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Auckland - The All Blacks have worked on their mental preparations ahead of the Rugby World Cup after accepting they choked in previous tournaments, centre Conrad Smith told reporters on Monday.
The world's number one ranked side and winners of 10 of the 16 Tri-Nations titles against their traditionally closest rivals Australia and South Africa, the All Blacks have always struggled to bring that success to the World Cup stage.
After winning the inaugural event they hosted in 1987, they lost the 1995 final, three semi-finals and four years ago were dumped out in the quarter-finals by France.
Accusations of choking have come as each time, despite being overwhelming favourites, the All Blacks failed to bring home the Webb Ellis trophy.
"Yeah we had to," Smith replied when asked if the squad had worked on their mental preparations ahead of the World Cup.
"We haven't won many of these tournaments, in case you hadn't noticed, and we are determined to change that so we have got to face reality and deal with that."
The New Zealand Herald newspaper ran a 'choke-ometer' in their Monday edition and the word 'choke' has brought out a wry smile or furrowed brow when used in questions to the All Blacks side this week.
"We all need help," Smith joked when he was shown the 'choke-ometer' caption from the newspaper.
"The best way to deal with it is deal with it front on which is probably what we didn't do in the past, (we) sort of swept it away and said 'we are a different team and its not going to affect us.'
"But it's something we have to deal with it's part of our history and hopefully that is the best way to deal with it."
Smith has nailed down the outside centre role for the All Blacks and should start the opener against Tonga at a refurbished Eden Park on Friday.
The 29-year-old Wellington Hurricanes back who played three times in the World Cup four years ago - but not in the quarter-final 20-18 loss to France in Cardiff - said the squad had discussed what they needed to change.
"I think the main thing we have talked about is how this (the World Cup) is different, this is unique, we are not just going to roll into this tournament and expect things that have worked for us in the past to work for us again.
"We have buried what's happened and started fresh and we are building up and they'll be real challenges in the knockout stages and it requires a different mind set than when All Blacks run out to play in Test matches."
Smith acknowledged the team's high standards throughout the four year cycle in between tournaments may have been counter productive in the search for World Cup success.
"The All Blacks, to our credit, we perform at a pretty high level all the time and so when we come in to a tournament we have maybe in the past relied on that as it's won us a lot of Test matches.
"But other countries are able to step up a notch and maybe that's what we haven't done so I think that's the main thing so we've talked about what we want to do in this tournament."
Smith spoke to an ever-growing media pack as kick-off approaches at the All Blacks team hotel in central Auckland after the squad had trained behind screens at Douglas Field amid a heavy security presence.
"Little things like that do remind you of the stage you are on. Straight away, I thought of (the team's World Cup base in) Marseille in 07 as this is probably the first time the screens are around the ground.
"Little things like that and the size of the press conferences things like that, it hits home."
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