Tri-Nations

The Wallabies will be a tougher opponent for the all-conquering All Blacks in Melbourne on Saturday than World Cup champions South Africa, skipper Richie McCaw said on Friday.

New Zealand are poised to take a iron grip on the outcome of this year's Tri-Nations series if they can march on to their eighth straight win over the Australians on Saturday.

The All Blacks were dynamic in posting bonus-point victories over South Africa at home this month, while the Wallabies were too good for the Springboks 30-13 in Brisbane last weekend.

"The Wallabies are going to be a different challenge and I think they're going to be a better challenge for us," McCaw told reporters.

"They're going to be a tougher opponent than what we've faced so far so we're going to have to be right on the job."

The Melbourne Test also counts for this year's Bledisloe Cup series, symbol of trans-Tasman supremacy.

"It's probably the trophy we want to win the most," Wallabies' captain Rocky Elsom said.

McCaw agreed, while New Zealand-born Australian coach Robbie Deans labelled it the "ultimate contest".

"It's the history, it's the meaning," Deans said.

"Meaning in life is great. We're privileged to be involved, privileged to do what we do and have this opportunity."

The breakdown battle between rival sets of back-row forwards, and particularly McCaw and openside rival David Pocock, will be pivotal in the outcome of Saturday's encounter.

Elsom and Deans both identified the Kiwis' second-half pressure at the tackle area as a major factor in their recent successes.

With the Wallabies wanting to play an attacking ball-in-hand game, Elsom said it was vital to negate the influence of McCaw and his forwards.

"We've got to be able to stop their influence at the breakdown and whether that be getting a pilfer off the ball or making sure their bodies don't spill over and lock it down, they're all things we've got to deal with," he said.

"And if we want to play an attacking game, that's a big part of it.

"The All Blacks are the benchmark at the moment - you saw that in the first two Tests.

"That's probably as good as I've seen them play, in that first Test."

The All Blacks lead the Tri-Nations standings with 10 points from two games and another win would make them almost untouchable considering South Africa are pointless and the Wallabies have just one away win in the past six Tri-Nations series.

AFP