They won't admit it publicly, but individual attitude as much as anything else failed them last week in Sydney.

For one reason or another sometimes there isn't the same mental edge; the same hunger to get off ground, get off the line on defence or urgency to smash bodies at the breakdown.

This All Blacks side has lost just three times in the past four years and there is no substitute for a swift grounding.

Rugby is, and probably always will be, built on a relatively simple premise. Without front-foot ball even the most classy backs are hobbled.

Aussie great Phil Kearns remarked this week the All Blacks pack would resemble "mongrel dogs". While the former Wallabies hooker is often prone to foot-in-mouth moments, that statement was bang on.

"There's some people hurting, definitely," All Blacks captain Richie McCaw agreed. "There's no doubt Monday morning there was a little bit extra edge in the air and the boys were sitting on the front of their seats. The key is to let it fuel you, the fact you came off a poor performance, but that in itself isn't going to make it work."

Seeing the All Blacks scrum shunted epitomised their out-of-sorts performance last week. Dramatic improvements in that area alone have been demanded. With showers forecasting Auckland, don't be surprised to see them go up the guts and earn the right to go wide.

The All Blacks have been told - in no uncertain terms behind closed doors - to atone. Expect them to embrace that wounded pride and fear factor of relinquishing the Bledisloe Cup, held since 2003.

The tactical battle also promises to be intriguing. Michael Cheika already appears a much more savvy operator than Robbie Deans and Ewen McKenzie proved in the Test arena. He's certainly on the right path from a culture perspective. Under Cheika, the Wallabies are now a genuine team. Not a group of cocky individuals.

Despite raising eyebrows with six changes, Cheika is no fool, stacking his bench with forwards and preparing to fight fire with fire in the form of Will Skelton and Wycliff Palu. But without David Pocock's starting presence, the same threat at the ruck, where they had such success, doesn't appear imminent. That could well be the difference.

"I know that everyone is probably expecting a New Zealand backlash," Cheika said. "There's the memories for a lot of people of last year's match [51-20 loss] here. We just want to get stuck in. I think they're going to try and smash us. They've made it clear - they've mentioned the word physicality a lot. I'd just like to be ready for that."

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen will be equally keen to quash Australian confidence and ease frayed nerves. No doubt many of his players are fretting over their fate.

Lose this Test, the 21-year unbeaten record at Eden Park, and there really will be a sense of public panic before the All Blacks depart for the World Cup.

Quade Cooper, shielded from the media on Friday, is a clear target. McCaw made no secret the All Blacks will turn up the heat on the flighty Kiwi-born playmaker. Traffic is sure to be directed at his channel and his control will be put under serious scrutiny in the wet. The 52,000-strong crowd will also give him some stick.

Cooper's selection overshadows the need for Dan Carter to stamp his authority and counter the Wallabies' rush defence. Chips in behind the line and cut out balls to expose them on the outside could be utilised.

The final element, downplayed internally, is the importance of honouring six senior statesmen playing their final Test on home soil. McCaw, in his record-breaking test, Carter, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Tony Woodcock and Keven Mealamu all deserve a fitting send-off.

Nervousness is evident but all the stats - 33 wins in a row at Eden Park, 37 unbeaten at home - point to an All Blacks victory.

"We've been in this situation a couple of times coming back to play here," McCaw said. "Those circumstances bring out the best in you. Hopefully we get that again. History doesn't mean anything when the whistle goes."

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