All Blacks skipper Kieran Read is expecting a typical uncompromising battle up front against South Africa when the Rugby Championship’s two unbeaten sides go head to head in Auckland.

The Springboks have shown a more expansive side to their game in collecting 14 tries over the competition’s first three rounds.

Read agrees there’s been a tweak to their style but also expects them to bring their traditional strengths to Eden Park on Saturday.

“They still pride themselves on their set piece and chasing kicks and being physical, and I think it’s something they’ll continue to do,” he said.

“They’ve shown they can play with the ball and score tries, which is a threat at well, but we expect them to come at us pretty heavily in the forwards.”

With showers forecast, the weather is likely to have a say in the style of contest that will develop in what Read called “our biggest Test for a long time”.

The All Blacks came away frustrated from their mistake-ridden 28-13 win over Argentina in Hamilton last weekend, when they felt they tried to play with too much width in the wet conditions.

It was also a match in which regular skipper Richie McCaw limped off with a knee injury, meaning Read, 27, will captain New Zealand for the fifth time, and the first against South Africa.

Read said he had been using McCaw, who has remained in the All Blacks camp this week, as a sounding board.

But with or without the captaincy, the 54-Test No.8 said the big focus for him would be to make sure he played to the best of his ability.

While South Africa will field an unchanged line-up after their 38-12 thumping of Australia in Brisbane, the All Blacks have five changes to their starting 15.

They include to addition to the pack of two relatively inexperienced players in openside flanker Sam Cane and hooker Dane Coles, who have nine and eight caps respectively.

Cane was the expected replacement for McCaw, but Coles’ selection ahead of veterans Andrew Hore and Keven Mealamu was a surprise.

Read said he hadn’t had to offer the pair much advice.

“They’re young kids who have great heads on their shoulders,” he said.

“It’s really about them doing their roles and they’ll do that.”

The All Blacks, defending champions, will look to erase the one-point lead the Springboks have over them at the top of table.

They will also be protecting a proud record at Eden Park, where they haven’t lost since 1994.

France, with the “try from the end of the world” to pull off a 23-20 victory, were the last opponents to topple them there.

Since then, they have been unbeaten in 31 matches, winning the past 30.

They also haven’t lost to South Africa at the ground since the legendary 1937 Springboks claimed the deciding third Test 17-6.

Read said the All Blacks’ success in Auckland hadn’t really been raised this week.

“We love playing here at Eden Park and it’s certainly our home here in New Zealand,” he said.

“But it’s more about us coming out and performing.”