Aisle be Back: Bledisloe Cup #1 at Eden Park

• By Kevin McCarthy

I normally greet the arrival of the Bledisloe with indifference, given the All Blacks dominance.

Familiarity breeding contempt and all that – but this weekend, it’s suddenly game on in the most unpredictable Rugby Championship so far.

The Wallabies have impressed this year, routing South Africa and running them close in two games away – then splitting the difference against Argentina.

The All Blacks, well, you know the one step forward, one or two back, vibe of the season.

I don’t really think the Australians will win at Eden Park – because its Eden Park, and it’s the Bledisloe, and of course, the All Blacks are smarting.

But it should be close – and one could anticipate, two sides that will want to attack rather than spiral the ball up into the sky and chase furiously.

If the Wallabies should win then the world will tilt on its axis, and it would be a HUGE rematch in Perth. Or they may lose but with a bonus point and stay in the championship race.

The Australians have already shown they can make history this season, ending an over 50 year drought by winning in the Republic – and they’re harnessing in particular some formidable attacking firepower, and a gutsy willingness to stay in the game.

As for the All Blacks and Scott Robertson, the blowtorch is effectively being fired up. Anything but a win, and the championship will be gone – as will any aura around Razor’s winning ways.

The next day, Argentina and South Africa square off in the Republic – both equally in the hunt.

As they say, plenty to look forward to.

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No fairytale for the Black Ferns – just the bronze playoff.

Comprehensively shut out by Canada they may have been, the Ferns remain a prized asset for NZ Rugby.

Now the time is to take this year’s disappointment, back it up with some serious resourcing, and climb back on the fast moving train that is women’s rugby internationally.

Hopefully, you’ll catch the big final at Twickers too – the atmosphere alone will be worth the admission price.

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I shared a beer once with a New Zealander who reckoned he invented the financial market phrase Dead Cat Bounce.

That means a cat that falls a long, long way will bounce at the end. But it is still dead.

So, was last week’s Wellington Lions result a bounce or a dead cat bounce?

At ninth in the table, with two tough opponents to come, I wouldn’t rush out to buy the jellimeat in anticipation of the Lions making the playoffs.

Anyways, the weekend’s excitement was Otago storming to its Shield win over Canterbury in the top of the table faceoff.

Poor Canterbury – it’s legacy of long success is that no-one outside the province is mourning the result.