The bulk of the team arrived at a very chilly Dunedin International Airport about 7pm yesterday to begin preparations for the test match against the French at Carisbrook on Saturday.
Team management and other players assembled in Dunedin from throughout the country yesterday after finishing a three-day camp in Auckland on Friday.
All Black hooker Keven Mealamu said the team did not mind the cold and always looked forward to playing in Dunedin as the city had a good rugby feel.
Injured skipper Richie McCaw, who is still recovering from a knee injury, travelled south with the team.
He hoped to be ready for the first match in the Tri-Nations next month.
McCaw is speaking tomorrow at a winter leaders' breakfast in front of more than 50 high school pupils.
The team has two formal public engagements tomorrow, with the bulk of the squad appearing at the Wall Street mall from 5.15pm.
Meanwhile, the rest of the squad will be at the Edgar Centre to watch a "Rippa Rugby" match.
While the All Blacks will be soaking up the Dunedin atmosphere all week, the French will not arrive in the city until Thursday lunchtime.
They will forgo a formal training but will have a captain's run instead at Carisbrook on Friday.
The match looks headed for a sell-out, with only about 950 tickets left.
Late last night Luke McAlister was called in to join the All Blacks as replacement for centre Richard Kahui.
McAlister, who played in Saturday night's Barbarians loss to the Wallabies, will join the squad in Dunedin today.
The NZRU board exercised its discretion over selection eligibility in April, allowing McAlister to come into the All Blacks squad if injury ruled out other players.
