In these days of extended groups and apprentice players just along for the experience, the announcement of All Blacks squads has lost a little mystique over the years. Apart from World Cup squads, that is.
Thanks to the increasingly high importance placed on the once-every-four-year jamborees by World Rugby and the competing teams and supporters, media bosses eager to cash in on the hype, and often feverish speculation on social media, they are different beasts altogether, so, at the risk of adding to the noise, prepare for a step up in intensity over the next few days before Wednesday's big reveal, and one name in particular will be intently listened for, but more on him shortly.
Steve Hansen's squad for Japan will be announced in the All Blacks' changing room at Eden Park, the inner sanctum a left turn down the corridor when entering from the field of play. There may be a surprise of some sort among the list of 31 players, because there often is.
Four years ago the All Blacks' squad for the World Cup in England and Wales was announced at the Beehive in Wellington amidst, among others, politicians eager to be associated with potential success and to bathe in the reflected glory of the successful 2011 tournament in New Zealand.
During the day there had been some speculation about comings and goings at Wellington airport but there was genuine surprise when Waisake Naholo's name was read out despite his ongoing recovery from a broken leg, aided, even more dramatically, by a traditional Fijian remedy based around the use of native plants.