KEY POINTS:
Graham Henry isn't focusing beyond June. The All Black coach has no other mission in mind than to steer his side to three test victories.
There are, he says, no secondary objectives in this first part of the year.
The selectors are not looking to build depth. They are not looking with one eye on the upcoming rule changes with a view to being clever in their selections. They are just looking to win tests against Ireland, and England twice.
And after that, more of the same in the Tri Nations. "Our major objective is to play well," says Henry. "It is going to be more competitive this year I believe. Australia and South Africa will be stronger than they have been in the past four years and Ireland are a very good team on paper and have maybe been the great underachievers. And England were in the final of the World Cup.
"So we are not looking any further ahead than that. Super 14 finishes on one Saturday then we play Ireland the next. That puts a bit of pressure on us and we will try to manage that."
The tight turnaround is not the only source of pressure on Henry. There are, in the wake of the World Cup disaster, factions of the rugby public who need to be appeased. Knives are out of scabbards and ready to be plunged between Henry's shoulder blades if there is any nonsense against Ireland and England.
The national coach, World Cup aside, has an exemplary record. In four years his All Black side won 42 of their 48 tests. He unearthed Daniel Carter as a world-class first five, expanded Jerry Collins into something more than a giant thug and got inside the head of Ali Williams to persuade the big lock to evict his Comical Ali alter ego.
Yet, despite Henry's win ratio; despite restoring the team's relationship with key sponsors and despite refining the talents of several players, there remains a feeling of the All Black coach almost being on probation.
Winning alone won't be good enough. There needs to be a juggling of priorities so consistency of selection is the main theme, balanced against the needs of player welfare, rather than the other way round.
There is also some pressure around selection in certain positions. The post-World Cup clear-out has left New Zealand a touch light in some areas - lock and midfield in particular.
Carl Hayman is not going to be easily replaced despite the form of Greg Somerville and John Afoa and there looks to be no other option than to blood some young but raw talent on the wing.
Deep down, Henry is no doubt a little apprehensive there will inevitably be more new faces in next month's All Black squad than he would prefer. Some of the new caps will also be awarded a black jersey one provincial campaign short of being quite ready.
That, though, is the way of the future for the All Blacks now New Zealand can't retain its prime talent for even half their careers. And that is why Henry isn't standing at the exit gate trying to hold them back. The exodus is beyond his control so instead he's more interested in the entry points.
"We are very lucky in this country," he says.
"We have a very good development programme and I don't know that that gets enough press. Our secondary schools and academies are doing an good job and we always seem to be able to produce quality players.
"There are some marvellous senior players in this country and they are great role models, great examples for the younger guys coming through. If these senior guys are going to go earlier in their careers then that gives us a major challenge.
"We don't talk to the players about their career paths - there are channels for that. But if they want to talk to us then we are here for them. These are big decisions the players have to make about their careers. They can't make them in five minutes."
The next four months are not going to be easy. Henry and his All Blacks have to face a feisty Ireland side on six days' preparation. They then have to tussle twice with an England outfit keen to impress new supremo Martin Johnson.
Then come the world champions, followed by the Robbie Deans-coached Wallabies. Through it all there will be distractions about player movements - Carter and Collins will be back-page news throughout the weekly build-up until they confirm their intentions.
There is the uncertainty about the rules. Declining viewership creating a subliminal pressure to entertain and a biting recession that will give people reason to pull their discretionary dollars away from the All Blacks.
Tough times indeed but that's just the way Henry likes it. He has a chance to show the nations he's still a battler. That he still has the passion to drive the All Blacks to victory.
