'Sore bodies in shed' indicate changes in All Black selection

Isaia Toeava and Carl Hayman

Victory margins for the All Blacks this season have been tight. There have been none of the whopping wins of last year against Fiji, Wales, Ireland and one Lions test.

The only blowout was the 20-point victory against the Wallabies in Christchurch.

The coaching staff have made a huge deal of the character in the side, their ability to soak up the pressure and counterpunch their way to wins which would have eluded other All Black teams. With every victory the side forged further mental resilience.

That tenacity shone through again on Saturday at Eden Park when, having played moderately in the first half, they regrouped to continue the shutout the Wallabies have suffered at Eden Park since 1986.

Seven wins in succession against Ireland, Argentina, Australia and South Africa have been delivered, a fair few of them through that grit, perseverance and determination.

Those ingredients were needed again on Saturday as the All Blacks dealt with selection issues of their own making, and then injury when Aaron Mauger could not start and tighthead prop Carl Hayman was knocked out in the first half. The panel gambled on using new centre Isaia Toeava but he struggled to impose himself and deal with the intensity of the test. The selectors will dissect their indulgence and work on how best to give their special project more experience.

It was odd to hear coach Graham Henry suggest Toeava battled because of Mauger's withdrawal while in the next breath he congratulated Luke McAlister for his midfield contribution.

When Toeava was dragged soon after halftime for Leon MacDonald to go to fullback and Mils Muliaina switched to centre, there was a distinct change in the impetus in the All Black backline.

Selection issues for the next Tri-Nations hurdle - the Springboks on Saturday in Pretoria - may have been clouded after the All Blacks secured the title with their 34-27 victory.

Both sides were dented after the match and the All Black plans will depend on how some of their players recover.

Captain Richie McCaw was aggrieved and even unnerved some time after the test as he spoke about being upended in Lote Tuqiri's tackle. He felt something stretch as he landed on his head; it had given him a huge fright and he was fortunate to escape without any significant damage.

McCaw felt the Wallabies had targeted him, that he had been consistently taken out and obstructed during the test.

"I guess they did a fairly good job - they were desperate," he said.

It was hard to recall another test where he had received more attention from his opponents but that tactic meant there were more opportunities for his team-mates.

McCaw looked very battered and his involvement in Pretoria must be under discussion while Hayman will surely get a spell.

It was a very gruelling test, perhaps more draining than their last meeting in Brisbane as both teams tacked on greater attacking width while still pounding away in the collision areas.

"It was very physical. There are a lot of sore bodies in the shed," Henry said.