All Blacks: Huge amount riding on test

Captain Richie McCaw runs some moves with the All Blacks in training yesterday. Photo / Mark Mitchell

There's no silverware to play for, yet somehow everything surrounding the 135th trans-Tasman rugby test in Wellington tomorrow is brimming with intensity.

As All Blacks coach Graham Henry and his assistants probably already knew, the Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations Trophy don't need to be sitting sideline to heap enormous dollops of pressure on the outcome of a match.

Four wins from eight tests is not only their worst return in six years spent mostly savouring success. This season is now careering dangerously towards to the two widely acknowledged as the All Blacks' worst - 1949 and 1998.

Never have the All Blacks been beaten three times at home in one year. They have already lost twice, chipping chunks into the home fortress Henry's men had slowly constructed and which looked so daunting ahead of the 2011 World Cup.

Farewell their home supporters for 2009 with another defeat tomorrow and it's not just the expectations at that tournament which will nosedive.

Faith in the veteran coaching trio of Henry, Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith will be on very shaky ground, something none will find comfortable in a country where the All Blacks' fortunes are played out under a microscope.

Smith gave an insight into the pressure he feels, and how much it would mean personally to right the All Blacks ship that has listed unceremoniously this year.

"It dominates your life. It's dominated my life for a lot of years. It's dominated my family's life so it's not something you take flippantly... it's something you live for," he said.

"Things will change in the future, we'll go back to other priorities but right now, it's the centre of our being and we care deeply about it."

Captain Richie McCaw says he and his teammates also feel the pain of a 3-0 whitewash in tests against South Africa this year.

He can't fathom why so much invective is directed towards the coaching team.

"It seems to be the way in this country that they get it in the neck. They're not the ones that are running out on the field," McCaw said.

"They've been great this week, they haven't allowed any of that to come through to the team."

McCaw sensed good things on the training paddock this week, with five new faces from the 32-29 loss to South Africa - including debut lock Tom Donnelly - bringing a freshness.

However, the captain has been fooled before this season by slick work in the days leading up to games.

"You've got to take forward the good things that you are doing well and you've got to keep the belief," he said.

"In sport, when you come second, it's how you react to it. On Saturday we get a chance to do that, I guess we're lucky to get another crack."

One man who has begun to learn what Henry and the All Blacks are going through is Wallabies counterpart Robbie Deans.

Until their shock 21-6 defeat of the Springboks in Brisbane, Deans was well and truly under the pump.

"It was good for us to get a tangible return, it was an injection of belief I guess," the former Crusaders coach said.

"But we're also conscious of the fact that can dissipate pretty quickly. Hence we're keen to play well again.

"It's a damn important game to us. Obviously in terms of the Tri-Nations there's not a lot at stake but you're dealing with two proud rugby nations."

Deans still has an All Blacks hex to overcome, having lost his last five tests against Henry while the Wallabies can count just two wins in their last 13 Bledisloe Cup encounters. Defeat tomorrow would be their 10th in a row on New Zealand soil.

That, in itself, raises the stakes for Henry, a coach who sat stoically in the coach's boxes for most of his early tests but these days seems to live and die on every try and refereeing decision during a test.

His starting 15 are nearly four years per man older than the visitors yet they still appear highly vulnerable.

The vultures await.

TEAMS

All Blacks:

Mils Muliaina, Cory Jane, Isaia Toeava, Ma'a Nonu, Joe Rokocoko, Daniel Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Adam Thomson, Tom Donnelly, Brad Thorn, Neemia Tialata, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock.

Reserves:

Aled de Malmanche, John Afoa, Jason Eaton, Rodney So'oialo, Brendon Leonard, Stephen Donald, Hosea Gear.

Wallabies:

James O'Connor, Lachie Turner, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Drew Mitchell, Matt Giteau, Will Genia, George Smith (captain), David Pocock, Rocky Elsom, Mark Chisholm, James Horwill, Ben Alexander, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson.

Reserves:

Stephen Moore, Pek Cowan, Dean Mumm, Wycliff Palu, Luke Burgess, Quade Cooper, Peter Hynes.

Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Kickoff: 7.35pm Saturday

- NZPA