Final Musings in the lead up to Kick Off!

The Aussie preview of the match is in stark contrast with the message coming out of New Zealand in the lead up to the game. No surprises there, given that the Australians aren't playing this weekend! Such cocksure confidence was thin on the ground before their clash with the haples Boks last week, amking the Wallabies a dangerous side next weekend. The only question according to the Sydney Morning Herald commentators is how much the All Blacks will win by. Click here for the preview of the game from rugbyheaven.

"Beware the wounded Bok" is still the catch cry from New Zealand in an attempt to avoid complacency in the national team. It is, again no surprise here, wet and windy in Wellington (is it ever anything other than wet and windy in Wellington) and this could act as a leveller and bring the game into more of a forward exchange than was the case last week in sunny Brisbane. However it would be a brave man who would put any money on the Boks to take this one. For more on the NZ perspective in the lead up to the game, click here.

South Africa appear to be clutching at straws, with Butch the favourite to be named to start at first five for the Africans tonight. Coach White appears to have kept his sense of humour, and undoubtedly this is due to not having to face a seething public while his team are on tour in New Zealand. The spectre of race based selections haunts the coach, along with some alleged comments made on that issue as it relates to the selection of lose forwards in the team. White will have to return home, eventually, and a victory in tonight's match would certainly make the homecoming sweet, a fairytale turnaround for the coach who claims that his side plays best when their backs are to the wall. Well, for tonight's game the backs, the forwards, and the coach are all hard up against the brick with nowhere else to go. We'll soon see which South African team shows up...click here for more on that.

Bring it on!