All Blacks eye two trophies against Wallabies in Melbourne

MELBOURNE : The All Blacks will look to secure a third consecutive Rugby Championship trophy in Melbourne on Saturday, with victory over Eddie Jones's winless Wallabies to also keep the Bledisloe Cup in New Zealand hands for another year.

With big wins over Argentina and South Africa, Ian Foster's side have lifted a gear ahead of the World Cup in France and are unbackable favourites to notch another victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

The match doubles as the first of two Bledisloe Cup tests, the annual series between the trans-Tasman nations.

As holders, New Zealand need only win in Melbourne to seal the Bledisloe Cup for a 21st year in succession.

Jones, the last coach to win the coveted trophy for Australia in 2002, will try to work magic to keep the series alive until the second test in Dunedin nest week.

But the Wallabies are up against it.

The All Blacks have brought their strongest available lineup, making only one forced change to the team that humbled South Africa 35-20 in Auckland two weeks ago.

Regular captain Sam Cane is out injured, leaving back row enforcer Ardie Savea in charge and Dalton Papali'i to start at openside flanker.

More than 80,000 fans are expected at the MCG, potentially the biggest rugby crowd in more than a decade in Australia - but black-clad supporters may outnumber those in Wallabies gold.

Home fans have had little to cheer since COVID-19, with the Wallabies losing their last five matches against the All Blacks.

Last year's Melbourne test, a cliffhanger, ended in heartbreak for the Wallabies and no shortage of acrimony over a contentious referee decision against them for time-wasting.

The optimism that greeted Jones's arrival this year for his second stint in charge of the Wallabies has