The game of rugby this weekend is starting to take on a life of it’s own. 

Some have called it the biggest game of rugby since the last World Cup Final featuring the same two teams - and this is even though the Lions have just toured Australia in a record-breaking financial success. 

But it is going to be a cracker. It’s been fortified by Eden Park’s record as a fortress - 30 years and 50 games where the All Blacks have not been defeated. 

We’re vulnerable as the last test against Argentina showed, meanwhile the South Africans seem genuinely inspired by playing at Eden Park. 

It’s been 8 years since they have done that. The revenue is generated by them, and I wonder if it's been purposeful to keep them away from it for so long. 

And the French have been in the media as they were the last to beat New Zealand at the Garden of Eden way back in 1994. Interestingly the first time I went to an All Blacks game, only to see them lose. 

They too have been rhapsodising about the mythical qualities of what is a pretty patchy stadium. 

There’s a very real chance we’re going to lose this one. Graham Henry has been quoted as saying there’s something not quite right with the team’s mentality. 

Yet it’s a reminder that if the biggest game of rugby in the world is to be played, it had to played at Eden Park. 

The good people of Christchurch who are about to take possession of a spiffing new stadium will argue that Eden Park’s self declaration that the park is our national stadium is misplaced. 

But that’s not true. Eden Park is sacred ground and Auckland still needs to figure out how to make it better, because it’s the best place for what is about to happen this weekend. 

The game of rugby this weekend is starting to take on a life of it’s own.&nbsp;
Some have called it the biggest game of rugby since the last World Cup Final featuring the same two teams - and this is even though the Lions have just toured Australia in a record-breaking financial success.&nbsp;
But it is going to be a cracker. It’s been fortified by Eden Park’s record as a fortress - 30 years and 50 games where the All Blacks have not been defeated.&nbsp;
We’re vulnerable as the last test against Argentina showed, meanwhile the South Africans seem genuinely inspired by playing at Eden Park.&nbsp;
It’s been 8 years since they have done that. The revenue is generated by them, and I wonder if it's been purposeful to keep them away from it for so long.&nbsp;
And the French have been in the media as they were the last to beat New Zealand at the Garden of Eden way back in 1994. Interestingly the first time I went to an All Blacks game, only to see them lose.&nbsp;
They too have been rhapsodising about the mythical qualities of what is a pretty patchy stadium.&nbsp;
There’s a very real chance we’re going to lose this one. Graham Henry has been quoted as saying there’s something not quite right with the team’s mentality.&nbsp;
Yet it’s a reminder that if the biggest game of rugby in the world is to be played, it had to played at Eden Park.&nbsp;
The good people of Christchurch who are about to take possession of a spiffing new stadium will argue that Eden Park’s self declaration that the park is our national stadium is misplaced.&nbsp;
But that’s not true. Eden Park is sacred ground and Auckland still needs to figure out how to make it better, because it’s the best place for what is about to happen this weekend.&nbsp;

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Andrew Dickens: The great battle between the All Blacks and South Africa

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/2d22116c-0ee7-46b7-aaa5-b34d012c5b24/transcript