The All Blacks had a less than stellar record in 2020 and for a 74-test veteran, the onus is on the senior players to turn that form around.
Hooker Dane Coles is well aware of the unconvincing nature of the All Blacks' recent performances, which stands at three wins, two losses and a draw since Ian Foster took the reins from Sir Steve Hansen.
Among the losses was a first-ever defeat at the hands of Argentina's Pumas on the Gold Coast; a game which Coles started.
Saturday's 2021 test season opener against Tonga provides an opportunity for the All Blacks to begin the road to redemption and for Coles, it's about leading by example.
Several fresh faces have joined a relatively young squad, outside the likes of Coles, skipper Sam Whitelock, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith and Patrick Tuipulotu.
Coles felt the losses of 2020 hard and is determined to put the onus on himself and the other leaders as a new era of All Blacks rugby gets a kick-start.
"I feel that responsibility, especially after last year where we didn't go too well," Coles says.
"As a leader of this team, that's a bit personal, so it's just about going out and leading the forwards; do the talking along with Sammy [Whitelock] and just make sure the newer guys just worry about their jobs and take on a little bit of that extra weight if I have to.
"That's just the nature of being a senior player in this team.
"And as a senior player I felt a bit of responsibility with what went down last year and we let the boys down last year only winning 50 percent of our tests - that's not good enough and as a team and as leaders we have taken a really good look at ourselves and how we can make this team better."
But the solution is a simple one. Keep it simple. Coles says as long as the leadership group does their job, the young core will be allowed to thrive.
"It's about doing everything we can to put the best performance out on Saturday.
"At the end of the day, we will be judged by our performance so it's about walking the talk and getting this team back to the no.1 spot where we belong.
"It's about keeping everything simple and the senior players taking the responsibilities in their areas - Richie [Mo'unga] with the attack and Sam Whitelock with the lineout.
"Just having some clear focus for us as a team and not overloading the new guys.
"We just want to go out and nail the simple stuff and enjoy it and enjoy the occasion."
One of the young brigade is stand-out Blues flanker Dalton Papalii who will play just his fifth test on Saturday night.
While by no means an experienced international, Papalii has at times led the Blues, and going into his third year as an All Black, he has a familiarity with the culture and ethos of the black jersey.
The 23-year-old has enjoyed the two weeks in camp, watching the new blood settle into life as an All Black flooding back the memories for the former St Kentigern College skipper.
"It's been great to see the new boys come in and bring their flavour to the group," says Papalii.
"It brings me back to my first time in the ABs and I see them walking around and they are a bit shy and I was exactly like that too.
"It's great to see the guys get around them and open them up and make the environment comfortable for them.
"When you first come in this can be quite a daunting environment but it also gets the best out of everyone."
The All Blacks are expected to run up a hefty scoreline against a Tongan side fielding 13 debutants, including several players who play club rugby around New Zealand.
Some pundits have criticised the matchup as less than ideal preparation for a 13-test All Blacks campaign, but for Coles, that notion is disrespectful and not what the All Blacks, indeed rugby, is about.
"It's the first test of the year so there has been a real excitement there for us," says Coles.
"It's a test match. As players, we don't think about the opposition as a professional player or club player or a bloke coming to the ground from work.
"They are playing for their country and we will represent ours.
"The Tongan boys will be out to go hard at us and we will be doing the same."
The two sides last met in 2018 ahead of the Rugby World Cup with the All Blacks winning 92-7.
Join us at 7pm Saturday for live updates of the All Blacks v Tonga test
