more a combination of being not great and the All Blacks being really good.

That is despite the fact they have captured two World Cup titles over that time. They have won just four other tests against the All Blacks in New Zealand since 1986, the last in

2001. That’s a losing streak of 22 tests.

Does this hoodoo stretch to other rugby teams?

The All Blacks haven’t lost a test at Eden Park since 1994, when France upset New Zealand 23-20 for a famous series win. Australia play the All Blacks more regularly than any other nation, so they have suffered more defeats. But, yeah, South Africa haven’t won at Eden Park since 1937.

1937! Why aren’t we talking about South Africa’s hoodoo?

Because the Wallabies just beat the All Blacks and we’re trying to talk down their chances of doing so again.

Have the Wallabies even got close?

There was the 6-3 defeat in 1991 aka

the most boring Bledisloe Cup clash. But not in recent times. The last five matches, they’ve lost by an average margin of 27.2 points. You have to go back to 2009 to when they last lost by fewer than 10 points (22-16).

That sounds like a hoodoo then?

Well, during that stretch, the All Blacks have had one of the most dominant decade-long runs in history.

Over the past 10 years, they have played 113 tests, won 96 and lost just

13, with four draws. Twenty of those wins have been at Eden Park.

And despite making the 2015 final, Australia have had one of their poorer runs in recent times. So they’ve been up against it.

Tell me about that glorious victory in 1986?

It secured a famous series win for Australia — back when they played threetest series in New Zealand. They went into the tests as favourites and with confidence after tour wins over Southland, Bay of Plenty and Thames Valley — back when they would play provincial sides.

The All Blacks side featured the likes of John Kirwan, David Kirk, Gary Whetton and former NZR chairman Jock Hobbs. David Campese and Andrew Leeds crossed and Michael Lynagh kicked 14 points as the All Blacks failed to score a try.

Marty Berry played his one and only test, coming on in the final seconds to replace an injured Frano Botica following Campese’s late try.

Berry watched a Lynagh conversion attempt from between the posts and then the kickoff was taken into touch. That was his time in the black jersey. The previous year, the All Blacks won 10-9 at the ground.

But the Wallabies have won at the ground since?

Yes, in the World Cup match no team wants to take part in — the bronze final. After losing the 2011 semifinal to the All Blacks at, you guessed it, Eden Park, the Wallabies had to play Wales to earn a third place winners’ medal.

They won 21-18, with Quade Cooper suffering an ACL injury and being applauded by Eden Park fans as he limped off the field.

Who is the biggest loser?

Halfback Will Genia has experienced six defeats at Eden Park for the Wallabies, but did play in that win over Wales. Former skipper Stephen Moore played in eight defeats.

Do any other sporting teams have Eden Park hoodoos?

The Warriors. They played seven matches at Eden Park between 2011 and 2014, losing their first six before finally winning.