All Blacks coach Graham Henry says New Zealand's 2011 Rugby World Cup team will have much better mental preparation going into the tournament than the 2007 squad.
The All Blacks Tri-Nations team was announced on Sunday, with those selected having played 1028 test matches between them compared with the 2007 World Cup squad's approximately 500 matches.
The 2007 team was eliminated in the World Cup quarter finals - the worst result for the All Blacks in the history of the tournament.
Graham Henry says the players chosen for this year's Tri-Nations are much more experienced, and emphasis has been placed on the mental toughness needed to win tournament rugby.
"We're very pleased with the work we're doing in the mental strength area, we think we'll be much better prepared there than we were in 2007.
"It's a much more experienced side of course - when you get more experience you're better at your job."
In the Tri-Nations squad announced on Sunday, Colin Slade was been named as Dan Carter's backup, while Taranaki and Highlanders lock Jarrod Hoeata was the only new cap.
Ali Williams, who returns after being unavailable for more than two years because of injury, says there was a time in his life when he thought he may never play for the All Blacks again.
He says being chosen as an All Black this time around feels better than the first time he was picked, because he has put more work into becoming part of the team.
