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Cape Town - All Black fans will be hoping the Wallabies end England’s unbeaten run when they tackle England at Twickenham on Saturday.
England have won their last 13 Tests and another win would see them end the year as the only unbeaten major Test playing nation.
Eddie Jones’ charges will then also have their sights on New Zealand’s record of 18 Test wins in a row - a feat they would surpass if they win all their Six Nations matches next year.
For these reasons, many All Black fans will be backing their trans-Tasman foes this weekend.
Marc Hinton, a popular Kiwi scribe, wrote a column on the Stuff.co.nz website where he urged New Zealanders to back Australia this weekend.
“It's time, surely, for all Kiwis to stand up and be counted as part of Michael Cheika's Army for one weekend, and one weekend only," he wrote.
“I reckon New Zealand's collective might should be getting right behind the Wallabies for this one. For starters, it would be good to see Jones and his increasingly confident English side get a bit of comeuppance. A reality check.
“The All Blacks got it against the Irish in Chicago, and I'm sure they'll be the better for it. Now it just might be England's turn to get a reminder they're not quite as good as they think they are.”
Should England reach the 19 Test wins in a row mark, they would have done so without playing the All Blacks.
“What sort of a double record achievement would that be? The perfect calendar year, and a record winning streak, both without having played a Test against the All Blacks. Surely a big, fat asterisk would have to accompany it? That's why I say - go the Wallabies. Get up you good things,” Hinton continued.
Saturday's Test at Twickenham is scheduled for 16:30 (SA time).
Teams:
Australia
15 Israel Folau, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Reece Hodge, 11 Sefa Naivalu, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Lopeti Timani, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 David Pocock, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Kane Douglas, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Stephen Moore (captain), 1 Scott Sio
Substitutes: 16 Tolu Latu, 17 James Slipper, 18 Tom Robertson, 19 Dean Mumm, 20 Sean McMahon, 21 Nick Frisby, 22 Quade Cooper, 23 Henry Speight
England
15 Mike Brown, 14 Marland Yarde, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Tom Wood, 6 Chris Robshaw, 5 George Kruis, 4 Courtney Lawes, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Dylan Hartley (captain), 1 Mako Vunipola
Substitutes: 16 Jamie George, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 Teimana Harrison, 21 Danny Care, 22 Ben Te’o, 23 Henry Slade
