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 shutting Australia out of the iconic Bledisloe Cup tournament and the code could fade into oblivion if results do not come soon.

The Wallabies sense a “huge opportunity” to bring the coveted trophies back to Australia for the first time since 2002 as they take on an All Blacks team fresh from back-to-back Test defeats.

But after a disastrous World Cup season that saw Australia knocked out at the group stage for the first time in history, and the dire state of the Super Rugby competition, one former rugby star fears the worst.

Former England fly-half Stuart Barnes has suggested that the upcoming Bledisloe Cup, which will be immediately followed by a British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, and the 2027 World Cup could spell the end for Australian rugby.

He fears that the NRL has already gained too much ground and that if Australia is trounced in the coming tournaments, rugby will not be able to recover and will become a minority sport.

The Wallabies have not won the Bledisloe Cup since 2002, when players such as Mat Rogers (pictured) left the NRL to join Australian rugby.

“While rugby league grows in popularity with its dazzling runs, precision passes and sheer athletic excellence, union is increasingly fading from the Australian sporting world,” 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 it.

‘The travelling group will fill the stadiums, but if the result is a one-sided cover-up – and who can’t imagine such a scenario? – then the damage could be irreparable before the 2027 World Cup.

‘Next year and 2027 should be opportunities for Australian Rugby to fight back against the dominant competition, but given the current state of affairs, that opportunity could also become a threat. The combination of national pain and humiliation could push the federation into a minority sport at best and into oblivion at worst.’

Australia have struggled recently against the likes of Argentina due to a lack of talent

Former England fly-half Stuart Barnes fears tougher results against the Aussies could play into the hands of the NRL

Barnes referred to the upcoming schedule that will pit the biggest countries against each other ahead of the World Cup, without addressing Australia’s evidence that the sport is in serious danger.

“New Zealand and South Africa’s plan to tour together in 2026 and 2030 is a statement in itself and a tribute to their ailing ally, the union,” he wrote.

‘Australia will have to beg for Bledisloe Cup matches. And if they get consistently thrashed, where is the code?’

The fear of becoming the first team in almost a quarter of a century to lose the Bledisloe Cup is driving the All Blacks ahead of their trans-Tasman blockbuster against the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday.

Australia will need to shake off recent poor results as major tournaments approach

The Wallabies sense a “huge opportunity” to bring the coveted trophies back to Australia for the first time since 2002 as they take on an All Blacks team fresh from back-to-back Test defeats.

But New Zealand captain Scott Barrett says his 2024 class will do everything they can to avoid becoming the team in All Blacks history to lose their beloved Bledisloe.

“We draw, I think, on our history and the times when the Bledisloe Cup was held here. Former players have said there were certainly dark times when they were in the team,” he said.

‘This group absolutely does not want to experience that and we want to do everything we can tomorrow afternoon to get our hands on the cup.’