The All Blacks won't incur the wrath of the New Zealand rugby public as they did in 2003 and 2007 should they not win the World Cup this time, a leading sports psychologist says.
The All Blacks flew out for England Thursday night to defend the title they won at Eden Park in 2011.
Dr Gary Hermansson, who works with the New Zealand Olympic team and has previously worked with the Black Caps, said the pressure on the side was not as intense as 2011.
Sports psychologist Dr Gary Hermansson and Black Caps and Central Districts cricketer Ross Taylor. Photo: Supplied
"In the past it was 'another four years, another four years' whereas having won it in 2011 it takes away that kind of desperation so as difficult as it might be [to win], it's, well, if we lose, it's not a major catastrophe so that takes a lot of the pressure off."
Dr Hermansson said the biggest mental obstacle for the side though would be getting past the fact they have never won the tournament outside of New Zealand.
In 2011, the All Blacks talked about playing at home as adding pressure to their title campaign but Dr Hermansson said he did not believe that was the case.
"In 2011 [in the final against France] it was actually home territory which made the ultimate difference, that one point that we needed... so I think being overseas, if we look back to previous campaigns, is always going to be a bit of a problem because you lose that immediate connection with the encouraging support," he said.
"So this [tournament] reverts back to the pressure we've had before of playing overseas but the difference is, having won it in 2011 with a number of players who are there this time, the consequences of not winning this time become slightly softened."
Will Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and All Blacks coach Steve Hansen get to bring the Rugby World Cup home again? Photo: Photosport
The side has been labelled 'Dad's Army" in some quarters with several leading players well into their 30s and the likes of captain Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Conrad Smith and Ma's Nonu set to end their All Black careers at the tournament.
Dr Hermansson said that tag could work in one of two ways.
"There's the motivation of being able to finish on a high but it also carries with it the whole sense of, if we don't finish, well they're going to cop a lot of flak around age and around selection policy.
"But I guess that's the thing we are not sure about at this stage is that experience, which is massive in that environment, is it enough to hold everything together?
"Or whether things have gone off the boil a bit - and people are looking further ahead than the World Cup and on to the next phase of their lives, whether it's heading overseas or retirement, which could take away some of the edge."
Meanwhile, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said he was prepared to take on international media at the World Cup over Richie McCaw's on-field actions.
Richie McCaw, All Black captain for the 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign Photo: AFP
The 31-man squad flew out to England last night, after spending the last two weeks training all over the country following the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup, in preparation for the World Cup in England.
Stories from international media in the lead-up to the World Cup have questioned the legality of McCaw's on-field actions, as well as the mental edge the haka gives the All Blacks.
Coach Steve Hansen said he was confident he could handle questions about such topics, once he enters foreign territory.
"I reckon it's quite good banter - 'okay, McCaw's a cheat, but he's not a bad one, is he, and he's got a few mates who cheat too'. You just have to take it for what it is."
The All Blacks' first match is against Argentina at Wembley Stadium in London next Saturday, followed by Namibia just four days later.
