Julian Savea, Conrad Smith and Richie McCaw celebrate a try © Getty Images

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Never mind what has happened in the Rugby Championship so far; the first clash of the season between New Zealand and South Africa on Saturday is going to be as tough as these Test matches have always been.

The All Blacks have got a couple of key injuries that will affect them. Sam Whitelock is a really big loss for the All Blacks, and Liam Messam played well against Argentina in Napier after being off the pace when coming back from injury in Auckland. Messam's absence provides a great opportunity to Steven Luatua or Sam Cane; whoever it is, I don't think the All Blacks will miss a beat.

I don't see the All Blacks ever dropping their guard against South Africa, especially in New Zealand. They have been guilty in the past of taking other teams lightly, but never the Springboks. They know it is going to be physical, and the All Blacks tend to get up for those games; against the likes of Australia, you know it is going to be tough but not as physical as against South Africa.

South Africa, as always, will throw their big forwards at us and try and out-muscle us; add to that the fact they will be hurting not only at their loss to Australia in Perth but also the way they lost, and you know they will be pumped.

The All Blacks also won't drop their standards while their draw with Australia in the opening game of the Rugby Championship is fresh in their collective mind. The fresh legs as a result of injuries will also add enthusiasm.

It has been interesting to see the reaction to the injuries. We look at it in New Zealand as valuable time for the newcomers whereas in other countries they tend to say, "Oh my god, we've lost a key player". New Zealanders look at it as a chance to develop another player, which is fantastic and a positive way to spin it round. When Sam Cane play ran onto the field in Napier to replace Messam, I actually had to think when the last time I had seen him play. But his performances showed why he was picked for the All Blacks; he is a very, very good player. Jeremy Thrush is a player who finds opportunities rare because of those who have been in front of him. But with Whitelock going down, Dominic Bird and Patrick Tuipolotu injured, Thrush is really going to stand up.

Beauden Barrett took his opportunity © Getty Images

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Beauden Barrett demonstrated similar aptitude in his first start; and when you think Colin Slade did well when he came out, we have five-eighths lining up for the jumper. There are also some fantastic first-fives in the ITM Cup putting their hands up; there was a bit of a drought of first-fives around a decade ago, but now there are some seriously good playmakers coming through in New Zealand. And that's because Dan Carter has set the benchmark a lot higher than it used to be.

Previously the five-eighths would move you round the field tactically and run your backline, but Carter is probably the best defender in any backline. We used to hide our first-fives and have flankers like Michael Jones or Josh Kronfeld do their tackling for them; but the way Carter defends, opponents have to go a little bit wider to get penetration - and you are never going to beat the All Blacks out wide. Carter has really raised the bar, and it has made everyone step up. And it is not only Aaron Cruden, Barrett and Slade who have done that; it has happened right across New Zealand which is great.

I think this development has happened because of the New Zealand Rugby academy systems put in place around the country; they have helped put more awareness around the technical/tactical side of the game. That awareness wasn't there previously. The academies are not perfect, but the technical/tactical work for first five-eighths has been a real positive.

Argentina "had no idea in their back play ... their backs looked void of any ideas", Craig Dowd says © Getty Images

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The Argentina Test was closer than the 28-9 scoreline reflected, and we can't get carried away that we thumped the Pumas; we didn't, and there was a 14-point turnaround when the charge-down try to Argentina was disallowed and then the All Blacks scored at the other end. Had Argentina scored that try, and the game had panned out a little differently, we would have gone into the final quarter a lot closer than it was. There were a few things that didn't go Argentina's way that went New Zealand's way on the night; but that's the game of rugby for you.

That said, the Pumas were disappointing. They had no idea in their back play. Their forwards laid down such a platform for them but their backs looked void of any ideas. Their whole game plan seemed to be "let's go and scrum for a penalty" with nothing much else beyond that. There was no pattern they were playing to; it was more a case of shovelling the ball to the next guy, who would take a one-up run and try to create something.

They were looking for someone to do something, but the All Blacks basically just smothered them. By the end, it was a bit of a fizzer - an average Test match really. Argentina need to go away and work on their back play and establish some sort of game plan of how they want to play and create some way to shift the All Blacks' defence around.

The All Blacks also need to go away from the game and work really hard on their scrum to make a statement the next time they play Argentina. I believe New Zealand have the cattle to have a scrum good enough to put the Pumas' pack back in their box. Everyone talks about the Argentine scrum, but the All Blacks' set-piece has always been good - always on a par with the best opponent , or thereabouts - and I think we beat them at their own game.

I see it as a challenge for the All Blacks. Argentina want to arm-wrestle us, so let's slam their hand down on the table then take them on at the other parts of the game we are good at because they've got nothing. At the moment, they think they've got something; but when you take all their toys away from them, which the scrum is, they can go and cry in the corner.

So far as the refereeing controversies are concerned, and the charge-down was a real howler in Napier, I would hate to see the human element taken out of the game. Referees are human, just like players, and that human element is still important in the game. There will be a reaction from refereeing administration so there will be changes made. But if we stop the game to check every point, it will end up like gridiron and take ages to play.