The centre of attention at the Bledisloe Cup

Isaia Toeava will have to quickly build a rapport with the other backs. Picture / Paul Estcourt

A call to arms for the All Black scrum looks even more critical for tonight's Bledisloe Cup test as the repair work continued on a ruptured midfield.

What seemed useful research with Isaia Toeava at centre took on a more ragged look when his intended tutor, Aaron Mauger, withdrew from the Eden Park test with a groin strain.

No matter the optimism coming from the All Black camp, the Luke McAlister-Toeava partnership does not carry the same solidity as other alliances. Certainly it will not provoke the same dread.

If the Wallabies needed a boost in their desperation to claim a test this season from their transtasman rivals, they have been handed it by selection and circumstance.

Coach John Connolly has demanded a confrontational style from his pack, in the collisions and at the advantage-line battles. But he does not want the approach to spill over into foul play.

"Twenty years ago you could really stink it, and get involved. But you can't do that any more," he said. "You've just got to be so physical mentally in how you approach the game. Physical at the breakdown. Everything you do."

The All Blacks dismissed talk their foes would resort to violence because everything else they tried in the series had failed. That, said Graham Henry, would show they had given away any idea of victory.

When the Wallabies pondered Mauger's withdrawal yesterday, they would have ramped up their attacking strategies for midfield.

"Anytime there is an inexperienced pairing, Stirling [Mortlock] and the backline look to test them," Wallaby skipper George Gregan said with his customary caution.

Cue the All Black frontrow and the rest of the pack. If they can squeeze the Wallaby scrum again and disrupt their ball, some of the Wallaby thrust will be impaired. While the selectors made several backline allowances, Henry was not so generous with his pack.

The Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu, Carl Hayman-led scrum had mastered the Wallabies in two tests and that dominance had to be repeated.

Tack on the firm defence seen in Brisbane and that will lead to more Wallaby frustration.

All Black trimmings will come if captain Richie McCaw can reproduce anything like the stupendous form he showed in Brisbane.

To deflect that advantage the Wallabies hinted yesterday that referee Chris White should not be inhibited by McCaw's title. If the All Black skipper infringed regularly at the breakdowns he should go into the sinbin.

It was a minor squawk from the Wallabies who have been quiet this week in comparison to the commotion they made on a variety of topics before Brisbane.

The inspection on the All Black lineout has been almost as muted.

However, if the corrections work done with former lock Robin Brooke are successful, the All Blacks possession should have greater breadth and variety.

That quality or weight of possession will offer more attacking ploys for a backline which has spluttered rather than caught fire this season. But the enforced late midfield change may disrupt the attacking intent.

McAlister has probably been preferred ahead of Sam Tuitupou because his skills and kicking game are a closer copy of Mauger's attributes. He has little association with Toeava, though, or Daniel Carter and that may inhibit the backline flow.

But for all those doubts, the All Blacks will look to their pack to set the momentum and retain the Tri-Nations title tonight. They have to set the tone in the setpiece, beat the Wallabies to the breakdown or slow down their ball, build the black wall of defence.

If they succeed, the lengthy trip to South Africa and final two tests against the Springboks will not be as daunting.