Battle at 10: Matt Giteau goes head to head with his old rival
The All Blacks have begun the 2010 tournament in dazzling form, but New Zealand pivot Dan Carter feels the biggest test awaits his team in Melbourne.
With two bonus-point victories over defending champions South Africa, the visitors hold a six-point break over the Wallabies heading into Saturday's blockbuster clash at the most talked about sports stadium in Australia - Etihad Stadium.
The Kiwis face the first of back-to-back Tests against the Wallabies this weekend in Melbourne before hosting their trans-Tasman rivals in Christchurch on August 7.
The All Blacks are on the crest of a wave, winning their last 11 Tests and lining up for their eighth straight win over the Wallabies with their last loss coming against them in July 2008.
"We've been very successful against the Wallabies over the last couple of years but they are still a huge threat to us," Carter said.
"We realise what they can produce is very dangerous and I'm sure they will be wanting to put one up on us because of the success we've had."
With Bledisloe Cup encounters in Australia often tight, Carter has regularly broken Wallabies hearts by slotting pressure goals. The All Blacks star was uncharacteristically wayward in the All Blacks last start in Wellington but says he's gone back to basics to correct his glitch.
"You just have to go back to what you do well," Carter said.
"Sometimes you can over-complicate these things. Its a matter of going back to basics."
New Zealand will pit their enormous experience of 700 combined Test caps in the starting XV against an Australian squad which includes eight Bledisloe Cup newcomers, among them starting centre Rob Horne and tighthead prop Salesi Ma'afu.
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has stressed the importance of the Australians winning the mental battle given their losing run, but fly-half Matt Giteau reckons any psychological scarring is offset by the number of players experiencing their first encounter against the All Blacks.
"A lot of these younger guys haven't experienced the losses that the older players have," said Giteau, who is replacing suspended Quade Cooper.
"So I don't see it as a big issue or a big challenge."
Berrick Barnes, recalled into the inside centre position this weekend, said the All Blacks have the experience to get them over the line in "tight tussles".
He identified Carter as an important figure in the All Blacks' line-up.
"Carter's the key to a lot of it. On a number of occasions he's pinned us down in our half and they've come on in the last 15 minutes," he said.
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