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Record means 'nothing'

Record means 'nothing'

07/30/2010 03:09:34 AM

Australia is a tougher opponent than South Africa and the peachy record the All Blacks hold over their trans-Tasman rival means 'nothing'.

That's the views of New Zealand captain Richie McCaw as his side prepares for what he sees as the most important trophy challenge of 2010.

The Tri Nations subsides into the background as the All Blacks look to inflict an eighth-successive Bledisloe Cup defeat on Robbie Deans' men this Saturday night.

"The Bledisloe's really important and when you come to play the Wallabies that's the one [trophy] you want to look after the most," McCaw said in Melbourne on Friday. "A win gets one hand back on it and that's something that we see as pretty important."

In the opening three Tri Nations Tests, South Africa failed to adapt to the interpretations that favour fast, attacking rugby. It's poor tactics and discipline ensured it lost all three games.

Australia, however, took a leaf from Graham Henry's playbook - not courtesy of Getty Images - and ran the ball at every opportunity.

"The Wallabies are going to be a different challenge and I think they're going to be a tougher opponent to what we've faced so far so we're going to have be right on the job," McCaw said.

Physiological advantage in the Test arena was often overstated, as the All Blacks had proved by beating the Springboks twice this year after falling three times to the same side last season.

"The confidence you get is from what we've been doing this year rather than what's happened in previous years," McCaw said of the All Blacks record over Australia.

"It doesn't matter a whole lot. The Wallabies are in exactly the same situation as we were playing the South Africans, so it means nothing."

Improving on the two five-try bonus-point victories was a key focus of the side.

"It's easy to get up when there's a few doubts about what's going to happen but when you've had two good performances I guess the sign of a good team is to be able to do that again and that's what we're pretty keen to do," the All Blacks openside said.

Tony Woodcock will equal former teammate Greg Somerville as the most capped prop in All Black's history when he runs out for his 66th Test on the dodgy Etihad turf.

McCaw said Woodcock didn't say much, but he had been the rock of New Zealand's front-row for some time.

"It's a hell of an achievement to play that number of Tests in the front row," he said.

As for the pitch, McCaw said he had played in mud up to his ankles so the players would get on with it.

"I think it's been a lot of talk about not much," he said.

"It's obviously not the best I've played on but it's going to be fine I think. There's grounds like around and I think it'll be as good as gold."

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

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