All Blacks: Just one match

Pure nonsense.
That's how I see talk that whoever wins tonight's Tri Nations test between the All Blacks and the Wallabies will have a psychological advantage leading into the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
The two competitions are so different you just can't equate one with the other.
For starters, there is the glory, for us to win the Tri Nations we have to better the Wallabies and the Boks, to lift the Webb Ellis Trophy we have to beat, well, the world.
And that includes a host of other serious contenders such as England, France, Ireland, Argentina and, dare I say it, Samoa.
That the Springboks, for one, aren't taking the Tri Nations too seriously has already been shown by their naming of a B squad for the recent trip down under.
They got walloped by the Aussies and hammered by the ABs but there weren't too many tears being shed amongst their management team.
With most of their big guns at home they were never going to fire too many shots anyway.
It's very unlikely too that should the ABs and the Aussies meet in the World Cup grand final their line-ups will be the same as that which takes the field in Eden Park tonight. Not only that, neither side will want to show their true hand just in case that scenario does occur.
Take the All Blacks.
They don't need to be told that if the Aussies have a weakness, it is in the tight five.
It seems to have been that way forever. And they also know that given even a reasonable share of quality possession the Wallaby backs have the attacking brilliance to cut any defensive screen to pieces.
That being the case you might think that tonight's game will be all about the ABs spending most of the first half keeping the ball close to the forwards with the intent of battering the Aussies into submission.
Having Piri Weepu at halfback and Dan Carter at first-five would, of course, be a huge help in that regard.
No, tactics of that nature are more likely to be left to any World Cup clash between the two nations and tonight we will probably see the ABs adopt an attacking mindset that will see them unleash their backs early on, even though that could play into the hands of their opposition.
It will be exciting stuff with some spectacular tries in the offing but as a possible precursor to any World Cup final, it will mean precious little.
Then, of course, there is the pressure. No Kiwi worth his or her salt, needs reminding of how often the ABs have worn the choker's tag since our own Sir Brian took them to the inaugural World Cup title in 1987.
Rightly or wrongly, their constant habit of going into these tourneys as favourites and emerging with their tails between their legs has made them the butt of jokes that are clearly unfair on the players, but understandable considering the huge reputation we have in the game.
That pressure will be even greater on the ABs in 2011 of course as they not only have the form on the board to make them dominating favourites but also have the home advantage.
It's far, far different in the Tri Nations. The ABs have a history of doing well there and even if they do happen to slip up now and again their fans are quick to forgive them.
The message then for tonight's game is sit back and enjoy it and forget the World Cup even exists.
That way nobody will be lulled into a false sense of security.