All Blacks on revenge mission

All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen says his side is still hurting from the twin losses in South Africa. Photo / Getty Images

The last-start 19-18 defeat of Australia in Sydney represented improvement from the twin defeats in South Africa but the Bloemfontein blundering and Durban disaster still burned for those involved.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen suggested fiery words to his pack wouldn't be forthcoming before kickoff, nor any other motivational tool.

"It's about personal pride I suppose," Hansen said.

"They know that we got beaten over there square and fair and you don't like that when you're a competitor and you want to square the ledger... we got beaten across the park."

First five-eighth Daniel Carter, the Sydney hero who is the only All Blacks starter on Saturday not involved in the ill-fated trip to the Republic, noticed a steely resolve among his teammates this week.

"Most of the team is hurting after that (South African) experience and are looking to bounce back from those tough defeats. There is no better way than to beat the Springboks."

Hansen said the subsequent performances of the Springboks in Australia - they won brilliantly in Perth before being blitzed in Brisbane - underlined the importance of being mentally on edge for the physical demands of test rugby.

"Attitude is something you've got to build within yourself for the whole week," he said.

"It's going to hurt, there's no doubt the test match will hurt because they're going to be pretty desperate themselves.

"You've just got to be prepared to go to the wall."

Rugged Springboks lock Bakkies Botha picked up on the pain theme himself in a media session at Surfers Paradise this week.

Described by one South African journalist this week as the "Springboks' great dog of war", Botha said he relishes the trench warfare that looms on Saturday.

"You don't see pain on people's bodies, you see it in their eyes. And when I see pain in an opponent's eyes, it makes me happy," he said.

Hyperbole aside, Hansen said the likes of Botha would need to be quelled if the All Blacks were to achieve their target of weathering the expected early Springboks onslaught up front.

"You know they're a big pack and they're physical and they'll grind you down for as long as they can and maybe they'll tire in the last 10 minutes," Hansen said.

"They'll try to get the damage done in that first 20-30 minutes and then hang in there."

Tough All Blacks Jimmy Cowan described the match as "my kind of test" and hoped there would be no repeat of the mistakes and faulty tactics employed in South Africa.

"Credit to South Africa, they put us under pressure, but then again we made errors that shouldn't be made at this level," Cowan said.

"The last two tests we've got away from trying to confront them really, we've looked for the space and did some silly wee kicks in our own half.

"I don't want to give too much away but this week we're going to meet fire with fire and see what happens really.

"I've got resolve and I'd imagine the team has too."

The Springboks yesterday made one change to their side who lost 21-6 to Australia in Brisbane last weekend, with big-kicking fullback Francois Steyn replacing Ruan Pienaar.

The All Blacks won't have forgotten one passage when they last played against Steyn, on the stroke of halftime during the 31-19 loss at Durban.

The All Blacks had just made yet another mistake, allowing the Springboks to kick one of their eight penalties, prompting Steyn to pump his fists to the crowd and scream a verbal serve to All Blacks Sitiveni Sivivatu and Mils Muliaina, who were sprawled on the ground.

Such incidents will be stored away in the All Blacks camp, only adding to their motivation for what has all the portents of a fiery encounter.

All Blacks
Mils Muliaina, Joe Rokocoko, Ma'a Nonu, Stephen Donald, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerome Kaino, Isaac Ross, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock.

Reserves: Aled de Malmanche, John Afoa, Adam Thomson, Rodney So'oialo, Brendon Leonard, Isaia Toeava, Cory Jane.

Springboks
Francois Steyn, Odwa Ngungane, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Heinrich Brussow, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, John Smit (captain), Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira.

Reserves: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Jannie du Plessis, Danie Rossouw, Schalk Burger, Ricky Januarie, Adrian Jacobs, Ruan Pienaar.

- NZPA