Wynne Gray: Brisbane promises a hot reception

Cory Jane in action against the Wallabies at Eden Park. Photo / Greg Bowker

As kickoff approaches, some Aussie jocks have shifted their salacious gaze away from the festering scandal inside the camp to consider how the Wallabies can upset their visitors.

By the time you've finished this sentence they have probably ditched that concept as too far-fetched and switched their attention back to more questions about the coach and the Wallabies business manager.

However, the Wallabies, even on the back of a torrid few weeks in South Africa and Argentina, know they have regularly been able to put the All Blacks through the wringer when they play in the humidity of Brisbane.

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Since the epic series loss, including the 17-19 defeat in 1992, the All Blacks have battled to three wins, one defeat and an 18-all draw in their spasmodic meetings with the Wallabies in Brisbane. It's not a radiant record.

The All Blacks' biggest winning margin was seven points in 1996 before successive four-point victories in 2006 then 2008.

The next two visits brought the pain of a 20-25 loss before the last World Cup and the weary stalemate two years ago.

Conventional rugby wisdom would point to the All Blacks remedying those hiccups. They are a better all-round side, equipped to cope with most situations on the rugby globe.

However they can be tipped up, as the Springboks showed at Ellis Park, and may be a shade vulnerable this weekend if they are absorbed about their chances on the end-of-year tour.

The expected warm temperatures and high humidity will test the All Blacks' concentration and skills, with quality passing and handling needed in the awkward conditions.

Steve Hansen has altered his tight five as he looks for more momentum to allow his loosies and backline to find and exploit holes in the Wallaby defence. He has left Jerome Kaino and Steven Luatua out of the match squad and with Sam Cane the only loosie on the bench, the emphasis will be on speed and accuracy.

Where can the Wallabies hurt the All Blacks? They can sneak up on anyone and showed, at Sydney in the opening contest this year, how to ruffle the All Blacks and keep them off their game.

Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Bernard Foley can make things happen, but if the squeeze is put on halfback Nick Phipps and the recycled Christian Leali'ifano in midfield, there will be kinks in the Wallaby fluidity.

It should be more profitable to apply the heat at set-piece and then force the Wallabies to chase plays instead of working through their routines.

Hansen will want his men to keep the pace on to exert even more strain and around the hour mark inject more of the same from the bench, something the Wallabies appear to lack from their reserves, apart from Quade Cooper.

It feels strange to have a transtasman test where both teams are coming off a loss and unless there is another impasse one side will head off on their end-of-season trip to Europe with prolonged concerns.