David Legatt: Real test for the All Blacks begins tonight

Opinion

At last, the real stuff.

With the greatest respect to Ireland and Argentina, both of whom were seriously worthy opponents and, truth be told, could have won any or all of their three tests against the All Blacks, given a little more expertise at important moments, and a spot of luck, tonight is different.

Why? Because the Wallabies should help provide plenty of answers to all those questions on a variety of aspects of the All Blacks' performances so far this year.

Is there anything to be read into the respective form of the teams to date? Probably not, given the different climactic conditions the All Blacks matches were played in and the fact the selectors had their lab coats on for the past month.

Remember, Australia have beaten England twice and Ireland, all in convincing manner. The All Blacks have stuttered along, winning, but the word resounding would not be first to spring to mind in assessing their efforts.

In the course of this week's talkfest ahead of tonight, All Blacks coach Graham Henry offered a curious line on the importance of his players keeping their eye on the ball. Speaking after naming his team for tonight's test, Henry was explaining the need for his players not to get too cosy as win is piled upon win.

The point he made was perfectly reasonable: his players must guard against a measure of complacency and make sure they don't have to learn lessons through defeat.

"I'm sure it will happen one day and maybe happen reasonably soon - who knows?" he added.

Now call me cynical, but does this sound ever so slightly like laying a bit of groundwork in case things go belly up at Jade Stadium tonight?

And when was the last time you heard an All Black coach predicting defeat, whenever it may come?

Henry may or may not have had that in mind. He might simply have been saying what he thought: that sooner or later the All Blacks will be beaten because that's the way sport is. And he's right.

The days of the All Blacks and Springboks riding roughshod over everyone except each other are long gone.

If the All Blacks happen to win every Tri-Nations match this season, then win all four tests on the end-of-year tour, it will be an outstanding achievement. Ten tests and not a soft touch to be seen.

And all this on top of having now won 18 tests in succession in New Zealand.

In his heart of hearts, Henry probably suspects that's not going to happen. Maybe he was implementing the old tactic of getting a spot of retaliation in first. The old "I told you this could happen" line.

It has been a curious week. What with Wallaby coach John Connolly preparing for his first battle against the All Blacks by revealing his opponents' starting XV days before it was named (and being proved right); then Mils Muliaina becoming the fourth player to have a crack at filling Tana Umaga's boots at centre in as many tests; the Aussies inserting handbags on haka-performing All Blacks in a TV promo; and finally the Italians pinching the haka to flog Fiats.

The haka has become almost commonplace in recent years, which I suspect wasn't the original idea. If you put something that is close to your nation's heart on public display several times a year (and several times a day at Olympic and Commonwealth Games time) and which is synonymous with a successful sporting operation, it's only a matter of time before some bright bulb at an advertising agency is going to think "hey, that's a good idea".

So we should get over it. There's no point huffing and puffing over stolen heritage. .

And personally I'd suggest there are plenty of less appealing alternatives to a group of Italian models when it comes to hamming up a Clayton's haka.