"Before the Anzac Test this year, the last three games we'd lost and it was hurtful," Inglis said.
"Losing that number one ranking in the world hurts. It does hurt quite a lot.
"Our aim as a Kangaroos squad is to play well and the best we can and I'm looking forward to getting the result and in the Four Nations we hope to get to number one again."
New Zealand now boast several of the best forwards in the world, including Jesse Bromwich and Jason Taumalolo, and have become a team who can match the very best Australia has to offer.
"If you look back a few years ago they brought a lot of young guys through. Test footy is different to club footy and they have the right mixture now," says Inglis.
"They've matured in the Test arena and picked a lot of things up. (Stephen) Kearney was there and now Kiddy (David Kidwell) has taken over and they're going to be more potent and dangerous this time around."
The old cliche about forwards winning games has stuck around for so long for a reason - it's 100 per cent true.
New Zealand boast a pack of forwards straight out of hell and it comes as no surprise that Inglis says the smaller Australian pack must hold their own if they're to match it with the big men.
"It's a Test match. They're always won in the forwards. The Kiwis have a big side and we have a smaller side," Inglis said.
"We've had small mob for a few years now and it's worked for us.
"They always talk about the backs and how we can score points but it's won in the engine room."
