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Jerome Kaino braced for Australia return in Rugby Championship

Jerome Kaino lined up for New Zealand against Australia in the Rugby World Cup final
Image: Jerome Kaino lined up for New Zealand against Australia in the Rugby World Cup final

New Zealand flanker Jerome Kaino believes Australia will attempt to emulate the All Blacks when the teams meet again on Saturday.

The world champions opened their Rugby Championship campaign with a thumping 42-8 win over the Wallabies last week to quash any notion of a tricky transitional period following the retirement of several great players.

This weekend's encounter in Wellington is seen as another big test for Steve Hansen's developing side, and it is one Kaino is relishing.

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New Zealand started their 2016 Rugby Championship in style with a comprehensive 42-8 victory over Australia

"We just need to put ourselves in their shoes and think about what we would be doing and the edge and intensity we would have at training," he said.

"They have had a lot of injuries but even when you look at the guys who didn't play, they have got a lot of class there. Whoever they put in there is going to have a lot of determination to better their performance," he added.

"I know if that was us, we would be doing everything possible to play a lot better and get a win and that is what we are expecting."

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Australia must win to retain any hope of winning back the Bledisloe Cup for the first time since 2003 but Wallabies back-row David Pocock has seen little from the new-look All Blacks to suggest they are inferior to last year's World Cup winners.

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"It's an incredible side," Pocock said.

"You look at guys like Beauden Barrett and the depth that they have in fly-half, halfback, across the field really, New Zealand is in a really strong position in terms of their depth and you see that with their Super Rugby teams.

"There's no surprises that they've kicked on from last year on the back of the World Cup."

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