Gregor Paul: Lessons learned with jersey unveiling

Today was confirmation that the glitzy, over the top, invite the world presentations are not really what the All Blacks are all about, writes Gregor Paul. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The one thing apparent at the unveiling of the All Black World Cup jersey is that lessons about the dangers of hubris have been learned.

The All Blacks have previously been victims of the corprorate world's crassness in World Cup years.

No one quite knows how to build unnecessary expectation like an All Black sponsor - or somehow burden the team with a feeling of discomfort that an image is being projected to the rest of the world of over confidence, bordering on arrogance.

That Air New Zealand tail fin in 1999 with the All Black front row was a shocker.

It didn't exactly scream humility.

In 2007, adidas organised a memorably bad send off - an excrutiating affair where every All Black squad was presented with a cannister of dirt scraped from the birth place of each player.

The players sat on stage bemused - not only at what they were being given, but presumably on how on earth they would get it back into the country.

Even more randomly, adidas also gave them each a guitar and again, it felt a little too celebratory and presumptive about the outcome.

It's been painful to watch at times - sponsors wanting to show their support and gain their 15 minutes of exposure: the players, reluctant participants in promotional ideas that didn't reflect the values of the team.

Today then was at least evidence that there is at last greater unity between the team and the backers.

It was confirmation that the glitzy, over the top, invite the world presentations are not really what the All Blacks are all about.

That fan fare was at a minimum today was pleasing and encouraging.

The mood coming strongly from within the All Black camp is that they are not ready yet to be thinking about the World Cup.

It can wait.

The focus for the squad at the moment is Apia and the four other tests before the squad is whittled down to 31 players.

Both Steve Hansen and Richie McCaw have said there will be new plays, new ideas and plenty of innovation when the team finally gets on the park.

But it will be evolution rather than evolution.

Hansen admitted he loaded the team with too much too soon last year.

He won't make the same mistake.

The focus in Samoa will be on the basics.

Then a little bit more will be introduced against Argentina, with new ideas constantly being drip fed until the All Blacks get to the middle of August playing high tempo, high quality rugby.

Only then will they start to think about the World Cup. But even at that point, McCaw isn't going to let his team think beyond the first game.

And it felt like this same message has been given to the All Blacks sponsors - launch the World Cup jersey, but with minimum fuss and ceremony.

Keep it low key, keep it real and keep it short.