All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick, World Rugby's player of the year in 2014, has made it clear that, as far as he's concerned, he isn't a defending champion.
As much as he has achieved over the past few years, he wasn't involved in the last World Cup.
During a pressconference at his team's hotel near the Tower of London, Retallick was asked where he had watched the 2011 final in which the All Blacks squeaked past France 8-7 at Eden Park.
"I wasn't at Eden Park," he said. "I was at the Havelock North fire station. Like probably everyone else in the country who follows rugby and who wasn't at Eden Park, I was just excited to be watching it and there was a real buzz around New Zealand."
From a mini grandstand with friends in Havelock North to a potentially major player at the 2015 World Cup in England, which is guaranteed to be the most watched in history, Retallick has come a long way in four years. And with 41 caps to his name after his test debut in 2012, the 2.04m 24-year-old is ready to ignite on the biggest stage.
"I'm not a defending champion," he said. "I wasn't there in 2011 so I'm coming over for my first World Cup and I'm just excited to be here and be part of it."
"Excited" was an in-word among the All Blacks after their arrival from Auckland via Los Angeles.
Being transported to a stuffy room at the Tower of London for the official welcoming ceremony after travelling for more than 24 hours was probably the last thing they would have wanted, but the sense of occasion and ceremony has woken many of them up to the fact that this is real now. They are on the brink of their attempt at winning back the World Cup and there is a sense of freshness and enthusiasm about the squad despite their jet-lagged state.
They are eager to embrace the occasion, too, making time to greet supporters and make new ones, if possible.
That eagerness extends to beginning their preparations proper for their first match against Argentina at Wembley next Monday morning (NZT). Retallick also believes the two pre-World Cup training camps held in Wellington and Auckland will be crucial.
"We're not going to be learning too much new, we're just going to be building on what we're doing," he said. "Those camps were also good to get the bodies right ... they'll definitely work in our favour.
"That last Bledisloe Cup match seems a long time ago. We're just excited about putting on the boots on Monday and start preparing for that first game."
