A circumspect All Blacks are treading carefully in the lead-up to Saturday's Tri Nations decider, saying they are wary of the wounded beast when it comes to the erratic Wallabies.
Gone is the intimidating, bullish aura surrounding a team that, more often than not, justifiably believes they will slay any foe that dares stand in their way.
In their place is a determined yet careful approach to an opponent whose patchy form makes it difficult to predict exactly which Wallaby team will stream out from the tunnel.
New Zealand have every right to start as favourites in the sold-out blockbuster at Suncorp Stadium given Australia's last outing was a dismal 53-8 demolition against the Springboks in Johannesburg.
But in a Tri Nations campaign where each combatant has had their share of peaks and troughs, the All Blacks are refusing to believe that the Wallabies are a mentally fragile unit.
Instead, players like back-up five-eighth Stephen Donald believe the Springbok belting may give Australia an added "edge" when the ball is sent skyward in one of the most highly-anticipated games of Test match rugby in recent memory.
"Everything's on the line. A win here gets us the Tri Nations and gets us the Bledisloe again. As far as this week goes, it's as exciting as I've ever been a part of," said Donald, the shadow of All Blacks pin-up boy Dan Carter.
Donald said he was as shocked by Australia's implosion at Ellis Park, which came just a week after an emotional 27-15 victory over the Boks in Durban.
"The week before that they were so dominant and so successful. So, yeah, completely out of the blue. But from our point of view, it makes them pretty dangerous," Donald said.
"They've had two weeks to sit on that hiding they got at Ellis Park. It's a daunting proposition knowing they are going to come out with that lingering on their shoulders for the past few weeks.
"We know what they're going to bring. It's just a matter of us meeting that. As far as the Wallabies are concerned, we're expecting them to be as good as they are and try and combat that."
Winger Richard Kahui, a relatively new face in the black jumper, said there was a deep level of commitment within All Black ranks, with losing simply not an option.
"That's the sort of feeling we've got in the camp at the moment. Everything's on the line this week - the Tri Nations, the Bledisloe Cup and a bit of national pride as well. We're coming over here. We want everything. We don't want to go home empty-handed this week," Kahui said.
The 23-year-old, who may yet be named in the centres, admitted his side was a step off the pace when humbled 34-19 by the Wallabies in Sydney in July.
On that occasion, they stepped off the plane on the Thursday before the game. This week, the Kiwis are camped in Brisbane for the week, a scheduling adjustment which Kahui believes will have them ready for a torrid opening exchange.
"They're going to come out firing. We're expecting them to really give it to us. It's going to be one of those games where you can't take a backwards step. We're going to really have to go with them and meet fire with fire," Kahui said.
"Going back to the Sydney game, our preparation was a bit off the mark. We were probably a step off the pace and it really showed in the game. This week, to come over here on a Sunday and get used to everything, I think it will make a big difference come Saturday."
Both sides will announce their teams this morning, with the Wallabies scheduled to reveal whether Berrick Barnes has made a miracle recovery at 11.30am.
