New Zealand are bracing themselves for an attacking onslaught from Australia in the final Bledisloe Cup showdown of the year in Tokyo tomorrow despite the Wallabies losing one of their key playmakers.
Inside centre and new vice-captain Berrick Barnes was ruled out of the match at the National Stadium after rolling an ankle in training.
While X-rays revealed no break but the injury - a tear of the syndesmosis ligaments in his left ankle that will require surgery - has forced the 23-year-old out of the Wallabies' Grand Slam tour of Britain and Ireland.
Barnes' absence has forced Robbie Deans into a reshuffle of his back line.
Adam Ashley-Cooper will now slot in at 12 to partner Ryan Cross in the midfield which hands James O'Connor, who produced an unconvincing performance in Wellington, a recall at full-back.
The loss of Barnes means fly-half Matt Giteau will have to shoulder the full burden of directing a team who are desperate to stop the rot against the All Blacks.
Since Deans took over last year they have managed just one win against New Zealand - his first game in charge against the trans-Tasman foe - and have lost the past six, including the 33-6 capitulation in the New Zealand capital last month.
Wing Digby Ioane however, was confident Australia could overcome the disruption of losing Barnes.
'It is a big loss because he is the go-to man, along with Matt Giteau. They can mix it up and change between five-eighth (fly-half) and 12,' he told reporters.
'But Coops is dangerous on the ball. He's more of a go-forward man. He can break the line and stuff whereas Barnesy's more of a ball player, a smart player.'
New Zealand lock Tom Donnelly, who will earn his second Test cap tomorrow, is certainly expecting to face a fired-up Australian outfit.
'They'll come in and throw everything they've got at it. We've just got to absorb it and give back more than what they give to us. But definitely they're going to throw everything at us, probably including the kitchen sink.'
New Zealand will go into the Test as favourites given their run of successive wins and the fact the Wallabies have not scored a try against them in 236 minutes of rugby since Barnes crossed the whitewash in the fourth minute of the Tri-Nations opener at Eden Park.
The Australians never looked like scoring a try in Wellington where they were out-muscled and out-played by an All Blacks side desperate to bounce back from their third straight loss to South Africa.
Deans has turned to new captain Rocky Elsom, David Pocock and Wycliff Palu to remedy the breakdown issues, dropping veteran George Smith to the bench, and has brought back Ioane, Peter Hynes and Cross, who wears the 13 jersey in the absence of the injured Stirling Mortlock (calf), to add some punch to the back line.
All Blacks blindside flanker Adam Thomson knows it will be down to himself, captain Richie McCaw and the recalled Rodney So'oialo to ensure it is the New Zealanders who maintain their dominance up front in Tokyo.
'We really got it over Australia and won the breakdown area which was crucial. That just gave us the edge and puts our noses in front starting this game again,' Thomson told reporters.
'Their tight five will have to step up and do more work, and that'll free up guys like Rocky and Wycliff to do what they're there for to run with the ball and get the go forward.
'They're signalling their intentions with the backs too, with Digby Ioane and Cross coming back; they both use the ball.'
The All Blacks will have Zac Guildford on the bench after Tamati Ellison was ruled out due to a calf injury.
It will cap an emotional return to Japan for Guildford, 20, whose father Robert died of a heart attack in the stand as his son's team beat England in the junior World Cup final in Tokyo in June.
