Joe Schmidt makes big claim over Bledisloe versus Rugby Championship

Wallabies skipper Harry Wilson says his team is excited rather than daunted by the challenge of getting one hand on the Bledisloe Cup trophy with a history-making win at Eden Park.

The prized trans-Tasman Cup has been in New Zealand’s keeping for 23 years with Australia requiring a win in Auckland on Saturday and at least a draw in Perth in a fortnight to wrest it back.

The match doubles as a Rugby Championship fixture, the Wallabies narrowly leading the four-nations tournament with two rounds to play.

Coach Joe Schmidt said the Wallabies would take the Bledisloe over the Rugby Championship trophy, which Australia last claimed 10 years ago.

“I think if you gave them a choice, (the Wallabies) would take the Bledisloe over the Rugby Championship,” Schmidt said at the team naming.

“Just the tradition of it; it’s older and more ingrained than the more modern Rugby Championship, as much as they certainly want to go after that and they’re in good position to do it.”

Eden Park has proved a graveyard for visiting Wallabies teams who have gone without a win there since 1986, while the All Blacks also hold a 51-Test unbeaten record there against everyone else.

But after breaking an even longer drought with their Rugby Championship victory at Ellis Park in Johannesburg this year, the Australians believe it could finally be the time.

New Zealand, meanwhile, enter the Test on the back of a record 43-10 loss to South Africa in Wellington earlier this month, heaping pressure on coach Scott Robertson.

“I think if we can get the job done, it will be massive for us,” Wallabies skipper Wilson said from their Auckland hotel.

“It’s something which really excites us – history against us.

“There’s a lot of belief that we can do it and it’s going to be an almighty challenge, which is something we can’t wait for.”

Wilson said their belief was built on their consistently strong performances against the touring British and Irish Lions, Springboks and most recently, Argentina.

“We’ve played a lot of big matches this year, which is something which gives the group a lot of confidence … we’ve been in the pressure cooker quite a lot this year,” Wilson said.

“So it is definitely something we’ll lean on this weekend, knowing that we’ve been here before and we’ve found ways out of it too.

“It’s another heck of a challenge when you’re versing a team like New Zealand. We haven’t won over here in quite a long time.

“History’s all against us, but that’s something which really excites this group.”

Wilson said the group were also motivated to mark the 150-Test milestone of prop James Slipper with a win.

Having made his international debut in 2010, 36-year-old Slipper will become just the third player to reach the mammoth tally, joining Welshman Alun Wyn Jones and New Zealand’s Sam Whitelock.

“You’ve got a person like James Slipper playing his 150th game, someone who means so much to every single person in our squad, our staff,” Wilson said.

“In playing such a big milestone game, it definitely adds a little bit more motivation, but it’s not all motivation that’s going to win us the game.

“It’s us going to be sticking to our systems, playing good footy for 80 minutes.”