Mauger ready to use the gas

Aaron Mauger will be one of the key decision-makers for the All Blacks. Ross Land / Getty Images

Brash and Aaron Mauger are unusual companions.

The returning All Black midfielder is not prone to reckless statements. He rarely gets carried away with life around him; he is usually very measured.

But his voice carried plenty of impact as he spoke of the All Blacks' commitment to finish their trip to the highveld in style tomorrow against the Springboks. They were ready to explode and had been a fraction dismayed they had not put 60 points on the Boks at Pretoria.

"We bombed a few tries there and the margin could have been a lot more," he said. "We are feeling good now, we have adjusted to the altitude, we like the fast grounds and we've got some of the quickest guys in the world to make use of the conditions."

Mauger will be one of the key decision-makers tomorrow for the All Blacks, perhaps the best distributor in the backs who will take some of the playmaking heat away from Daniel Carter.

The second five-eighths has missed the last two tests because of a groin strain and showed at training this week how vital he is for the backline to function efficiently.

"We have lots of exciting backs out there but you can't get too carried away with it too early, it can be detrimental if you start flinging it around early and don't set the game up," he said. "We are aware of that, as was the case at Eden Park and Pretoria. We have to set the foundations, but if the opportunity is there we will be looking to use the gas.

"I think we pushed too many passes against the Wallabies and that was the problem. They were 50-50 jobs and we want to make them more a 80-20 proposition. We want ball retention so we don't give the opposition a chance to get back into the game," Mauger said.

"You could see that in Pretoria when we got over the advantage line and then kept the ball alive."

Mauger showed no signs of any injury relapse at training, indeed the wings were having to hit the throttle to keep up with his bursts.

In an assessment which should be a warning for the Boks, Mauger said he felt sharp and his speed times were in the top three or four.

"Our game as inside backs is all about acceleration over the first 20 or 30 metres, while the wings get to test their top end speed all the time. I also look to throw long passes either side and that is the strong part of my game. You have to play what you see and look to the space around you.

"Up here on the high veld, the sun is out, there is a hard track and you can open up with a dry ball."

Mauger said the opportunities for the backs were due to the consistency of the forwards, where Richie McCaw had set an incredible example. "It would be disappointing not to finish with nine wins out of nine," he said.

"We have talked a lot about that this week and making sure our balance is right. When we are away from the paddock we switch off, but when we step over the chalk at training we have the intensity there. We are getting excited. There is a feeling it could be something better this week because we do have a more experienced side who will know when to try things.