Some All Blacks will be released to play for their provinces in New Zealand's NPC First Division this weekend.

The Kiwi squad to play South Africa in Auckland next Saturday will be announced on Wednesday and will train at Waikouaiti, near Dunedin.

Selector Peter Thorburn said on Tuesday several players would line up in the NPC this weekend. "There's nothing to be read into that. They're players who haven't had a lot of football," he said.

While they have played it down, there has been some concern in the All Blacks camp at the three-week break between the Tri-Nations opener in Cape Town and Saturday's 15-23 loss to the Wallabies in Dunedin.

"It can be a benefit, it can be a negative," Thorburn said. "Two weeks is a good space. Three weeks is possibly a bit long."

The All Blacks trained in Dunedin on Tuesday and indications are that any changes in the playing 15 for Eden Park will come from within the existing squad. Halfback Justin Marshall and No 8 Ron Cribb appear most under pressure to retain their places.

Thorburn said the mood in the team was upbeat after they digested the loss at Carisbrook. "You've got to get the balance between getting the best out of a performance that was a loss and the good things that are developing in the team."

He added he was not surprised at some of the vitriolic criticism levelled at the team. "People's expectations were perhaps unrealistic, that it was just a matter of going out there and beating the Wallabies at Carisbrook, which is a load of rubbish.

"That's the way we react to losses in this country. We're very happy with the improvements that have been made, particularly in the scrums and lineouts. A few other things that were going well in the other Tests dropped away a bit. We're working on last week's game, getting the positives out of it and working on the things that need to be improved."

Assistant coach Tony Gilbert said the emphasis was on being more effective at clearing the ball from breakdowns so the backs could run on to the ball. - Sapa