All Blacks coach Steve Hansen is wary of the Wallabies’ all-or-nothing mindset going into a Bledisloe Cup Test where silverware isn’t on the line but reputations are.
Two comfortable wins over Australia in August to secure the Cup have left Hansen distinctly uncomfortable.
There is anxiety that his own players might ease off mentally following a memorable win over the Springboks in Johannesburg two weeks ago.
Hansen is also convinced the Wallabies will be more potent opponents than the side who he says played without self-belief in their early Tests under new coach Ewen McKenzie.
Australia’s 54-17 hammering of Argentina in Rosario two weeks ago will have lifted a burden, Hansen says.
“One of the big problems they’ve had is a lack of confidence, which is unusual for Australia.
“They’ve scored seven tries (in Rosario) and they’re feeling a lot better about themselves so that will make them a lot more dangerous.
“And they’ve got nothing to lose, so we’ve got to respect them totally.”
Hansen’s theme this week has been to avoid the pitfalls of the equivalent Test last year, when the dead rubber third Bledisloe Cup Test was drawn 18-18 in Brisbane.
Hansen described the performance as substandard and blamed the Test preparation which he says was too long following Tests in Argentina and South Africa.
This week the squad assembled just four days out from the Test, giving the players a longer break after the Rugby Championship.
“We felt like we were mentally OK last year but, really, we weren’t, we were kidding ourselves.
“We respect Australia immensely, they’re one of our big rivals, but we also know at the moment that we’ve got the advantage, ever so slightly, over them. But if we relax, we lose that advantage.”