The playing surface at Docklands stadium was as "good as gold" for Saturday’s Tri-Nations clash between the Wallabies and All Blacks, New Zealand captain Richie McCaw said on Friday.

The indoor stadium normally hosts Australian Rules matches, with AFL players heavily criticising the standard of the slippery and shifting surface, which was inspected by referee Craig Joubert and given the all clear.

"I think its been a lot of talk about not much," McCaw told reporters in Melbourne on Friday. "It’s obviously not the best I’ve played on but it’s going to be fine I think.

"There are grounds like that around and I think it will be good as gold.

"Two big forwards pushing a scrum might tear it up a little bit but I’m picking it to be okay."

McCaw said he thought the different nature of the two games may be the main reason as to why the AFL players were concerned with the surface.

"I guess they are different what they do out in the game compared to us," McCaw added.

"They might have an idea from the way they are moaning about it but from our point of view ... you can’t change it so there’s no point in worrying about it.

"I’ve played in mud up to the ankles before and you just get on with it."