New Zealand's Kieran Read claims a lineout during a training session at Eden Park © Getty Images

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Matches: New Zealand 32 - 12 South Africa

Players/Officials: Kieran Read

Tournaments/Tours: Tri Nations

Teams: New Zealand | South Africa

New Zealand are determined to keep it simple in their crucial lineout battle with South Africa at Eden Park on Saturday.

The All Blacks lineout functioned effectively if not spectaculalry in the three Tests against Ireland and Wales last month but No.8 Kieran Read, who was handed the task of making the calls, knows that Victor Matfield and his Springbok cohorts represent a significant step up.

"Probably the opposition we've been up against in the last three weeks hasn't been as strong as we're going to get," said Read, who will win his 20th cap this weekend. "We're confident with what we've got there. We just have to keep it really simple."

The lineout was one area the Springboks dominated as they won all three Tests against the All Blacks last year on the way to landing the Tri-Nations title. Read admitted that Matfield, with his reputation, did give the Springboks a psychological advantage.

"I think that's probably his main asset," he said. "He's regarded as the world's best and he is. He's got that mana about him as well. You really have to turn up and not worry about it. He's just another person."

At Eden Park, Read is likely to go head-to-head with Pierre Spies, another player for whom he has plenty of respect. "He's probably the one who's at the top of the game at the moment in world rugby," Read said. "He's an attacking No 8 who likes to get the ball in hand out wide. That's probably his main strength."

The pair have met twice this year in Super 14 matches between the Crusaders and the Bulls in Pretoria and Soweto, with the Bulls winning both times on their way to claiming their second successive title.

Read was relishing the prospect of another meeting and another chance to try to outpoint his opponent. "Every time you go out you want to get one over your opposite," he said. "When you're on the field, you can't be thinking about him being the best in the world. You want to be putting a performance in to overshadow him."

Read said confidence in the New Zealand camp was high after the unbeaten start to the year's test programme and with the combinations that the All Blacks had got going. However, the two home Tests against the Springboks over the next fortnight, with the second of them in Wellington, would provide the yardstick.

All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen agreed that keeping things uncomplicated was the key to success in the lineout battles. Hansen, who was shifted from the job of forwards coach after last year's Tri-Nations before being reinstated this year, said it was case of each player doing his job well.

"You just have to keep it simple, make sure that you do your job within that lineout the best you can and don't be psyched out by what is a very good offensive lineout," he said. "You just have to do your role. If we do our role and do it precisely, we'll be fine."