All Blacks fly-half Andrew Mehrtens attracts the attention of the Wallabies' defence during their clash in Sydney in 2004 © Getty Images

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Matches: New Zealand 22 - 16 Australia

Tournaments/Tours: Tri Nations

Teams: Australia | New Zealand

New Zealand tackle Australia on Saturday in the opening match of the 2009 Tri-Nations.

New Zealand will be seeking their 20th consecutive Eden Park Test victory in the Tri-Nations/Bledisloe Cup opener and eighth in a row over their trans-Tasman rivals.

The All Blacks have not been bettered at what will be the focal point of the 2011 Rugby World Cup since France triumphed on July 3, 1994 and that defeat and a draw against South Africa are the only blemishes from their last 32 Tests there.

Down the years the Wallabies have won four times at the ground, but not since 1986 when Andrew Slack's team hoisted the Bledisloe Cup by taking a decisive third test 22-9.

Ahead of the eagerly-awaited showdown we look back at the previous clashes between these two giants of the international game.

New Zealand v Australia

All-time record: New Zealand won 88, Australia won 39, drawn 5

Biggest winning margin: NZ: 37, 43-6 at Wellington, 1996; Aus: 21, 28-7 at Sydney, 1999

Highest score: NZ: 50 (50-21) at Sydney, 2003; Aus: 35 (35-39) at Sydney, 2000

Most tries: NZ: 9 (38-13) at Dunedin, 1936; Aus: 5 (30-16) at Auckland, 1978 and (35-39) at Sydney, 2000.

Longest winning sequence: NZ: 9 (1936-47), Aust: 3 (1978-80, 1991-92, 2000-01)

Most points (individual): NZ: Andrew Mehrtens 202; Aus: Matt Burke 176

Most tries (individual): NZ: 8 Doug Howlett, Ian Kirkpatrick, Christian Cullen; Aus: 8 David Campese

Most points in a Test: NZ: 29 Andrew Mehrtens at Auckland, 1999; Aus: 24 Matt Burke at Brisbane, 1996

• Click here for New Zealand's Test record courtesy of Statsguru

• Click here for Australia's Test record courtesy of Statsguru

• Click here for a record of all New Zealand v Australia matches courtesy of Statsguru

• Click here for the New Zealand v Australia record at Eden Park courtesy of Statsguru