The shock Bledisloe Cup reality facing the Wallabies as former England fly-half Stuart Barnes warns code is facing ‘oblivion’

A rugby legend fears rival nations are already freezing Australia out of the iconic Bledisloe Cup tournament and the code faces oblivion unless results come in a hurry.

The Wallabies sense a ‘massive opportunity’ to finally bring the coveted silverware back to Australia for the first time since 2002 as they tackle an All Blacks outfit fresh off rare back-to-back Test defeats.

But after the disastrous World Cup campaign that saw Australia bow out in the group stage for the first time in history, plus the decimated state of the Super Rugby competition, a former rugby star is fearing the worst.

Former England fly-half Stuart Barnes has pointed to the upcoming Bledisloe Cup that will roll straight into a British and Irish Lions tour to Australia and world cup in 2027 could spell the end for Australian rugby.

He fears the NRL has already gained too much ground and that if Australia is flogged in those upcoming tournaments, rugby would not be able to recover and would become a minority sport down under.

The Wallabies have not won a Bledisloe Cup since 2002 when the likes of Mat Rogers (pictured) were defecting from the NRL to be part of Australian Rugby

‘As rugby league soars over the horizon with its dizzying running lines, precise passing and sheer athletic excellence, union fades further from the forefront of Australian sporting minds,’ Barnes wrote for the UK Times. 

‘So here we are, with a British & Irish Lions tour down under in less than a year. The stadiums will be full, there’s no doubt about that.

‘The travelling contingent will pack the venues, but if the result is a one-sided whitewash – and who cannot at the very least envisage such a scenario? – the damage before the 2027 World Cup could be irrevocable. 

‘Next year and 2027 should be opportunities for Australian rugby union to fight back against the dominance of league but with the way the game is going, the opportunity could equally evolve into a threat, with national hurt combining with humiliation to send union towards a minority sport at best and oblivion at worst.’

Australia has struggled against nations like Argentina in recent times due to a talent drain

Former England fly-half Stuart Barnes fears more heavy results against the Aussies could play into the NRL’s hands

Barnes pointed to upcoming scheduling that will see powerhouse nations face each other ahead of the World Cup without involving Australia s proof that the sport is in serious peril. 

‘New Zealand and South Africa’s plan to tour each other in 2026 and 2030 is a go-alone statement that signals a one-fingered salute to their ailing union ally,’ he wrote.

‘Australia will have to beg for Bledisloe Cup games. And then, if they are consistently clobbered, where then for the code?’

The fear of being the first team in almost a quarter of a century to relinquish the Bledisloe Cup is driving the All Blacks ahead of Saturday’s trans-Tasman blockbuster with the Wallabies in Sydney.

Australia will need to shake off recent poor results with big tournaments coming up 

The Wallabies sense a ‘massive opportunity’ to finally bring the coveted silverware back to Australia for the first time since 2002 as they tackle an All Blacks outfit fresh off rare back-to-back Test defeats.

But New Zealand captain Scott Barrett says his class of 2024 are desperate to avoid being that team in All Blacks history to lose the beloved Bledisloe.

‘We draw upon, I guess, our history and at times when the Bledisloe Cup was over here and past players have said there was certainly some dark times when they were in the team,’ he said.

‘So this group certainly doesn’t want to go through that and we want to do everything tomorrow afternoon to get one hand on the trophy.’