Across the two 2025 Bledisloe Tests, the All Blacks beat more defenders than the Wallabies in both matches, but the team with more possession and attacking volume changed by venue. New Zealand led those measures at Eden Park; Australia led them in Perth, where New Zealand still won 28–14. These results show how the teams played in two specific Tests—not fixed national styles.
What the two Tests show
The match-centre figures point to a useful distinction: possession and volume measure how much a team handled the ball, while defenders beaten indicate how often its attack got past a tackler. New Zealand led in defenders beaten in both games; the other volume measures shifted.
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| Test | Possession | Carries | Metres | Passes | Defenders beaten | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eden Park, 27 September 2025 | New Zealand 59%; Australia 41% | New Zealand 162; Australia 126 | New Zealand 555; Australia 353 | New Zealand 241; Australia 162 | New Zealand 40; Australia 11 | New Zealand 33–24 |
| Perth, 4 October 2025 | Australia 53%; New Zealand 47% | Australia 134; New Zealand 112 | Australia 454; New Zealand 381 | Australia 210; New Zealand 175 | New Zealand 29; Australia 17 | New Zealand 28–14 |
Figures are from the official Rugby Australia Eden Park match centre and Perth match centre. The contrast matters: in Perth, Australia had more of the ball and more carries, passes and metres, yet New Zealand beat more defenders and won by 14 points. Volume alone does not describe what an attack produced.
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New Zealand: close carries and combination play
The All Blacks’ Eden Park report describes Ardie Savea carrying close to the line before Leroy Carter supported the scoring play. Later, a reverse pass involving Jordie Barrett and Quinn Tupaea released Cam Roigard. Those examples show two routes within the same match: using a forward close to the line, then exploiting space with a passing move.
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The report calls the All Blacks’ tempo “frenetic” and notes forwards passing the ball. “Frenetic” is the report’s description, not a measured pace statistic. The 40 defenders beaten and 555 metres recorded at Eden Park give quantitative context to New Zealand’s attacking threat in that Test.
Australia: a maul and a running line
Rugby Australia’s Eden Park report describes a Wallabies scoring passage built from a strong maul and a Len Ikitau carry, followed by Harry Potter running a line. It is a concrete example of Australia using a forward platform and a runner to finish an attack; it should not be treated as a permanent template for the team.
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Why ball volume and line-breaking can tell different stories
Possession, carries, passes and metres describe different parts of an attack, not its effectiveness on their own. A team may handle the ball more often or cover more ground without beating more defenders. Conversely, a side can create decisive line breaks from fewer possessions. The Perth figures illustrate that distinction, but two match totals do not establish why every difference occurred.
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Kicking, territory, set piece, score and execution also shape the picture. Rugby Australia’s report on the Eden Park Test identifies penalties and missed kicks to touch by Australia as factors that handed New Zealand momentum. Those are match-specific observations, not evidence that the Wallabies generally kick poorly or concede momentum in the same way.
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What cannot be concluded from these results
These were two Tests, played at different venues and with different match circumstances. The totals do not isolate the effects of opponent tactics, scoreline, weather, personnel or venue, and they are too small a sample to prove stable national playing identities. The most supportable comparison is narrower: New Zealand beat more defenders in both 2025 Bledisloe matches, while possession and several measures of ball volume shifted from New Zealand at Eden Park to Australia in Perth.
Seasonal figures from other matchups should not be folded into this head-to-head comparison. For example, the All Blacks’ September 2026 article reports averages of 154.6 carries, 230 passes and 19.8 kicks from hand per match in its comparison with South Africa; that is context about a different season and opponent, not a Wallabies comparison.
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- EASY CARE: Prior to training or a match, use a soft cloth, light detergent, and warm water to remove dirt and residue from your rugby ball. All training/practice rugby balls and rugby game balls come deflated. Inflate them to 9.5 psi using a rugby pump, or any ball pump. Gilbert training balls are a great choice for any rugby team or player looking for an uncompromising, high-quality rugby ball.
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