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DUNCAN JOHNSTONE
Last updated 08:44 13/11/2013
The All Blacks are carrying cool personas in public ahead of their test with England but a sign in their team room in London declares: "We are the most dominant team in the history of the world."
The Daily Telegraph has published a snapshot of motivational messages it reported were posted on a whiteboard in the All Blacks' headquarters at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington.
Coach Steve Hansen has kept things low-key in his official capacity with the English media.
Asked about preparations, he declared: "They are going well, we are going OK."
But behind what were meant to be closed doors, the importance of this match was there to be seen as New Zealand look to avenge last year's 38-21 loss to England and keep their hopes of a perfect year alive with just Ireland to play after this.
"We are playing England - this is about history, about human nature" screamed one message.
"On Saturday, don't moan, even to yourself" cried another.
The forwards have been ordered to place extra emphasis on "lineout delivery".
And under a heading of "Responses to strengthen this week" on the back of last Sunday's scrappy win over France, were the instructions to "use your shoulders, see both sides, and concentrate on your breathing".
Telegraph journalist Oliver Brown wrote: "The motivational mantra was one of a series delivered to the world champions ahead of their match against England at Twickenham this weekend, 12 months after they suffered a record 38-21 defeat by Stuart Lancaster's team.
"They were scrawled on a whiteboard, seen by Telegraph Sport, inside the aptly named Lancaster Suite at Kensington's Royal Garden Hotel, and together gave an insight into how the All Blacks plan to intimidate England, along with a vow to 'reach new levels mentally as a group'."
There is little there in the way of leaked secrets but the fact that it was seen and reported by the dogged British media will annoy the All Blacks bosses.
It will also make them aware that the public stakes have raised this week as much as the in-house tension portrayed by their whiteboard - this is England, this is London and you have to have your guard up on and off the field.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/a...y-of-the-world