Veteran prop Greg Somerville has warned the All Blacks they could be walking into the same kind of Australian ambush that brought about New Zealand's downfall at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

The All Blacks arrived in Sydney with major injury worries in their backline following their 22-16 Tri Nations loss to South Africa in Cape Town on Saturday.

Captain and centre Tana Umaga was rated doubtful due to an ankle injury and halfback Byron Kelleher was not expected to play because of a head knock, with uncapped halfback Kevin Senio added to the squad.

After back-to-back losses to the Springboks in South Africa last month, the Wallabies have come under fire for not winning enough Tests outside Australia.

But Somerville said the Wallabies would front up at Telstra Stadium on Saturday just as hungry and competitive as they did the night they stunned New Zealand at the same venue in the World Cup semi-final.

"Back to 2003, the country was writing them off and everyone was against them, but they came out and showed how capable they are," Somerville said.

"It's probably the same sort of thing this week, people have been into them and questioning them, so it's going to steel them together and make them pretty tough opposition this week."

New Zealand fullback Leon MacDonald expects the "clever" Wallabies backs to challenge their counterparts as much mentally as physically.

MacDonald, who was criticised for his performance at outside centre in the World Cup semi-final, will play his first Test against Australia since then, after spending last year in Japan.

"Memories like that you keep fresh in the back of your mind, so you never go into a game like this complacent," MacDonald said.

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