Discipline, adaptation and sorting some issues exposed in their loss to South Africa last week were on the minds of the All Blacks heading into the Rugby World Cup opening game against France on Friday.
Assistant coach Jason Ryan said the side was looking forward to what was going to be a unique game against France. They had settled into their base at Lyon and had been warmly welcomed.
After their loss to South Africa in their last warm-up game, he said some shifts were needed from the forward pack, and they will need to adapt a few things.
"It was clear one was when we went a little early on the maul, and the other one was jumpers were getting thrown across on top of us, so we have got to be a bit smarter around that area.
"I thought, overall, our effort was good, but when you get a couple of cards it is pretty tough to play footy from there on. But we also exposed some young fellows in that forward pack to the finish of that game."
Ryan said one feature of the game was the pressure the All Blacks were under in the first quarter.
"What was also really special in that game was the first 20 minutes, we were under immense pressure, pressure we hadn't felt all year and even a little bit in that Ireland series. The boys have talked about that, and it was great that it came then. But we were still in that game, and it would have been a different game if Will Jordan had gotten away with his try at halftime.
"That's the margins we're talking about. As a team, we've acknowledged that."
Ryan said after the lineout concerns exposed by South Africa, they would be looking to work on the gap and getting some information from referees on that.
Regarding discipline and avoiding yellow cards, Ryan said there were always small margins when collisions go wrong.
"But as long as it's not the FIFA World Cup. This is rugby, this is the Rugby World Cup, and this is a spectacle that the game needs. We have to adapt, and we have to get our height right around the collisions and make sure that our carry and cleans are strong, have a dominant mindset and be clear when we can. And we don't give any easy outs, which will be the same for both teams.