From chokers to escape artists - how the All Blacks transformed

Colin Slade of the All Blacks kicks the winning conversion during The Rugby Championship match between the Australian Wallabies. Photo / Getty Images

When Colin Slade kicked a conversion with the last play of the game to give New Zealand an undeserved 29-28 victory against Australia in Brisbane last month, it was described as a Houdini act. Yet even the Hungarian did not extract himself from as many binds as the All Blacks have done in the past three years.

From Dan Carter's dropped goal against Ireland in 2012 to Ryan Crotty's try in Dublin a year later to Conrad Smith's try in the first test of England's tour this year, the All Blacks have made a habit of winning at the death. In those games, New Zealand were far from their best, but as the clock ticked ever louder, they found a way to win. That is mental strength, a commodity rarely associated with the All Blacks down the years.

There have been only fleeting moments over the past 25 years in which New Zealand have not been recognised as the world's best. The trouble was they crumbled under pressure at World Cups. Until they ended 24 years of hurt by winning on home soil in 2011, they had a deserved reputation for choking.

That transformation occurred largely thanks to one man: Gilbert Enoka, a former international volleyball player turned PE teacher, now described by coach Steve Hansen as the team's glue.

Enoka had little background in rugby until Wayne Smith, the former All Black, started selling him PE equipment. Enoka's "obsession" with the mental side of sport piqued the interest of Smith, who invited Enoka into the New Zealand set-up in 2000.

Enoka became a confidant to Graham Henry then Hansen. Henry describes his impact as "phenomenal"; Hansen as "magnificent".

Enoka said his role is "equipping our men with the tools to be able to perform under pressure - giving them the mental skills they need to be strong". So how does he define pressure? "When everything is on the line and you have got to get a job done performing at the best you can at that particular moment," Enoka said. "When the stakes are high, there's high scrutiny, high expectations and the consequences are great."

The All Blacks' ability to withstand such pressure is evident not only in the comebacks they have mounted but in holding on to leads in closely fought games. Before their blowout victory against the US on Saturday, nine of their previous 13 matches had been settled by eight points or fewer.

Wyatt Crockett, loosehead prop, says the squad view Enoka as the custodian of their culture. When aberrations occur, such as Aaron Cruden's missed flight, a player is answerable to his teammates. There is a rigidly enforced "no dickhead policy" and every player takes turns sweeping the changing room after each game.

"The dickheads and the posers who are not genuine about adding to this wonderful legacy just don't survive," Enoka said. "They become one-test ponies and get chewed up and spat out. As an All Black, you understand the team powers above the individual and you are part of a wider legacy, passed down from the ages. We want people to cherish that and nourish it for the next generation."