The Wallabies are refusing to buy into outside noise that the All Blacks aren't as commanding as they have been previously, instead they remain wary of the side they came within three points of defeating in Sydney in their Bledisloe opener last weekend.
While the Bledisloe Cup is locked away in New Zealand Rugby's cabinet for a 23rd straight year, the Wallabies are preparing to shock their trans-Tasman rivals when they take to the field at Wellington's Sky Stadium on Saturday night. But despite the All Blacks' poor record at the Cake Tin, which includes a loss to Pumas earlier this year as well as a loss to Ireland two years ago, Wallabies lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto says his side are all too aware of their own poor form in the return fixture.
Over recent years the Wallabies have suffered blowout losses following tight results, including just recently when Australia succumbed to a record 67-27 loss to the Pumas just a week after they secured a tight one-point win, while in 2022 the Wallabies fell 40-14 at Eden Park after they lost to New Zealand by just two points the week earlier.
"I don't read too much into that," Salakaia-Loto told media when asked about the All Blacks' record in Wellington. "I think every team enjoys playing at home and it's the All Blacks in New Zealand, so it's always going to be a tough match.
"History shows that whenever it's been a tight contest the first game, the second game hasn't gone our way, so we know that we've got to be better, and we understand that, we acknowledge that and it's not going to be easy. It's a sold-out crowd here in Wellington at Sky Stadium, NZ back home, so it's going to be a close game.
"It's always tough playing away from home and our record probably speaks for itself, it hasn't been great over here, but that doesn't mean it can't change."
Plenty has been made of the All Blacks' recent dip in form including their struggles to score points in the second half, with the Wallabies keeping New Zealand try-less in the second 40 minutes last week, while they didn't score a point in the final 20 minutes against the Springboks in both their Tests in South Africa. But the towering lock said New Zealand's recent turn of form wouldn't be changing their opinions of the outfit.
"People have been talking around stuff like that and a lot about them, but the All Blacks in New Zealand they're a world class outfit and I don't know how many times we have to keep repeating it, but we've got to be good enough on the day to win and so that's on us.
"I don't think it has anything to do with how the All Blacks are playing or what's going on inside their camp, we know that come Saturday we're going to have a tough match against the World Cup finalists [from] last year.
"We've got to be good enough on the day to win and we understand that. It's a Bledisloe game here in New Zealand, I think it's a game that everyone wants to be a part of and I'm sure they're thinking the same.
"These rivalry matches are right up there in terms of intensity and how hard it is, so it'll be whoever performs on the day and the best team will win."
Four years on since the Wallabies were held to a draw at Wellington after former Wallabies utility Reece Hodge failed to convert a 50m penalty on the siren, instead hitting the upright, which resulted in a nine-minute scramble before James O'Connor eventually kicked to touch, Salakaia-Loto is hoping this week's match won't be anywhere as close.
"It was an arm-wrestle of a match that one, I think Hodgey just missed the kick there.
"The last time we played here it was a tight contest and we're hoping that it isn't a tight contest [again] and hoping that we can get a result this week because we know that when we do our stuff and do it well and execute our plan, we know that it gives us the best opportunity to do so.
"It's good to be back here in Wellington and, you know, a week's a long time in rugby so hopefully we can turn it around."