New Zealand's mission to retain the Bledisloe Cup against Australia has helped the All Blacks move on from the pain of their record defeat to South Africa, assistant coach Jason Holland said on Tuesday.

The All Blacks have held the trans-Tasman trophy since 2003 and can lock it away for a 23rd successive year with victory over the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship clash at Eden Park on Saturday.

Ten days after the 43-10 setback against the Springboks in Wellington, Holland had few concerns about players "dropping heads" following the nation's heaviest defeat in test rugby.

"Obviously the boys hurt massively during the last week," he told reporters in Auckland on Tuesday.

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