All Blacks avoiding complacency

New Zealand are fully aware their purple patch could come to an end at any time ahead of tomorrow’s Bledisloe Cup clash with Australia in Christchurch.

The All Blacks hold a 100% record from their opening three Tri-Nations contests and go into this weekend’s fixture fresh from a 49-28 defeat of the Wallabies in Melbourne.

Lock Tom Donnelly, though, guarded against complacency, despite the All Blacks’ formidable run of form.

“You couldn’t wish to play for a better team at the moment,” he said.

“Everything we touch is turning pretty well but there is going to be a day soon when things aren’t going to go too well and that’s probably going to be the test of the team to see how we fight back out of it.”

It will take a historical turnaround for Australia to triumph this weekend.

The Wallabies have lost eight successive contests with the All Blacks and not won in New Zealand since Dunedin in 2001.

They are without a win in Christchurch since 1998.

Adam Ashley-Cooper, who will line up at centre for Robbie Deans’ Wallabies, said: “It’s not a mental block, we believe we can beat a New Zealand team.

“We have at Super 14 level.

“Obviously my last eight haven’t been successful but it’s not a hoodoo for us, it just presents a bigger challenge.”