All Blacks: Dance of the Desperates

The All Blacks will scrap with the Wallabies in Sydney while the Springboks relax. Photo / Dean Purcell

Tri-Nations standings

The All Blacks and Wallabies have been left with all the dramas ahead of their meeting in Sydney this month as the conquering Springboks continued their unbeaten Tri-Nations run.

The transtasman rivals have both been battered by the World Cup champions, seen off by similar margins as the Boks maintain the rage which saw them repel the Lions earlier in this season. The Wallabies outscored the Boks two tries to one but left Newlands yesterday with a 29-17 defeat.

That loss followed the All Blacks' twin defeats, 28-19 and 31-19, in Bloemfontein and Durban.

Now the Boks can put their feet up and watch the selection anxieties and pressure build on their rivals before those dramas unfold in the Dance of the Desperates in Sydney in a fortnight.

The Wallaby lineout outdid the All Blacks for ineptitude, losing nine of their own throws, while they were also beaten by their errors and breakdown work before they, like the All Blacks, were strangled by Morne Steyn's goalkicking.

The five-eighths has scored 64 points in his past three tests as the transtasman sides have infringed far too often inside their own territory.

Neither the All Blacks nor the Wallabies had any answer to the Boks lineout, their physical clout or their relentlessly effective kick and chase tactics. They need a solution but first they must win in Sydney on August 22.

All Black skipper Richie McCaw is resting a nerve problem in his neck but is eyeing the Bledisloe start while Wallaby leader Stirling Mortlock will likely miss that test and perhaps the rest of the series after injuring his knee in the weekend.

His exit meant a reshuffle which showcased the talents of young James O'Connor at fullback where his aplomb suggested he will stay.

Another new face, halfback Will Genia, also showed some real snap when he replaced Luke Burgess to continue the rumblings that he needs to start a test soon.

Coach Robbie Deans believes abrasive loose forward Rocky Elsom will be primed for Bledisloe II. He has not played since damaging his knee six weeks ago but Deans said he would have no dramas about reinstalling Elsom into the Wallabies starting XV.

"He hasn't played club footy, but that's not that important. We can give him the work that's required. He's been working hard, he's been going well.

"It will only be an issue if there's a confidence issue. But I don't think there will be - it's Rocky. I think there'll be a confidence issue on the other side if he was to play."

It was the first gentle dig before a rematch of the Eden Park test won 22-16 by the All Blacks after a stuttering start. Since then the All Blacks have lost twice in South Africa in sub-par performances.

Several players failed to fire and there will be serious thought given to the retention of some such as Joe Rokocoko, Rodney So'oialo and Neemia Tialata, while there will be much debate about the halfback/first five-eighths combination.

Jimmy Cowan has played well in a number of recent Bledisloe Cup tests, did so again at Eden Park but then suffered through selection rotation. Stephen Donald has been steady and raised his goalkicking standards but Daniel Carter is starting to pick up his rhythm in the NPC.

Whether Carter will be considered for some role in Sydney will be one of the mass of intriguing pre-test discussions before the squad is revealed this week.