New Zealand
Eden Park doesn't guarantee All Blacks victory
August 12, 2015
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The All Blacks have turned Eden Park into a fortress over the past two decades, but assistant coach Ian Foster says that long run of success does not provide a magic formula for victory as they attempt to retain the Bledisloe Cup against Australia on Saturday.

New Zealand haven't lost at the Auckland ground since 1994, when France scored their "try from the end of the world" to snatch a famous 23-20 victory. Since then, there has been an 18-18 draw against South Africa, followed by 33 consecutive victories. And their unbeaten record against Australia stretches back further; they last loss to their trans-Tasman rivals at Eden Park in 1986, and they have since strung together 15 wins - including the 51-20 demolition 12 months ago. But Foster says the All Blacks know they can't simply turn up on Saturday.

Eden Park is a fearsome venue for the All Blacks' opponents to visit © Getty Images
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Grant Fox helped 1986 Wallabies
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"[Australia] put a pretty good marker down in Sydney and we have to respond regardless of where we play," he said. "Certainly, Eden Park is not a magic formula for us by any means. If we take any part of our performance for granted, we're going to suffer."

Foster described the stadium as special, and one in which the All Blacks enjoyed playing. "But in some ways, that puts us under more pressure to respect the ground and what it has meant to this team in the past."

The All Blacks name their match 23 on Thursday, and Foster said selection would again be a balancing act as the Test in New Zealand's last before the World Cup squad is chosen.

"We've had a plan through this little window and we want to make sure we give the people who need opportunity the opportunity," he said. "We still believe we're on path for the bigger picture for the season, but we want to win the Bledisloe, so we've got those two things that we're balancing up."

© AAP

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