All Blacks

All Blacks say still room for improvement

It's only one round in but the world champions already look capable of pulling off a third successive clean sweep of the Sanzaar competition following the 38-13 humbling of Australia in Sydney.

It will take something special to halt Steve Hansen's men, who are short-priced favourites to repeat the dose at their Eden Park stronghold on Saturday and tuck the Bledisloe Cup away for another year.

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus admits the New Zealanders are on another level.

Crotty head injury sours All Blacks' triumph

The inside centre was knocked out in a clash of heads with new midfield partner Jack Goodhue in the first half of the 38-13 rout at Sydney's Olympic stadium and played no further part in the match.

The 29-year-old has suffered a litany of head knocks over the past two seasons, missing games for the Canterbury Crusaders in Super Rugby earlier this year, and will be sidelined for Saturday's return match at Eden Park.

His sister Shea Crotty, who has played basketball for New Zealand, aired her concerns on social media.

Hansen targets areas to pressure Wallabies

New Zealand blew Australia away in the first half of each of the last two Bledisloe season openers and have held the coveted trophy since 2003.

But the hard work of his Australian counterpart Michael Cheika in endeavouring to close the gap between the trans-Tasman rivals hasn't gone unnoticed by Hansen.

"I think they are a good side, they've improved a heck of a lot," Hansen said.

"They've done a lot of hard work on their running lines and their core set piece roles.

"Their scrum has got better, looking at it against Ireland.

Retallick and Read return to All Blacks, Goodhue to start in the centres

Sam Whitelock will play his 100th Test.

Whitelock, 29, becomes just the eighth All Black and the first lock in the team's century-plus history to play 100 Tests, and follows Captain Kieran Read, who reached the milestone last year.

The list of All Blacks centurions which Whitelock will join on Saturday is as follows: Richie McCaw (148, 2001-2015), Keven Mealamu (132, 2002 - 2015), Tony Woodcock (118, 2002 - 2015), Daniel Carter (112, 2003 - 2015), Kieran Read (109, 2008 - ), Ma'a Nonu (103, 2003 - 2015) and Mils Muliaina (100, 2003 - 2011).

Hansen talks up Wallabies ahead of Bledisloe Cup

The defending Rugby Championship winners and long-time Bledisloe Cup holders arrived in Sydney on Sunday evening, six days before their match at Sydney's ANZ Stadium.

Hansen continued his complimentary assessment of the Wallabies, rating them "a really good side" after their three-test home series loss to Six Nations champions Ireland.

"They won that first one and the second two games they didn't get much luck did they, so it could have gone either way that series," Hansen said.

"I thought they got a lot of intensity, they played with a lot of skill."

Stirling Mortlock rubbishes All Blacks underdog status

"It's a load of tripe," Mortlock said.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, a master at stirring the pot, made the audacious claim on Monday after selecting another formidable 33-man squad for this year's series, which kicks off in Sydney on August 18th.

Winners of the past two World Cups, the All Blacks have lost just eight of their past 100 Test matches to be the most dominant team in international rugby history.

Coles included in All Blacks training camp

Coles hasn't played since falling awkwardly and rupturing anterior cruciate knee ligaments early in the All Blacks' Test win over France in Paris on November 11.

Over the previous two Super Rugby campaigns he has missed large chunks of games with rib (2016) and concussion (2017) issues but returned late in the season.

His first knee surgery didn't work, ending his expected comeback in June. His second surgery was a success, but whether he'll return to action via the All Blacks or Wellington remains to be seen.

Read ready for a return

Read has not played since the surgery to correct a bulging disc that was causing leg pain and Hansen had said earlier there was no rush in bringing him back until he was fully fit.

The number eight, however, has been in camp with the All Blacks for their three-match series against France and Hansen said his role at training had been to replicate the French loose forwards' play and put pressure on the world champions.

Williams not worried about Dunedin blues

Cross-code star Williams is poised to be recalled for the third Test against France on Saturday in a swift recuperation which has foiled a planned a holiday with his family.

Keyhole surgery on a knee problem three weeks ago was meant to require six weeks' recovery but the 32-year-old is instead in line for a 47th cap and just his second Test appearance at the Forsyth Barr Stadium indoor venue.

The first came last August when Williams' spilled a handful of early passes and helped open the door for Australia before the hosts charged home to retain the Bledisloe Cup.

Four new faces for All Blacks in Dunedin, France drop skipper

With the series already wrapped up, coach Steve Hansen has made 11 changes to the match-day 23 to both cover injuries and to give four new players a taste of Test rugby.

Flanker Shannon Frizell and centre Jack Goodhue will make their debuts in the run-on side with Jackson Hemopo and Richie Mo'unga to come off the bench.

From the side which won the second Test in Wellington 26-13 last weekend, Beauden Barrett, Liam Squire and Vaea Fifita were ruled out because of injury.