"It's a very different psychology the All Blacks are under to what we're under -- we've been rebuilding for quite a while now and we've had a couple of false starts, short periods under different coaches," Eales said.

"Now Robbie Deans has come in and you have that period where people forgive you a bit.

"The All Blacks are well past that, so that puts more pressure on them, there's no question.

"The psychology of backing up after you've had a really disappointing result at the World Cup is difficult, more difficult than backing up with a big change to what's happening."

Eales likened the situation to the Wallabies after the 1995 World Cup in South Africa when they were eliminated by England.

Coach Bob Dwyer and key players like first five-eighth Michael Lynagh departed, and they started afresh. Four years later, under Eales and coach Rod Macqueen, they hoisted the World Cup aloft.

"Whereas if you're starting with the same coaching staff -- they (All Blacks) are very good coaching staff and I respect them a lot -- but how differently can the same coaching staff do things?

"People know it didn't work for them last time.

"It's a bit harsh judging the All Blacks like this. In that time they've also had wonderful success in everything except the World Cup. So that would be playing on their mind.

"I'm surprised they didn't change something."

Eales said he still had respect for Henry as a top coach, having first encountered him when playing for Queensland against Auckland in 1990, but felt it was advantage Deans this week.

"It adds more pressure on (Henry) than it adds on Robbie. It's the old versus the new, and people give more leeway to a new team being created than the same group doing the same thing."

Eales was at Wallabies training today in overcast, cool weather as team sponsors turned up the feelgood factor with a campaign based around three matchwinning Bledisloe moments.

George Gregan's tackle on Jeff Wilson in 1994; Eales' penalty in Wellington in 2000 and Toutai Kefu's try in Sydney a year later were all replayed.

The Wallabies have not held the Bledisloe Cup since 2002, and Eales predicted another epic contest on Saturday.

He said the absence of injured skippers Richie McCaw (ankle) and Stirling Mortlock (concussion) would cancel each other out, such was their respective impacts.

"More often than not they're close games and great contests. There's often a moment that sorts it out, that moment might come 10 minutes before the end, just before or after halftime.

"When Rocky (Elsom) got sinbinned in Christchurch two years ago, it was a pretty lame thing he got sinbinned for, but that was a massive turning point in that game.

"It's the team that gets the better of the big moments more, that generally wins."