KEY POINTS:
Adversity, hardship and misfortune. They afflict all sports teams but quality sides overcome those issues, as the All Blacks must do in tonight's Bledisloe Cup start in Melbourne.
The late withdrawal of injured fullback Leon MacDonald has caused considerable backline disruption for the contest against a settled Wallabies combination at the famous MCG.
It gives the All Blacks another glimpse, though, at the sort of strife they may have to contend with at the World Cup this year.
They have only three Tri-Nations tests before that tournament, matchplay opportunities are evaporating and they need to treat tonight as a sudden-death quarter-final.
Four years ago in Melbourne, MacDonald was pushed into work as the World Cup stop-gap centre when Tana Umaga damaged his knee in the opening game of the tournament.
Coach Graham Henry has often used that example as one the All Blacks must not repeat for the sixth tournament this year in France. He wants multiple specialist players to cover each position.
Injuries to Conrad Smith and Isaia Toeava combined with MacDonald's torn groin muscle, which will remove him from the rest of the Tri-Nations, have ramped up the centre problems.
Since Umaga retired at the end of the 2005 Grand Slam tour, this All Black panel has not settled on a centre or midfield combination.
Their band-aid solution tonight has been to introduce Aaron Mauger from the bench to second five-eighths, shifting bit-part centre Luke McAlister out a place with Mils Muliaina returning to fullback.
Sitiveni Sivivatu is elevated to the reserves.
"Luke is a versatile player. I think he could play fullback. He can play 10 and 12 so it is a big ask for him but he will do his best I am sure," said Henry.
Just as the All Blacks would have to do if they were hit by a similar set of hurdles in France, with no chance of flying in any replacement.
"[Defence] I think is the biggest area of challenge because guys have not experienced playing there a lot and I think centre is probably the key area, defensively, in a backline.
"It is certainly the high workrate position and you also have to make decisions on second-play runners and things like that so it is challenging for sure."
Wallaby captain Stirling Mortlock will eye the alterations with relish. His powerful charges across the advantage line are a standard team tactic to create momentum - so he and the elusive Matt Giteau will fancy their attacking chances against a makeshift All Black midfield defence.
They will have to be careful not to overdo the drill though, not to obsess about the opportunities as the All Blacks will press their loosies into extra-cover duties.
But if the Wallaby forwards hold up and the old firm of George Gregan and Stephen Larkham start rolling, there could be trouble. Larkham's passing game is his best weapon and he will create heat with his range of offloads.
The All Black forwards can restrict that menace if they strangle their opposites. Their intention to take out the Wallaby scrum becomes even more vital and their work in contact equally critical.
If they disrupt the Wallaby scrum ball, their backline will lose its rhythm. But the Wallabies are talking tough about the scrum chances.
"I don't think Carl Hayman is our biggest worry at scrum time; it is the other guy, Tony Woodcock, who can be most disruptive in the way he scrummages," reserve hooker Adam Freir said.
While Anton Oliver boosts the scrum power, there were signs last week in Durban of his erratic lineout throwing. He had smaller targets and had to contend with the defensive jumps of Victor Matfield and co but there were early miscues until the side sped the match up and out-thought the Boks. The Wallabies will be smarter and have four quality jumpers in Nathan Sharpe, Daniel Vickerman, Rocky Elsom and George Smith.
As Henry noted the other day when he pulled his squad indoors out of the miserable midweek conditions which have since disappeared; his side had a lot of cerebral work to do.
This test will be won by the side that thinks clearly, operates best under pressure, is disciplined and outsmarts the other. The All Blacks remain one of the rare sides who can chase a test down, but it is not a tactic they will benefit from tonight. They need to lead and squeeze the Wallabies.
Injury toll so far
* Nick Evans: bruised knee.
* Isaia Toeava: repeat shoulder injury.
* Keith Robinson: repeat calf muscle tear.
* Conrad Smith: eye socket injury, repeated hamstring troubles.
* Ma'a Nonu: shin damage.
* Chris Jack: hamstring tendon injury.
* Reuben Thorne: hamstring.
* Luke McAlister: cracked cheekbone, hamstring.
* Daniel Carter: sore neck/shoulder, ankle ligament.
* Joe Rokocoko: twisted ankle.
* James Ryan: knee reconstruction.
* Byron Kelleher: hamstring, broken nose.
* Aaron Mauger; groin strain.
* Jerry Collins: shoulder surgery, neck injury.
* Sitiveni Sivivatu: hamstring, broken nose.
* Jason Eaton: knee reconstruction.
* Ali Williams: broken jaw.
* Mils Muliaina: broken foot, hamstring.
* Leon MacDonald: groin tear.
