KEY POINTS:
All week the headlines have been occupied by England but the All Blacks should make top billing tonight in Christchurch to complete a decade of dominance in the garden city.
The All Blacks pushed through to a sizeable Eden Park victory on a small amount of possession but much more effective attacking repertoire. It is hard to see that order being disturbed in their return meeting.
If the All Blacks win, it will crown 10 years of supremacy in Christchurch since they were last beaten there in 1998 when John Hart's side were in the middle of their annus horribilis.
England do not offer enough attacking menace to threaten the All Blacks for the entire test. The tourists will apply pressure for much of this match but they do not have the attacking clout outside their pack to hurt the hosts.
The visitors can apply some form of clamp to the All Black pack, they can threaten through the bulk of their rumbling forwards but unless they have an entire character reversal - or the misty conditions that have threatened in recent days invade the arena - they will struggle to apply consistent threats. A fog to match the Super 12 final of 2006 would aid them greatly.
It will take only one bludgeoning tackle on England's backline if they attempt to move the ball, to stifle any further dispatches through midfield. The visitors have great pace in their back three but there are doubts whether they will trust it or be able to use it.
The All Blacks have a new look about them with Adam Thomson on the blindside and new boys Richard Kahui and Rudi Wulf in the back division. Of that trio, Thomson will get the most inspection to see if he can cope with the twin-flanker role with his captain Richie McCaw, and whether his undoubted attacking and lineout skills match up to the dog-tough effort needed in a slogfest with England.
"From my experience," McCaw said, "whenever you are coming off a defeat and you have your backs to the wall, this will have hurt last week and they will give it a real crack. I expect a better England team."
Touche. You would also expect a much better All Black side after the lineout issues and other errors which impacted on their game last week. They were down on possession yet managed four tries to two and should have scored about six to none.
Referee Jonathan Kaplan will be central to the initial flow of the game where England seemed to seal the ball off many times last week at the breakdown rather than staying on their feet. If Kaplan concurs with that viewpoint, the game should open up and suit the All Blacks.
But the English pack will put out some strong heat and if the All Blacks are off key, then a battle will ensue.
Newcomers Thomson, Kahui and Wulf are getting a start to put them in the reckoning for the Tri-Nations series.
If the selectors had not made those decisions, coach Graham Henry explained, then they would have reduced the selection choices for the group charged with starting the Tri-Nations against the Springboks in a fortnight: "It is a difficult balance."
Selection will become more thorny if tonight's side is rolled, because England have less attacking dimensions than the All Blacks. However if the tourists get an early roll on and are able to maintain that heat with points, the All Blacks' response will be fascinating.
Rarely in recent years have they had to retrieve games after halftime. They have been able to be a shade ahead or in touch at least through Daniel Carter's boot and usually push on to victories.
Even more than last week, the All Blacks' scrum and lineout must be sharp if they are to repel the final-match riposte from England, who have been festering all week under the triple gaze of the police, the public and the press.
If the All Black pack holds up, they will have too much backline firepower for England to deal with. They will prey on the back three of Mathew Tait, Topsy Ojo and Tom Varndell who are noted non-kickers, goading them to get past the chasing defensive line.
Halfback will be another pressure point for the All Blacks to attack with Danny Care making his first test start. He's a good player but will be nervous.
England might fancy their chances against new men like Kahui and Wulf but quickly they may find they are even more of a handful than Conrad Smith and Anthony Tuitavake.
If England win, it will be a revival to match France's at the World Cup. Equal levels of recriminations within New Zealand rugby would follow.
