All Blacks coach Steve Hansen is refusing to put the boot into the under-siege Wallabies ahead of Saturday's Bledisloe Cup dead rubber in Brisbane.
The Wallabies are in tatters on the field - they were the victims of Argentina's first Rugby Championship win a week ago - and off the field, with Beale-gate rumbling on and the team's business manager, Di Patston, quitting at the weekend.
While Hansen has been sunning himself back home in warm Christchurch, Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie has been facing heat of a different variety, having been forced to answer all sorts of questions in the Australian media, including of his relationship with Patston and whether or not he has lost the Wallabies dressing room.
The All Blacks won't provide any respite at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night. The Bledisloe Cup is locked away safely but the Kiwis are smarting coming off the 27-25 loss to the Springboks in Johannesburg, and Hansen said his charges were highly motivated when they departed for Brisbane today.
Speaking to media at Christchurch airport, Hansen, who has enjoyed an excellent record against Australia, was offered several chances to kick McKenzie's Wallabies while they were down but he didn't bite.
''I'm not too worried about what's happening off-field for them,'' he said.
''It's our job to go over there and play some good rugby.
''That's what we are concentrating on and that's what we are going over there to do, put a bit of pressure on them on the field.''
Asked if he had any thoughts on McKenzie's plight, he said: ''I'm not commenting on what's happening over there. It doesn't impact on us at all. We are coming off a loss against South Africa and we've got to go over there and win a test match.
''Nothing changes for us. We've got to prepare well and do what we need to do to play well.''
The coach was also tight-lipped on the potential makeup of his starting 15 this week.
Aaron Cruden's time in the naughty chair following his late night drinking escapade before the tour to Argentina and South Africa is over; he is back in the squad but Hansen would not give any indication as to what part he will play on Saturday.
''We'll have to wait and see,'' he said when asked if Cruden would start. ''He's in the leadership group and we had a conference call on Friday with all the leaders, and he was part of that. I expect him to get on with it. It's no different to when you tell your kids off.''
Wait and see was the line on all other selection matters.
''There's no point in me telling Ewen McKenzie what we're doing. It's only Monday, I don't need to do that till Thursday.''
There's good news on the injury front; centre Conrad Smith, who left the field late in the Springboks match after a head knock, is ''as good as gold'' while lock Jeremy Thrush also seemed to be fine after a head knock in the same match.
''We'll just wait till we get into camp and make sure that continues to be the case. At this point the Doc thinks he's pretty good.''
Hansen wasn't sure how far away Dan Carter was from a return, though he remained hopeful he'd be OK for the end of year tour.
While not getting into selection specifics, Hansen did hint that he might have a look at a few players this week.
''You've got to understand the All Black jersey doesn't allow you to experiment too much. If there's ever been a game where we might makes some changes, though, this might be the game.''
That won't include game-time for new halfback Augustine Pulu, though.
''It's fair to say it's a 'look and learn'. It's a pretty big ask to chuck him in the deep end so he'll get a week to have a look at what it's like to be an All Black, and then we'll see what happens after that.'
As for Australia, he's expecting to face a galvanised outfit at Suncorp.
''Anyone who has played sport will know there's no such thing as a dead rubber,'' Hansen said.
''Your pride doesn't allow that for a start. You're playing for your country. There's not a lot of love lost between Australia and New Zealand in any sport ... we want to belt them and they want to belt us.
''As we know there's a few things happening there so that will galvanise them to want to go out and play well.''
- Stuff
