One team coming off World Cup glory and two with points to prove after freezing on rugby's grandest stage -- this a Tri-Nations truly worthy of the name. NZPA's Daniel Gilhooly reports

Pressure is mounting from all directions on an All Blacks side chasing a record fourth successive title in the annual stoush of the southern hemisphere giants.

The South Africans, who cruised to world champion status last November, are largely intact while Australia have acquired Crusaders icon Robbie Deans as their coach, the man many believe should now be at the New Zealand helm.

But perhaps the greatest challenges for coach Graham Henry comes from within his own All Blacks squad, who have taken on a distinctly inexperienced tinge.

To maintain their winning standards of the past five years will mean handling the heaviest player turnaround of Henry's tenure, his stocks thinned appreciably by the lure of offshore riches.

And a clutch of off-field incidents, with halfback Jimmy Cowan a triple culprit, an injury to inspirational captain Richie McCaw and some mixed showings in their June tests suggest this is a New Zealand side ripe for the plucking.

They outmuscled Ireland in the Wellington big freeze and outclassed a dreary England twice, but Henry remains locked in a battle with public antipathy heightened by his selection policies last year and the World Cup flop.

Without McCaw, the onus falls on new captain Rodney So'oialo to lead a pack still oozing quality but now lacking depth in most positions.

Lock Ali Williams and prop Tony Woodcock are cornerstones, No 8 Jerome Kaino and lock Brad Thorn provide horsepower while we await some dynamic feats from unheralded flanker Adam Thomson.

In the backs, one player is the director and main actor rolled into one.

First five-eighth Daniel Carter's form since returning from injury midway through the Super 14 has been influential and he is the man the Springboks and Wallabies tacticians will have plastered all over their war rooms.

His guile is a contrast to the increasingly-skilled bowling ball Ma'a Nonu, who has claimed ownership of the No 12 jersey.

There are contests for selection among most of an outside back division which has been surprisingly fluent through the first three tests -- admittedly against the, er, best of British back play.

South Africa are desperate to end their decade-long drought in New Zealand and will smell blood ahead of the two opening tests, in Wellington this Saturday and Dunedin a week later.

But the real story of this year's tournament was always going to be told on July 26, a date that was circled in red ink the moment Deans announced his Tasman Sea hop.

By the time the Wallabies face the All Blacks at Sydney, Deans would have had nearly two months to weave his own brand of magic.

It will be the first of four Bledisloe Cup tests but none will surely match the anticipation of Henry-Deans round one.

Victory in Sydney and twin home defeats of the Springboks would send New Zealand well on the way to a ninth title in 13 editions of the Tri-Nations.

But that sort of start resides in the very hard basket.

The Tri-Nations is traditionally relegated below the Bledisloe Cup, Grand Slam tours and Lions series in status but winning this nine-test, 11-week marathon one would rate among Henry's finest achievements.

Tri-Nations Facts:

Standings
2007: NZ 13 Aust 9 SA 5
2006: NZ 23 Aust 11 SA 9 (expanded)
2005: NZ 15 SA 13 Aust 3
2004: SA 11 Aust 10 NZ 9
2003: NZ 18 Aust 6 SA 4
2002: NZ 15 Aust 11 SA 7
2001: Aust 11 NZ 9 SA 6
2000: Aust 14 NZ 12 SA 6
1999: NZ 12 Aust 10 SA 4
1998: SA 17 Aust 10 NZ 2
1997: NZ 18 SA 7 Aust 6
1996: NZ 17 SA 6 Aust 6

Titles: New Zealand 8, South Africa 2, Australia 2

Top pointscorers
328: Andrew Mehrtens (NZ)
271: Matt Burke (Aust)
230: Daniel Carter (NZ)
195: Percy Montgomery (SA)
188: Stirling Mortlock (Aust)
153: Carlos Spencer (NZ)
94: Braam van Staaten (SA)
80: Christian Cullen (NZ)

