On one side we see the All Blacks team of Graham Henry – the coach who now wields the finest international record in history. This time last year they strode into Melbourne, conquerors of all nations, the most overwhelming favourites any World Cup had ever seen. But, with selection miscalculations foremost of the mistakes, they lost to a Wallaby side that has a weapon no other team has - a consistent belief they can beat the All Blacks.

Waiting for Henry's men are Australia - resurgent, ominous looking, under the tutelage of the man who wields arguably the best domestic record the world has ever seen - Robbie Deans. When the New Zealand corridors of power bucked tradition and retained Henry, they set in motion a chain of events that has led us to Sydney for the first game of the 2008 Bledisloe Cup.

On the surface, the Wallabies are in a stronger position. They are invigorated by Deans' approach and are unbeaten in four Tests, having lowered the colours of the world champions last week. They have lost two Test centurions in George Gregan and Stephen Larkham, but are not weaker for it. While success was not plentiful under former coach John Connelly, he tasked himself with buttressing the Wallabies forwards, so Australia have been rebuilding to this climax in which Deans is now adding the final strokes to the green-and-gold masterpiece.

They contain men that are World XV class, and the individual brilliance of players such as Matt Giteau, George Smith and Lote Tuqiri are now being upgraded with the Crusader mentality - basic ethos and principles that enable them to succeed and win. There is no bigger scalp than the Wallabies and for Deans it will be a quickening and the most eminent of points proved to beat the men in black.

They come across their mortal enemies wounded by losing in the House of Pain, weakened by the absence of 500 Test caps, and under siege with a coach that many Kiwis wish was not there. This is a team that is without their talisman forward and captain, Richie McCaw. A side that still doubts itself after World Cup failure - as do their fickle rugby public. But it is still an All Black team.

This is a side that has won the Tri-Nations nine times in 13 attempts - an All Black team who have held the Bledisloe Cup for five years and have won it 34 times in 46 attempts. It will be extremely difficult to pry these trophies from their hands. The All Blacks, remarkably, have lost just 16 times since the turn of the century. But seven of those losses were inflicted by a Wallaby team.

The war of words has been relatively subdued, but for a verbal attack by Steve Hansen and respected New Zealand commentator John Drake.  Both have highlighted deficiencies in the way that Luke Burgess enters the ball in the scrum and in the way the Wallabies engage the hit. While the scrum would be highlighted as a possible weakness, it was the pack that took the fight to the world champions and showed that such an Achilles heel may have been shored.

However, it is in the front row where the All Blacks do wield a clear advantage, with Greg Somerville and Tony Woodcock highly rated in global circles in the dark arts. In the locks, the lineout will be targeted by the Wallaby aerial attack led by Nathan Sharpe – but the ball in hand abilities of Ali Williams and enforcer Brad Thorn will add a menacing edge that was missing in Carisbrook.

In the loose forwards, the advantage tips to the Australian team. Stand-in Wallaby captain George Smith is the equal of McCaw, and the Waratahs combination of Wycliff Palu and Rocky Elsom completely outplayed the usually-devastating Springbok back row. No doubt the All Blacks will be stronger for having a specialist fetcher, and last year’s New Zealand player of the year, Daniel Braid, will combine well with the physicality of Jerome Kaino and the work-rate of Rodney So’oialo.

The half-back position probably represents the weakness of the team. Luke Burgess is still green to the role and was Australia’s worst player against the Springboks. Likewise, Andy Ellis has been found wanting at international level and many think that he is far from New Zealand’s best No.9.

In the backs, it will be a fascinating clash. Dan Carter is undoubtedly the world’s premier fly-half, but Matt Giteau is rapidly approaching his class. Berrick Barnes is in the mould of the Canterbury second five-eighth that Deans favours, but will be challenged by the menace of Ma’a Nonu.

The centres are both unknown quantities, with the Western Force’s player of the year Ryan Cross an able replacement for the injured Wallaby captain. But, for all of his promise, it is a gamble to break up the Hurricanes midfield combination and promote Waikato centre Richard Kahui to the team.

The threequarter lines are both threatening, but the edge is just to the All Blacks, under the guidance of custodian Mils Muliaina. While Barnes will add kicking relief to Giteau in general play, no Australian player has the educational boot that Carter possesses and in a tight affair his sharpshooting could be the difference between the two teams.

NEW ZEALAND: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Anthony Tuitavake, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Daniel Carter, 8 Andy Ellis; 8 Jerome Kaino, 7 Daniel Braid/Richie McCaw (c), 6 Rodney So'oialo, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock. Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 John Afoa, 18 Anthony Boric, 19 Sione Lauaki, 20 Jimmy Cowan, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Conrad Smith.

AUSTRALIA: 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Peter Hynes, 13 Ryan Cross, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 George Smith (captain), 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 James Horwill, 3 Al Baxter, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson. Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Matt Dunning, 18 Daniel Vickerman, 19 Phil Waugh, 20 Sam Cordingley, 21 Timana Tahu, 22 Drew Mitchell.

PREDICTION: Old school master Henry to unleash a few old lessons on the new master - All Blacks by five.