But new coach Michael Cheika has a different vision. In his three seasons with the Waratahs, he instilled a physical edge that was a huge part in driving them to the title in 2014.
He has found in the giant Will Skelton the sort of player around whom a tough pack can be built and persuaded all of the Wallabies' forwards they could not only compete with the best packs in the world game, but perhaps even dominate them.
The All Blacks, having seen the transition at the Waratahs, expect to be confronted by a similarly abrasive Wallabies pack on Saturday night.
"I think that probably where they have made a huge improvement is around their physicality and around their pack," says All Black lock Brodie Retallick.
"I guess the way the Waratahs play is quite combative and in your face. They are always running hard at you and I guess Michael [Cheika] has taken that mentality to the Wallabies. That's probably where they have made their most strides."
None of this will be new or surprising to the All Blacks. Every team they meet wants to come at them hard and try to knock them off their perch. What is slightly different about the Wallabies is that if they can build momentum through their pack, they have a deadly backline that will be next to impossible to contain if they are given space.
Nullifying the Wallabies' pack is crucial and Retallick says there is no way they will underestimate the ability of the Australian forwards to win the ball, the breakdowns and collisions.
"We have got to be up for the challenge and be better and more physical than they are," he says. "That's the way the game is, it revolves around getting go-forward and their backs can play.
"If we can stop that, turn it around and make that our strength it will go a long way to helping us win. You are going to get people who try to outmuscle you. You have got to make a stand and match them because you can't get pushed around like that.
"This week isn't too much different in that respect."
