This is it - the big one for 2008, the one some people in Australasia call the real World Cup. It's the last match of the Tri-Nations, a final in more senses than one. The winner will take all. And if there is a draw, the All Blacks will take all. The Wallabies must win to win.

They must also win to keep alive any hope they may have of wresting the Bledisloe Cup from the All Blacks' grasp. It is the third of the four matches for the cup. Each side has a win. A win for New Zealand in Brisbane will enable the All Blacks to keep the cup as the Wallabies must win the series to take possession of the huge trophy.

The Wallabies have home-ground advantage and so far this year they have won all their home matches - played five, won five. They have beaten Ireland, France twice, New Zealand and South Africa. That's a good haul, which suggests that on any given day they could beat anybody on earth.

But the same is true for the All Blacks. They, too, could beat anybody on earth on the day, but then, too, as in Sydney and Dunedin, they can be beaten, which is part of the unpredictable wonder of sport.

Both sides have won away and both sides have suffered heavy defeats - the All Blacks in Sydney and the Wallabies in Auckland and Johannesburg,

On the two occasions the teams have met in this year's Tri-Nations, there have been big wins for the home side: 34-19 to Australia in Sydney and 39-10 to New Zealand in Eden Park.

Both won in South Africa. New Zealand lost to South Africa at home and Australia were thrashed by South Africa but up in Johannesburg.

So when you try to wrestle with the future and work out who is going to win, you end up with a head full of confusion. It would be much better just to look forward to seeing two of the top teams in the world going hammer and tongs at each other, using skill, cunning and sinew, striving to impose their wills on the opponents, grabbing every slice of luck they can in their pursuit of victory. And they are two wonderful sides and it is a match certain to be played with high intensity and tempo. It is no wonder that Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane is sold out and no wonder that millions of people will be watching their television sets with wide and unblinking eyes on Saturday.
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Prediction: We all know anything can happen. We all know that not even a majority poll will produce a winner. But we are going to say...rest of the article is here

Teams:
Australia: 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Peter Hynes, 13 Ryan Cross, 12 Stirling Mortlock (captain), 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Sam Cordingley, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 George Smith, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 James Horwill, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Adam Freier, 17 Matt Dunning, 18 Hugh McMeniman, 19 Phil Waugh, 20 Richard Brown, 21 Brett Sheehan, 22 Drew Mitchell.

New Zealand: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Richard Kahui, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Rodney So'oialo, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 John Afoa/ Neemia Tialata, 18 Anthony Boric, 19 Adam Thomson, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Isaia Toeava.

Date: Saturday, September 13
Kick-off: 20.00 (10.00 GMT)
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Expected weather conditions: There is a 30 percent chance of rain, but it will go away and leave just scattered clouds for the evening. The temperature will be a high of 24°C dropping to 16°C and a breeze from the northwest.
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
Touch judges: Craig Joubert, Mark Lawrence
TMO: Johann Meuwesen