By WYNNE GRAY
Nothing from the All Blacks' latest victory will have fuelled Wallaby worries for their return Tri-Nations test, but the World Cup champions do have some major anxieties.
The All Blacks fixed a number of problems which bedevilled their opening 39-35 win against the Wallabies, when they resisted the Springboks' ferocity to grind out a 25-12 victory on Saturday.
The lineout was smarter, the defence tighter, and a hard mental edge came through in their work against the Boks, though a confident Wallaby squad would not have felt more threatened by what they saw.
They will be very apprehensive, though, about this Saturday when they meet the Springboks.
After tests on successive weekends to start the Tri-Nations, the All Blacks have a week's rest, while the Wallabies will be asked to front twice in two weeks.
That draw will concern the Wallabies who already have a lengthy injury tally and who face the ferocity of the Springboks before flying to New Zealand for the August 5 Wellington test.
Australian midfield back Tim Horan is already out of this weekend's test and other Wallabies considered unlikely to recover are Matt Cockbain, Matt Burke and Ben Tune.
Daniel Herbert, Chris Latham, Stephen Larkham, David Giffin, and Richard Harry should pass fitness tests this week after being injured against the All Blacks.
In comparison, the All Blacks had just lock Troy Flavell with a troublesome injury. He hurt his back and was substituted at halftime, though the medical staff think he will be available for Wellington.
While the All Blacks remedied some difficulties, they discovered others at Christchurch.
They were unable to crack the Boks defence once they had scored two tries in 14 minutes, the scrum was under consistent threat and there were gaps near the breakdowns.
"South Africa picked our weakness round the back of the rucks and tried to exploit that with inside passes. They tried to open us up there, " All Black skipper Todd Blackadder said.
Erratic teamwork counted against the Springboks though, once they had made some mini-breaks.
And New Zealand had Josh Kronfeld back in the No 7 jersey. After missing the start at Sydney, the experienced flanker sealed off many of the gaps with his deadly tackling and defensive instincts.
Tighthead prop Kees Meeuws did not settle in the scrums and, against the more mobile Wallabies, the huge workrate and adequate scrummaging of Greg Somerville may be tried.
The absence of Alama Ieremia appeared to hurt as well. Without him the backline did not try to go wide, it seemed they were too wary of being dispossessed or isolated without Ieremia's ability to stay on his feet or work with his regular Hurricanes' team-mates.
Only one Anton Oliver throw to the lineout was lost while, largely through replacement lock Norm Maxwell, the All Blacks pinched five Springbok throws.
Kickoffs are still troubling. Three times Andrew Mehrtens kicked short and none was recovered, though the Boks could only claim two of their six short-kick returns.
There was a fair amount of provocation from the Springboks. They niggled and tried to intimidate. Only No 8 Ron Cribb retaliated and was punished for a puny offence. The discipline is there - Blackadder is pushing his side hard.
The All Blacks had some fortune on Saturday. They made their own luck, too, as they have played their way into form and self-belief.
Progress is coming - it remains to be seen whether it is enough to quell the Wallabies for a second time. But for now they can rest and recuperate.
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