All Blacks to target Wallabies at scrum

Carl Hayman

The All Blacks plan to dismantle the Wallaby scrum again to continue an unbeaten streak at Eden Park against the Australians which goes back 20 years.

While coach Graham Henry has tinkered with his backline for Saturday he was offering no latitude from his pack which has cemented Bledisloe Cup victories in Christchurch and Brisbane.

Henry wants his pack to reproduce the unity which had the Wallaby scrum on rollerskates in both defeats.

"Carl Hayman is world-class," said Henry. "He is probably the best tighthead prop in the world, and we have got the wood on Australia at the moment at scrumtime and ... I don't want to let them off the hook.

"We want to continue with the psychological edge there so the pressure is on them to do the business again. That's why the front row has been reselected."

This test, said Henry, would be a watershed game for the Wallabies after several mixed performances while the All Blacks also needed to move up a gear.

The Wallabies have recalled experienced hooker Jeremy Paul as the search continues for a solution to their scrummaging woes.

Flanker Phil Waugh and wing Clyde Rathbone have also been reinstated for a test the Wallabies must win if they are to challenge the All Blacks' Tri-Nations supremacy.

Waugh replaces George Smith as openside flanker in a move All Black forwards coach Steve Hansen thought reflected the fatigue Smith was showing.

Waratahs halfback Brett Sheehan has overcome an eye injury suffered at training last week and is in line to become the seventh rookie used by John Connolly during the 2006 series.

The Wallabies have not beaten the All Blacks at Eden Park in seven tests since 1986. In an attempt to simulate conditions in Auckland, the Wallabies have been training in Canberra for the last week.