1985 Australia rugby union tour of New Zealand

The 1985 Australia tour of New Zealand was Australia's sixteenth, and fourth one-test, tour of New Zealand. Played in late June 1985, the tour of New Zealand was one that followed Australia's tour of Great Britain and Ireland just 255 days earlier. Australia hadn't toured New Zealand since 1982, where New Zealand won the three-test series 2–1.^[2]

1985 Australia rugby union tour of New Zealand
Coach(es)	Alan Jones[1]
Tour captain(s)	Steve Williams
Top point scorer(s)	Michael Lynagh (5 points)
Top try scorer(s)	James Black (1 try)
Top test point scorer(s)	Michael Lynagh (5 points)
Top test try scorer(s)	James Black (1 try)
Summary	P W D L
Total	01 00 00 01
Test match	01 00 00 01
Opponent	P W D L
New Zealand	1 0 0 1
Tour chronology
Previous tour	1984 Great Britain and Ireland
Next tour	1986 New Zealand

The match was played at Eden Park, Auckland. Mirroring the two teams' previous encounter, the result finished in New Zealand's favour by one-point.^[3] As of 2023 (39 years, 136 days) the final score is the closest result by margin at Eden Park between Australia and New Zealand.

Match details

29 June 1985 NZST (UTC+12) 14:30

New Zealand	10–9	Australia
Try: Green Con: Crowley (0/1) Pen: Crowley (2)	Report	Try: Black Con: Lynagh (1/1) Pen: Lynagh (1)

Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 46,000[4] Referee: David Burnett (Ireland)

FB 15 Kieran Crowley RW 14 John Kirwan OC 13 Steve Pokere IC 12 Warwick Taylor LW 11 Craig Green FH 10 Wayne Smith SH 9 David Kirk N8 8 Murray Mexted OF 7 Jock Hobbs BF 6 Mark Shaw RL 5 Gary Whetton LL 4 Murray Pierce TP 3 Gary Knight HK 2 Andy Dalton (c) LP 1 John Ashworth Coach: Brian Lochore

FB 15 Roger Gould RW 14 Peter Grigg OC 13 James Black IC 12 Tim Lane LW 11 Matthew Burke FH 10 Michael Lynagh SH 9 Nick Farr-Jones N8 8 Steve Tuynman OF 7 Simon Poidevin BF 6 David Codey RL 5 Steve Williams (c) LL 4 Steve Cutler TP 3 Andy McIntyre HK 2 Tom Lawton LP 1 Topo Rodriguez Coach: Alan Jones

References

1. "Lines set to decide who s the best". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 46, 022. Auckland, New Zealand: John Fairfax and Sons. 29 June 1985. p. 72. While coach Alan Jones has studiously avoided any reference to the battlefield, the Wallabies were put in the mood for confrontation when they trained today behind barbed wire at the Eden Park Test venue
2. Whitton, Evan (13 September 1982). "Solid praise for Wallabies". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 45, 149. John Fairfax and Sons. p. 23.
3. "Wallabies fall to 'death wish' again". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 46, 023 (Late ed.). Auckland, New Zealand: John Fairfax and Sons. 1 July 1985. p. 43.
4. Wilkins, Phil (30 June 1985). "All Blacks Scramble In, 10–9". The Sun-Herald. Auckland, New Zealand: John Fairfax and Sons. p. 63.