KEY POINTS:
Chris Jack gazes down from his 2.02m and fixes you with a stare, which might not have been part of his game face a few years ago, as he contemplates the chances of an All Black World Cup triumph.
It goes without saying that is the target this
season for that group who are announced tomorrow in the Hall of Legends at Eden Park. And the odds?
"I think our biggest hurdle at the moment is ourselves," the All Black lock says.
"We've got a team that can win it and could win it, but if we don't get ourselves in the right space we won't. That is the same for every team. Pretty much any team out there can win it as long as you are in the right space."
The space Jack mentions is not the area he wants to control in the lineout or the domination he wants to exert in the rucks and mauls.
He is talking about the side's attitude, their confidence, their mood, their demeanour and their ability to make quality decisions.
It is an issue that has resurfaced during this season's Tri-Nations series as the All Blacks have stuttered through the series. They have not tried to unload their entire range of World Cup strategies, that would be foolish, but the rising level of errors offers concerns about their mental stability.
It is a topic the savvy Wallabies and even Springboks have latched on to as they look for any psychological gains, with the latest chapter in tonight's winner-takes-all Bledisloe Cup/Tri-Nations test.
Jack thinks the All Blacks are travelling all right.
"There is still a long time to go. There is no point in being ready for a competition which is not happening now. We would be burned out by the time we got there," he said.
Jack is playing his final domestic test before taking up a contract next year with Saracens. He has been a part of the All Blacks since 2001 and part of the shakeup in Henry's side in 2004 after their 40-26 defeat to the Springboks at Ellis Park.
After that loss, Henry decided the side needed a change in emphasis; he needed more players who could react and adapt during matches. Many of the provincial leaders were not up to test standard so Henry chose a group of 11 All Blacks and put them in charge of the team culture.
It was about using that most powerful team weapon - peer pressure.
His logic was that the confidence they gained from making strong decisions off the field would filter through to their work on the paddock.
Richie McCaw, Aaron Mauger and Jerry Collins were used to leadership but others like Keven Mealamu, Greg Somerville and Jack needed a boost.
"You needed to be a player who was going to be on the paddock most weeks and through the development of your leadership skill, you would provide us with the outcomes we were seeking," manager Darren Shand said.
So as Jack contemplates the end of his All Black career, how does he evaluate the leadership group?
"It has grown me as a person," he says, sounding like a student who listened to lectures from a visiting evangelist. "I have really stood up and taken account for what I am doing.
"Instead of just being there, you feel like you are helping to shape this team. You feel like you have a lot more ownership towards the team, you feel like you are a strong part of the culture instead of just being there and playing. It is a really good feeling."
Jack knew the side was still guided by the coaches but they had been astute enough to let the players feel they had more responsibility.
The management made suggestions and let the All Blacks come up with the answers.
"When you feel empowered, then you feel like you can perform," Jack says. "This team just feels different ever since that leadership group was put in place. It was a fresh approach, it felt like it was me, this is us, this is what I want to do.
"It just changed my whole feeling towards being an All Black. It is exciting. It has put it where it should be."
