By Bryn Palmer

This year's Tri-Nations series kicks off with a resumption of hostilities between southern hemisphere giants New Zealand and Australia.

The pair last locked horns in the 2003 World Cup semi-final, one of many epic battles in recent years.

BBC Sport recalls six of the best.

Many believe this was the best game ever played between the two countries, and possibly the greatest Test of all time.

"Go you big thing, go!"

The All Blacks exploded out of the blocks in front of a 110,000 crowd, leading 24-0 after barely 10 minutes.

But Australia remarkably levelled the scores at 24-all at half-time, and appeared to have won when Jeremy Paul scored a try to put them 35-34 ahead in the 79th minute.

But Taine Randell threw a basketball pass out to Jonah Lomu, shouted "Go, you big thing!", and the most fearsome player in world rugby did the rest.

A heartbreaking defeat on home soil for the All Blacks, who appeared to 'choke' in the closing minutes of a nail-biting contest.

Eales gets his kicks in Wellington

Trailing 23-21 going into injury time, Australia twice kicked to touch confident they could exploit a faltering New Zealand line-out.

Two stolen lineouts and an infringement by All Blacks prop Craig Dowd later, and the Wallabies were awarded a penalty.

With regular kicker Stirling Mortlock off the field, up stepped multi-talented skipper John Eales, who calmly slotted the ball between the posts with the last kick of the game.

More agony for the All Blacks as Australia gave Eales the perfect send-off to his outstanding career by securing a second successive Tri-Nations title.

Kefu's try broke Kiwi hearts again

But they again snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, with New Zealand leading 26-22 with 10 minutes remaining after recovering from a 19-6 half-time deficit.

That was still the case with 90 seconds left, Eales spurning three kickable penalties as the clock ticked down, each time ordering a kick to touch.

His tactics gleaned a spectacular reward as a charging Toutai Kefu took Stephen Larkham's inside pass and barrelled his way over the line.

Almost a carbon copy of the previous year's finale, with the All Blacks again on the receiving end.

Burke is mobbed after his winner

Having beaten Australia for the first time in four attempts in Christchurch, the visitors were within seconds of reclaiming the Bledisloe Cup for the first time since 1997.

The full-time siren had already sounded at the Telstra Stadium when Australia, having closed to within a point with Mat Rogers' try, were awarded a penalty inside the All Blacks half.

Matt Burke, who missed the conversion of Rogers' try to keep New Zealand ahead, made no mistake this time.

One of Australia's most humiliating defeats, and the most points they have ever conceded in a home Test.

Three-and-easy for Rokocoko

This was payback time, big style, for the All Blacks, who racked up their own highest-ever points tally against the Wallabies.

Giant wing Joe Rokocoko led the charge with three of New Zealand's seven tries as their back three ran riot.

The All Blacks went on to reclaim the Bledisloe Cup for the first time since 1997 by edging home 21-17 in Auckland three weeks later. A sign of things to come?

Alas, not if you are of an All Blacks persuasion, as the Wallabies again defied the critics and pre-World Cup predictions to prevail in a pulsating semi-final.

Mortlock paved the way to victory

Australia were superb from the first whistle, lifting the intensity of their game and limiting their mistakes, with Stephen Larkham calling the shots.

When Stirling Mortlock interceped a Carlos Spencer pass and sprinted 90m to score the opening try, New Zealand must have had a familiar sinking feeling.

Forced to play catch-up rugby, they ran into a green-and-gold wall as another World Cup slipped away, spelling the end of coach John Mitchell's reign.