Top tryscorers
16: Christian Cullen (NZ)
13: Doug Howlett (NZ), Joe Rokocoko (NZ)
9: Justin Marshall (NZ)
8: Joe Roff (Aust)
7: Matt Burke (Aust), Chris Latham (Aust), Stirling Mortlock (Aust), Lote Tuqiri (Aust), Breyton Paulse (SA)

Schedule:
July 5: NZ v South Africa, Wellington
July 12: NZ v South Africa, Dunedin
July 19: Australia v South Africa, Perth
July 26: Australia v NZ, Sydney
August 2: NZ v Australia, Auckland
August 16: South Africa v NZ, Cape Town
August 23: South Africa v Australia, Durban
August 30: South Africa v Australia, Johannesburg
September 13: Australia v NZ, Brisbane

Squads:

NEW ZEALAND:

Backs: Leon MacDonald, Mils Muliaina, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Rudi Wulf, Anthony Tuitavake, Conrad Smith, Richard Kahui, Ma'a Nonu, Daniel Carter, Stephen Donald, Andy Ellis, Jimmy Cowan

Forwards: Sione Lauaki, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw, Chris Masoe, Rodney So'oialo (captain), Adam Thomson, Ali Williams, Anthony Boric, Brad Thorn, Kevin O'Neill, Greg Somerville, John Afoa, Neemia Tialata, Tony Woodcock, Andrew Hore, Keven Mealamu

SOUTH AFRICA:

Backs: Percy Montgomery, Conrad Jantjes, JP Pietersen, Odwa Ndungane, Bryan Habana, Adrian Jacobs, Francois Steyn, Jean de Villiers, Butch James, Peter Grant, Ruan Pienaar, Enrico Januarie, Bolla Conradie

Forwards: Ryan Kankowski, Pierre Spies, Joe van Niekerk, Schalk Burger, Juan Smith, Luke Watson, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Andries Bekker, Tendai Mtawarira, Brian Mujati, CJ van der Linde, Gurthro Steenkamp, John Smit (captain), Bismarck du Plessis

AUSTRALIA:

Backs: Cameron Shepherd, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Lote Tuqiri, Peter Hynes, Lachie Turner, Digby Ioane, Stirling Mortlock (captain), Ryan Cross, Berrick Barnes, Matt Giteau, Luke Burgess, Sam Cordingley, Brett Sheehan

Forwards: Wycliff Palu, Stephen Hoiles, Richard Brown, George Smith, Phil Waugh, Rocky Elsom, Mark Chisholm, Dean Mumm, Nathan Sharpe, James Horwill, Al Baxter, Ben Alexander, Benn Robinson, Matt Dunning, Stephen Moore, Adam Freier, Tatafu Polota-Nau

Coach, captain and key player:

New Zealand

COACH, GRAHAM HENRY:

Still trying to make amends for World Cup botch-up. Has made winning start but a Tri-Nations triumph will do wonders to restore status.

CAPTAIN, RODNEY SO'OIALO:

Must fill the boots of injured Richie McCaw -- one of the bigger tasks going. Few peers when it comes to old fashioned hard work.

FIRST FIVE-EIGHTH, DANIEL CARTER:

Getting back near his best, must guide a new-look backline and provide the flashes of genius needed to keep the All Blacks on top.

South Africa

COACH, PETER DE VILLIERS:

Unenviable assignment to replace World Cup mastermind Jake White. Seems to have the Springboks chasing a more attacking style.

CAPTAIN, JOHN SMIT:

Ditched thoughts of a fulltime European contract to carry on leading the world champs. Desperate to notch win in New Zealand.

LOCK, VICTOR MATFIELD:

The lineout king is back. Like Smit, sat out Super 14 to play in France but remains a scourge to all other lineout leapers.

Australia

COACH, ROBBIE DEANS:

Adds huge fascination to the Tri-Nations. Can New Zealand's premier domestic coach end the Wallabies' seven-year drought?

CAPTAIN, STIRLING MORTLOCK:

Getting on in years but still a massive presence on defence and leadership. Maturing into Australia's Tana Umaga?

FLANKER, GEORGE SMITH:

Just gets better and better and is the glue in a balanced loose trio. Without McCaw, no team can match Smith for ball-snaffling.