For a nation whose pride and joy have twice been beaten by a team from up that way before even making two of the last three World Cup finals, the prevailing attitude can be a bit rich.
Early tomorrow, England host Wales at Twickenham - which is on Sky's Rugby Channel, although not listed in its monthly magazine due to late confirmation - and Scotland play Ireland in Edinburgh.
Three more weekends of friendlies follow (if a match between England and any of the Celts, or the French for that matter, can be so called). Not all of them are being screened live, for rights-holding reasons.
The managements have taken different tacks.
Ireland have plumped for four games on successive weekends; England and Wales have three apiece; the Scots and France two each.
It's the time every fourth year when all coaches take their seats with fingers crossed in pockets.
The opportunity to recover from a decent injury is desperately limited, so every time key figures like Mike Phillips, Brian O'Driscoll or Toby Flood fall over there'll be a collective sharp intake of breath from their respective coaching staff.
You may deduce little from these games. Players will be rotated with plans being worked through for a few weeks' hence.
Still, France against Ireland - who are rated the most likely of the Home Nations to make a dent during the World Cup - will attract plenty of attention on August 21, what with a pool A clash at Eden Park on September 24 uppermost in New Zealand fans' minds.
Even allowing for their preparatory nature, these games are likely to suffer badly by comparison with tonight's heavyweight contest at Eden Park.
It's a long time since an All Black test has been so eagerly, genuinely, anticipated.
The All Blacks should win for a range of reasons. Still, the next Australian team in any sport you come across who are short on self-belief will be the first.
Tonight will also present a searching examination of Eden Park's readiness for the tournament.
The facilities, transport, the ease of human traffic in and out will all get a thorough workout. Like root canal, it's certainly necessary, but may not be much fun.
Having forked out around a quarter of a billion dollars on the ground's development, you may be unimpressed to discover should you be seated in the temporary quarters at the top of the eastern stand and need to answer the call of nature, you've got to troop out the back of the stadium to the portable loos on Cricket Ave. For those with bladder issues, timing, as in most things in life, will be everything.
