Bledisloe Cup 2018: He got this right at least - Michael Cheika on why All Blacks are such a nightmare to play

Amidst the bluster, denial and anger after another Bledisloe Cup humiliation, one of Wallabies coach Michael Cheika's shots hit the target – his answer on what makes this All Blacks team so dangerous, and, frankly, a bad dream from which every other nation is unlikely to wake up from any time soon.

It is their skills – handling and kicking – yes, plus their composure and ability to see and exploit space, and fitness and accuracy on defence. But it's also the way they trust the players inside and outside them to make their tackles which allows them to be so lethal on the counterattack when their opportunities inevitably arise.

"They back their defensive systems," said Cheika in a rare moment of clarity. "A lot of those come off a breach as well, so we breach them and we turn the ball over, so we're in behind them but they trust each other, they keep their width on defence, and so they have got that width to attack with."

When you also have every player on the pitch in black capable of running the appropriate attacking lines and proficient in passing off either hand then a turnover – no matter where it is on the field - is a recipe for disaster for opposition teams.

It means that they have to be very careful about where and when to attack and doubly so about their ball security. But no one can beat the All Blacks without an attacking mindset, and there's the rub.

Cheika continued: "We have to work doubly hard then, especially once we breach, because players are a bit all over the place. It's certainly not impossible to do, but we need to do it. We need to get that extra one or two players off the ground and back up into the line to shut down the threat."

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika watches his players warm up during The Rugby Championship Bledisloe Cup match. Photo / Getty Images.

It's not impossible but it's very difficult when you have the long-levered lock Brodie Retallick playing like a midfielder or hooker Codie Taylor running in the outside channels like a loose forward or the incomparable Beauden Barrett mixing things up by operating as a wing deep into test matches.

Owen Franks has famously got through 100 tests without scoring a point for the All Blacks, but Joe Moody ran a brilliant line to get his second try in 35 tests and flanker Liam Squire went over untouched from 20m out when angling in on Retallick's subtle assist.

Barrett's threat on the right touchline late in the Eden Park test was such that he went over for two tries, one of which was disallowed. He scored four in total of course.

"On the park we're playing around with trying to get him into some spots that are a little bit different for a No10 and the reason you can do that is that he's quick," assistant coach Ian Foster said. "Pace is still one of his key assets.

"The mindset of this team to attack means that any scraps that we got, we're able to switch quickly into an attacking mode. And then it's a matter of not trying to get too structured with it, but to just let the guys make some decisions about what's in front of them.

"It wasn't as good as it needed to be in the French series but it's getting better this series."

The All Blacks, remember, have hooker Dane Coles to return, plus midfielders Sonny Bill Williams, Ryan Crotty and wing Rieko Ioane.

Their next assignment is against Argentina in Nelson a week on Saturday, and then they play South Africa in Wellington.

The Springboks looked vulnerable in the outside channels against the Pumas in their 32-19 loss in Mendoza. For them a potential nightmare awaits, with Williams, Crotty and Ioane the monsters hiding under the bed.