New year means new page for All Blacks
The All Blacks have closed the book on their perfect season as they continue their search for rugby improvement.
New Zealand finished 2013 with 14 wins from 14 matches to compile the first 100 per cent Test record since rugby went professional.
But as frontline lock Sam Whitelock prepares for the start of the three-Test home series against England, he says last year has come and gone, and the All Blacks have to move on.
"You can't look back at that and think that will get us through because, if we do that, we'll come second," he said.
"England have improved their game and they're definitely a threat, so we have to keep make sure we keep improving, otherwise we'll come unstuck."
Coach Steve Hansen said if the All Blacks hung on to their exploits of last year, "we'll get thumped".
"The first thing we have to do is exactly what we did after winning the World Cup - put a full stop to it," he said.
"Yes, it was a good year, but the reality is that we could have been beaten two or three times."
New Zealand came closest to tripping up right at the end, when they needed Ryan Crotty's injury time try and Aaron Cruden's retaken conversion to beat Ireland 24-22.
Hansen described England under coach Stuart Lancaster as probably the most improved side in world rugby in the past 18 months.
He rated them better in some facets of the game than the All Blacks.
"There are teams out there who are well and truly capable of beating us," he said.
"It's about making sure we've done all the home work we need to go. Our preparation is key."
If the players turned up in the right mental and physical state to play well and they lost, "then that's life".
"We have to go away and look at the areas of our game that we weren't good enough in," Hansen said.
"If we manage to win turning up in that state, then again we'll look at what else we can improve on. It's about making improvements all the time."
