The All Blacks are refusing to read much into the Springboks' 39-20 defeat at the hands of Australia ahead of Saturday's Tri-Nations rugby Test in Wellington.

South Africa, shorn of 21 players left at home to rest or nurse injury niggles, were unimpressive in Sydney but All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith said they remained an opposition to be treated with respect.

"I think they've got plenty of talent. If they've got anything near the feeling we have in our team then they'll be hungry. It'll be a contest for spots in their team, just as it is in ours," he said.

The Springboks, he said, had a limited preparation like the All Blacks for last weekend's international and both performances were to be expected with little time spent together.

"I think their performance was like ours on the back of three or four training runs. I think they were rusty.

"We've seen them beaten over there before and come over and play really well here so we've just got to make sure that we look after our performance."

His sentiments were echoed by 22-year-old lock Sam Whitelock who is set to face a much-changed Springboks lineout after their second row was beset by injury.

Veteran locks Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha are not on this trip and are instead being rested ahead of the Rugby World Cup, while the towering Andries Bekker is out of World Cup contention after surgery on an ankle injury.

A hamstring injury forced Johan Muller home from Australia prior to the Test defeat and Flip van der Merwe left the field after succumbing to a rib injury.

The uncapped Gerhard Mostert has been called into the squad and loose forward Danie Roussouw may be transplanted into the second row to plug the gap.

But regardless of their shortcomings, Whitelock remains wary.

"Whoever you pick from South Africa they run out there, sing their anthem and they're going to be firing and they're going to come at you with everything that they've got," said Whitelock.

Fullback Mils Muliaina, who will play his 96th Test if he takes to the field against the Springboks, is too experienced to take any side lightly, especially one well beaten the week beforehand.

"I think they'll be hurting. They know themselves that they didn't play as well as they can and we know in our camp how much better they can get," he said.

"It was practically their first run together and coming to Wellington they're going to bring their 'A' game and we're looking forward to it."

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