Only the three hookers - Andrew Hore, Keven Mealamu and Corey Flyn - skipper Richie McCaw and Ali Williams have reached 30, while Conrad Smith is the solitary back who has blown out that many candles.
The Franks brothers, Sam Whitelock, Anthony Boric, Jerome Kaino, Victor Vito and Kieran Read are forwards in the mid-20s range, while the backs have similar pedigree.
The new All Black coaches have met several times this year to plan their ideas, to consider some broad outlines as the nation waits for a resumption of rugby.
It has been 118 days since McCaw held the Webb Ellis Cup aloft at Eden Park last October, time for the country and his squad to celebrate, absorb and contemplate what they had achieved. Time, too, for a changing of the guard, the exit of Graham Henry, Wayne Smith and a few others and the ascension of Steve Hansen and Ian Foster as the coaching faces of the new group.
New coaches, new team? On the evidence of past performances, results and players running around again, change will be minimal.
Hansen and his team will look to build on that experience while also creating competition within the squad.
They have a 14-test programme starting with a three-test run against Ireland when the Super 15 series is interrupted in June, the expanded Rugby Championship with Australia, South Africa and Argentina in August, September and October and an end-of-year tour to Europe.
The All Black selectors' initial thoughts will be revealed in mid-May after 12 rounds of the Super 15, when they announce a training squad for the Irish series.
Selectors use their experience, nous, statistics and intuition to come up with their squads. They watch the players and see how they interact with teammates and operate in collective situations.
But the public and media like to use their thoughts, bias and beliefs to come up with their squads too. It is an accepted part of the national rugby landscape.
New picks this season? Who knows?
It could be an openside flanker to understudy McCaw, perhaps Matt Todd who was on the fringes last season, Luke Braid or a new face such as Sam Cane. There may be another push from Robbie Fruean, Josh Bekhuis, Charlie Faumuina or a strike from Aaron Smith.
Hansen and Co will look at their resources and know they have a strong base and might be best served adding a few fresh faces for each campaign.
Most of those returning have got some sting left. Some on the periphery or others such as Isaia Toeava and Ali Williams who have had persistent injury troubles will come under more heat.
Others such as Zac Guildford, Colin Slade, Jimmy Cowan, Andrew Hore and Corey Flynn might face more gruelling assessments about their international future.
Demands on the All Blacks will be to continue their successes. This year is not about defending the World Cup in 2015, it is about delivering a strong season-long statement.
"We've had a couple of meetings. This week we met to talk through the commercial components and general business of New Zealand rugby," manager Darren Shand said.
"There was also the chance for Steve [Hansen] to talk through his philosophy on selection, what type of players they were looking for in positions and how they would select those people."
There was discussion about the calendar and how to dovetail the All Blacks' training camps and programme around the Super 15.
They had identified players they were keen to monitor and would make one official visit to each franchise once the Super 15 had been underway for some time.
"We will also do things like warrants of fitness on some players, talk to them and their staff and watch them at training," said Shand.
Dramatic change has brought uncertainty in the past and the All Black coaches are fortunate they had such a strong nucleus to work with. They should be able to manage alterations with less disruption.
Experiments can still occur, but probably not on a large scale.
But the selectors will zero in on some seasoned men and decide whether they still have the competitive fires for more test battles.
All Black captain McCaw has played 103 tests and is still some weeks away from a rugby return after repeat surgery on his foot.
Welfare permitting he will lead the All Blacks again. This will not be a year to hand over the captaincy to someone like Read.
McCaw's leadership value, aside from his playing expertise, is enormous to the All Blacks and the coaches will want to continue to tap into that benefit as long as he is healthy.
