All Blacks raise bar high for final Boks test [+pictures]

The All Blacks on a Safari in the Pilanesberg National Park near Sun City, South Africa. Ross Land / Getty Images

SUN CITY, South Africa - Nine tests in 12 weeks, an unbeaten record in 2006 and just over a year until the next rugby World Cup.

For now, it all seems rosy for the All Blacks as they prepare to face the Springboks at Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenberg on Sunday (NZT) as heavy favourites and aiming to stretch their overall winning streak to 16.

After a week of little physical activity in a bid to keep the players mentally fresh, amid the opulent surrounds of the premier hotel at the aptly-named Sun City resort, complacency has a chance to rear its head.

But judging by the noises from the camp today, it seems unlikely.

The All Blacks played a poor first half in Pretoria a week ago yet still came away with a 45-26 win over a battling Springboks side that looked a level below.

This week the tourists are even stronger, intent on not letting their standards slip as they return to their best forward pack except hooker Andrew Hore who will be fizzing for his first starting test in 26 months.

In the backs, Jimmy Cowan runs out for the first time in black No 9, hoping to prove he's among the best three halfbacks in New Zealand, alongside a backline most young halves would dream about.

Daniel Carter and Aaron Mauger at five-eighths, last weekend's star Mils Muliaina at centre, Fijian flyers Joe Rokocoko and Sitiveni Sivivatu on the wings for their first test together, and Doug Howlett at fullback.

Their final serious training today moved All Blacks great and current selector Brian Lochore to label it the best he'd seen this season.

After a torrid 12 weeks which started against Ireland in June, and the successful rotation policy by coach Graham Henry, the All Blacks still feel they have one more big performance left before a two-month break then the November tour of Britain and France.

"I think the physical fuel is okay. Always this time of year, a couple of weeks away from home there tends to be mental lethargy," assistant coach Wayne Smith said.

"We're hoping through a day off yesterday, having trainings that are short but intense, that we'll get a burst of enthusiasm this weekend and the energy will be high."

The players, and coaches, took the day off and went on safari, sunned themselves by the pool or played golf.

Lock Chris Jack was passed fit after being bed-ridden on Monday with a viral infection, and Smith gave the remainder the fitness all-clear.

Smith said the All Blacks always looked at performances like the Lions test in Wellington last year and the Paris test against France at 2004 as performances to top, but more importantly remembered their poor efforts this year.

They struggled to dispatch Ireland, twice, then Argentina in June.

"Graham's often said it'd be good to have a loss because it makes you work on your game, but some of our wins have been like losses for us. It's made us work harder at our game and create a lot of intensity," Smith said.

He said they were wary of peaking too soon, and hoped to master several different gameplans as the ever-elusive World Cup approaches.

The variable is their opposition, a Springboks team with five personnel changes from last weekend including the recall of free-running Andre Pretorius at first five-eighth and veteran AJ Venter to add some starch at No.8.

Springboks coach Jake White has smiled bravely this week but looked a man under pressure, knowing calls for his head will increase further with a heavy loss.

Smith expected an open, running game from the Boks and not too many of the aimless kicks and poor chase that sparked the All Blacks' second half onslaught in Pretoria.

He also demanded better quality All Blacks ball from set pieces to attack from.

The lineouts will again be closely watched after last weekend's jitters in the first half, with Henry naming Jack and Ali Williams as his two top locks.

But any thoughts that their record 52-16 win from Pretoria in 2003 would be eclipsed met a swift response.

"It'd be dangerous to think that way and that's what we're to avoid, thinking it'll just happen.

"Whenever we've gone into a test like that we've come unstuck."

- NZPA