All Blacks: Calling all super heroes

Repeated feats of physical and mental marvel, and Super Ranger's lighting legs, can make it win number 11 for newly confident All Black side. Picture / Rod Emmerson

Champion teams repeat. That mantra will have been delivered repeatedly to the All Blacks as they prepare for Tri-Nations II tonight in Wellington.

The hosts burned the Springbok titleholders a week ago; they made a mess of their status and their growing confidence.

This return battle at the Cake Tin will be a massive mental contest as much as a physical onslaught.

Are the All Blacks able to maintain their choker hold on the visitors with their expanded playing style or can the Springboks repair the damage and impose themselves on this test?

Conditions may dictate some changes but neither side will want to detour much from the strategies they brought to a perfect evening at Eden Park.

Both sides have chosen game plans they feel are best suited to their players, their mindset and their ability. That done, the next task is all about execution.

The All Blacks were sharp in Auckland, the Boks were out of sync. Result? The All Blacks recovered some self-esteem and conviction about themselves and their methods after three defeats to the Boks last season.

But one win is not enough. Not if the All Blacks model for 2010 is going to lay the foundations for a push towards the seventh World Cup next year.

The All Blacks have won 10 straight tests since they were beaten 32-29 by the Springboks a year ago in Hamilton. For their continued belief, tonight has to be No 11.

That is also the jersey number for new left wing Rene Ranger, a free spirit, a "Superman" in some ebullient descriptions, an enormous talent who will be a lightning rod for his team's chances.

He will be tense and his nerves will be targeted by Morne Steyn's kicking and the Springbok chasers.

If they are on the money, Ranger could battle but if they give him room, he could make merry hell. A confident start from him will ignite his teammates.

So too, halfback Piri Weepu. He has a great long pass to give Daniel Carter even more time to survey his choice of questions for the Boks.

It would be great if Weepu snapped that delivery out immediately.

Under their new template the All Blacks have given more control to their halfbacks.

But it seems strange to watch both Weepu and Jimmy Cowan this season, taking steps and time before passing. Carter, or whomever is the first receiver, is more likely to have his attention on play ahead rather than a halfback looking to collect possession from a breakdown.

All the ingenuity and skill of the backs will be squeezed, though, unless the forwards reproduce another performance to match that at Eden Park.

They can, and captain Richie McCaw will be driving those reminders. He wants that to be the base template for the season, nothing less.

The scrum wants more action - they believe they can outdo the Boks - while the lineout was strong a week ago, on Keven Mealamu's throw and attacking John Smit's delivery.

The All Blacks will try to avoid lineouts for a variety of technical and aerobic reasons while the Boks should chase them and pressure their rivals.

This test looms as a master chess game, thrust and counter, attack and repel.

The TAB barely separated the sides a week ago. Seven days on, the All Blacks are clear favourites for a repeat victory, something their coaches will expect as well.

It is now up to the players to display the mental and physical clout in the sort of minefield which will greet them next year at the World Cup.