New Zealand will be aiming to end four years of hurt when they line-up against Australia in Saturday's mouthwatering Tri-Nations clash in Sydney.

The All Blacks have failed to get their hands on the Bledisloe Cup since losing out to Australia in 1998, and the mood in the Kiwi camp is that it has been long enough.

But New Zealand, who remain unbeaten going into the match, will have to field a weakened side after hooker Mark Hammett failed a fitness test.

Inexperienced 23-year-old Tom Willis takes his place as the Kiwis try to consolidate their strong position in the series.

A hard fought 12-6 victory over the Wallabies on a wet and windy night in Christchurch was followed up with a well deserved 41-20 win over South Africa in Wellington.

Under new coach John Mitchell, the All Blacks look to have rediscovered something of the form that saw them dominate world rugby in the 1990s.

But they will still have to be at their best to defeat the world champions on their home soil.

"The two teams are so evenly matched that it is really about who takes their opportunities," All Black scrum-half Justin Marshall told BBC Sport Online this week.

Lomu dropped

"Australia are doing pretty well at sport at the moment - and good on them - but we are pretty keen to have one of the premier rugby trophies back on this side of the Tasman."

Tana Umaga replaces Mark Robinson in the centre for New Zealand, while winger Jonah Lomu's poor form has resulted in him being dropped from squad altogether.

Lock Norm Maxwell has also been ruled out and there is doubt over the line-up of the front row, with hooker Mark Hammett, who is battling injury, bracketed alongside Tom Willis on the team sheet.

Lomu's lack of versatility has prompted the inclusion of utility back Leon MacDonald.

He returns after suffering a horrific clash of heads in New Zealand's 68-18 win over Fiji on 29 June which kept him out of the opening Tri-Nations encounters.

The news is much better for Australia, however. The Wallabies have named an unchanged side from that which defeated South Africa 38-27 in Brisbane last week.

And utility back Mat Rogers has also been declared fit to play after sustaining a calf injury in training earlier in the week.

"I don't think we've mentioned the Cup once or mentioned the Tri-Nations," said Australian coach Eddie Jones.